Budget-Friendly Methods To Keep Your Home Organized

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It can be easy to fall into the trap of buying a bunch of expensive storage solutions, organizers, and shelving units when attempting to bring order to your home. However, the truth is that you can tidy your space without breaking the bank. Repurposed cardboard boxes, thrifted storage finds, dollar store containers, and practical organization upgrades can transform messy nooks just as well as a $50 shelving rack or a Williams Sonoma drawer organizer.

For the average home-dweller, throwing money at the problem seems to be the default setting, especially when one is feeling overwhelmed by household clutter. But, you can feel just as empowered — if not more so — by getting savvy with your solutions and staying within budget rather than just adding that bamboo shelf riser to your cart. We have assembled 13 budget-friendly methods to keep your home clutter-free and organized, so keep on reading to regain control of your space!

Decluttering your home can have many benefits, including having less 'stuff' that requires organization in the first place. By removing clutter before you start organizing, you can free up more space in drawers, closets, or on shelves — saving you from having to purchase additional storage for clothes or miscellaneous items you never use. For example, narrowing your shoes from 20 pairs to eight might mean you don't need to buy another shoe rack. Similarly, cleaning out your dresser might mean you don't actually need to buy a fabric dresser as an extension of your clothes storage. Always declutter first to make organizing easier and more budget-friendly.

If there is a particular area of your home that gives you a headache, start there. This could be a junk drawer or an entire coat closet. Go through and separate items you want to keep, trash, or donate. Once you're done, you'll be amazed at how much more space you have to work with. If you discover that you don't have as many items to get rid of as you hoped, no worries! That's where budget-friendly organization methods will come in. Setting up a donation box in your closet is one game-changing organization tip that will help you stay on top of decluttering clothes, accessories, and shoes on a regular basis.

The next method is knowing when to splurge on storage (within reason) versus when to save. Prioritize putting the bulk of your budget toward the most disorganized area in your home, whether it's your kitchen pantry, bedroom closet, bathroom cabinet space, or anywhere that causes you stress just by looking at it. This is where it's reasonable to invest in organizational furniture or closet systems to give the space structure and create more decluttering opportunities. Then, use DIY or repurposed containers for areas that still need to be tidied but aren't as frequently used or seen.

For instance, if your entryway closet seems to swallow up your shoes, coats, and on-the-go essentials, constantly making you dig around frantically for what you need as you head out the door — this might be a good place to devote more time and money to organization. A closet system or a hall tree can provide spots to hang up coats, bags, or sunglasses. Some even have built-in shoe bins or cubbies so everyone in the household has their own storage spot. To save money, you can repurpose a food tin to store your keys, use cardboard boxes to sort pairs of shoes, and corral your gloves and hats in a reusable grocery bag or an old shoebox.

Speaking of repurposing items, you can use small cardboard boxes, empty food containers, plastic fruit baskets, and cookie tins to arrange drawers just as easily as a $30 bamboo wood sock organizer. In the end, you're the only one who will see the inside, so it's okay if things are separated into empty sandwich bag boxes, grocery store berry strainers, halved tissue boxes, and cardboard frames left over from the set of glassware or Christmas ornaments you bought. You can even save the plastic packaging when you buy pens, thumbtacks, or binder clips, and use these to store them neatly, rather than discarding them once opened.

To start, empty the drawer and sort its contents into piles. This applies to your sock, junk, and desk drawers, alike. After determining what to throw out or donate, sort the rest into repurposed containers you've managed to scrounge. Depending on the height of the containers, you may need to cut them down to fit inside and ensure they can open and close without disruption. The best part about this method is that you can customize the layout based on your needs and the size of the compartment, unlike when you buy a premade organizer. With so many DIY drawer divider options, there's no need to spend a cent!

Think twice before donating that old dresser, filing cabinet, bar cart, or set of end tables. The furniture of days past can be repurposed as shelving and drawers in bedroom and entryway closets alike. This means you don't have to go out and buy a whole closet system, because ultimately, it's your home and your rules about how to use your furniture. It won't matter if the pieces don't match your aesthetic, since they'll be tucked behind closet doors.

For this method, you need to peruse your basement or attic for hidden storage gems in the form of furniture. Use a dresser or filing cabinet in your closet to store gloves, hats, sunglasses, scarves, socks, and seasonal items (like your vacation sunhat or trusty pair of flip flops). You can repurpose an old end table to highlight your favorite pairs of shoes. If the end table has drawers, use it to store go-to jewelry pieces — just a few ideas.

Glass food jars are just one example of pantry items you can repurpose as storage solutions. Once you've used up all the tomato sauce, peanut butter, or jam, go ahead and clean the glass jars, remove the labels, and organize to your heart's content. Since you've basically already purchased the container, you shouldn't let it go to waste. Once emptied of food remnants, the jar can fulfill a wide range of organizational needs in your home. While mason jars and glass container sets cost $10 to $20 or more, you can get more value for your money on your weekly grocery run. Think about how many jars of sauce, pesto, salsa, nut butter, or pickles (to name a few) you purchase each month, where the jar itself is a mere vessel for sandwich toppings, pasta pairings, and chip dippings. It's basically like buying a candle that can be used as a planter after you've run down the wick. Essentially, you get two products for the price of one: The food itself and a study storage container.

