10 Organizing Tools That Won’t Cost You Anything
No need to buy containers and bins! These are FREE organizers that you can find lying about your house.
Should you buy new containers to control your existing mess? Stop yourself, because you’d only be adding to the clutter in your house. Clutter begins with buying stuff you don’t really need, so think twice before buying anything new. Just reuse old containers or receptacles that you already have around the house—you’ll be surprised at what can be recycled for this purpose!
1. Jam jars
Wash your empty jam or mayonnaise jars and dry completely. Keep these near your door for loose change. Dip in when you have to run over to the sari-sari store for some cooking oil or vinegar.
2. Baskets
If you have old baskets leftover from Christmas gift hampers or fruit gifts, use these to hold magazines and books (stack the reading material upright), or use for laundry or rolled-up hand towels in bathrooms.
3. Ice cube trays
The size of the cube compartment is perfect for tiny stuff like rubber bands, hairpins, pushpins, or earrings. You can use egg crates, too.
4. Ribbon
This is how you keep your collection of sunglasses organized: Get a length of ribbon that is 15 inches long, and tie the ends to nails on the wall near your vanity table. Hang your shades on the ribbon for easy access (and this way, they won’t hit each other and get scratched).
5. Ladder
Use it for hanging your jeans in the bedroom, and towels in the bathroom.
6. Sandwich bags
Keep them in your closet for protecting delicate items of clothing, like your bikini, a silk blouse, panty hose.
7. The plastic base in a box of chocolates
After finishing a box of yummy See’s, get the plastic base where the chocolate singles rest. Now you have a catchall for your rings and earrings.
8. Old loaf pans
Do you have banged-up baking pans? These aluminum tins have a distressed country vibe going; use them to put order to your desktop items or kitchen utensils.
9. Wine bottles
Just finished wine night? You know that you can use them as candleholders, but these are also great as bookends. To get the pesky stickers out, soak the bottles in water overnight and in the morning, rub them off with a piece of plastic netting.
10. Old canvas tote bags
Tired, old totes or mailman bags are useful in the garage. Hang them up and you have an instant tool organizer. The pockets can hold nails and paintbrushes.
Part of this article originally appeared in the maiden issue of Real Living magazine.