Empty glass jars are ideal for storing items on bathroom vanity counters or in medicine cabinets, like toothpicks, dental floss, hair ties, bobby pins, cotton balls, and a host of other getting-ready essentials. They can also be useful for storing small craft items like beads, paintbrushes, thread, or buttons. You can also use them to arrange your desk by repurposing them for pens, paper clips, rubber bands, or staples.

If you do need to purchase bins, baskets, or dividers, start by looking at your local dollar store. Retailers like Dollar Tree and Five Below have a wide selection of inexpensive organizational items that still do the job well. Amazon also offers $1 and below flash deals on a range of storage solutions, including wall-mounted organizers, wall hooks, drawer separators, and more. Even though it's not part of the flash deals, this desk organizer is under $2 and can be used to store makeup, office supplies, or craft items. Ultimately, these retailers are a testament to the fact that organizing doesn't have to be expensive.

To get the most value for your budget, compare prices for similar items available at Dollar Tree, Amazon, and other discount stores. Read customer reviews and record size measurements for items like drawer dividers and baskets to determine which options will fit best in the spaces you want to organize. It might also be helpful to read up on affordable Dollar Tree DIYs for inspiration on how to use discount store items to achieve storage goals.

Rolls of labels are super budget-friendly and can be used to sort everything from spice jars to closet baskets, so you always know where everything is and what's in every basket or drawer. Amazon has an endless selection of inexpensive options for sale. These Avery Multi-Use Removable Labels come in a pack of 72 for under $2.

To master this low-cost and popular organizing technique, start by adding labels to jars, bins, or baskets that you tend to easily mix up or frequently have to open in order to determine what's inside. This simple addition can make all the difference when trying to find everything from cooking ingredients to your wool sweaters. Make sure to keep the labels broad enough to stay flexible. For example, if you don't have an extensive sweater collection, consider labeling a bin 'Sweaters and Winter Wear' or something similar, so you don't limit your storage options.

Another budget-friendly way to keep your home tidy is to get familiar with your local thrift outlets (like Goodwill), the Nextdoor app, yard and estate sale Facebook groups (or apps), and Facebook Marketplace. Keep an eye out for furniture, baskets, bins, and other home organization essentials. Most of the time, people want to get rid of the items and may sell them for considerably less since they've been used.

Start by identifying what types of storage you need the most. Do you need a whole dresser, plastic tubs, a desktop organizer, a lazy Susan, or decorative baskets? From here, you can peruse Facebook Marketplace for similar items, filtering by price range and the preferred distance from your location. You can also use the Nextdoor app or websites to find yard or estate sales nearby. Going to thrift stores such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army is another smart way to find discounted organization products and furniture.

This is an easy organization method that you can achieve without going over budget. Baskets are perfect for tossing in pairs of shoes, socks, toys, throw blankets, and even dirty clothes — keeping them off the floor and in one spot. Keep a basket by your bedside to put drinking glasses, medicine, and other essentials that you'll need to return to your dishwasher, medicine cabinet, or bookshelf. This way, when it's time to clean up, all you have to do is pick up the basket. The same goes for living rooms overrun by toys, discarded socks, or electronics and charging cables, as well as entryways where everyone leaves their shoes scattered across the floor. You can just pop them in a basket and put them away later when you have the time.

To implement this idea, look for discounted baskets at dollar stores, thrift stores, or on Facebook Marketplace. Amazon also has some affordable choices. The HLWDFLZ 7 Piece Cotton Rope Woven Basket Set is under $31 and comes with seven different-sized baskets to store everything from tabletop items to toys. Put a basket in your living room, bedroom, entryway, home office, and any other room that has a tendency to accumulate clutter (like a bedroom closet or bathroom) and be intentional about emptying the baskets each night (or as often as you can) to return items to their proper places and stay on top of home organization.

There's nothing more annoying than trying to keep brooms, mops, and vacuum cleaners from falling over every time you open the closet door or try to reach an item near them. Wall-mounted broom holders not only help organize the space but also clear floor space for additional storage. The best part? They're usually relatively affordable.

Start by considering the wall space you have and how many cleaning tools you need the holder to accommodate. Depending on the product, you might need to install it with a power drill and mount it to wall studs to ensure it has enough support. You can snag this Amazon Basics version for under $12, and it has five slots for brooms/mops along with six smaller hooks for other cleaning tools. If you rent or aren't comfortable with a drill, don't worry, you can try one with a strong adhesive backing, like this Command Broom and Mop Gripper.

When you finish a toilet paper roll, don't throw it away.  These cylinders of cardboard have tons of potential when it comes to home organization, and there are countless ways to repurpose empty toilet paper rolls for storage. They make excellent dividers, hair accessory storage, and cord organizers.

Over time, collect empty toilet paper rolls and put them in a grocery bag (you can even store this under your bathroom vanity). This way, you'll always have some at your disposal when you need to corral cords or divide space in drawers. Unused power strips or large cords can be wrapped and fed through the toilet paper roll, keeping them separated and untangled. The same goes for smaller charging cords or earbuds. Another practical use is to store multiple hair ties or scrunchies on the roll and attach bobby pins to the ends. As drawer organizers, toilet paper rolls may need to be halved (depending on the height of the compartment). In this capacity, they can be used to sort earrings, craft supplies, or cords. Depending on the roll size, they can also be used as sock sorters.

Every Amazon box you receive is just a storage basket waiting to take form. These cardboard boxes are built to keep items safe during transport, so it's no wonder that they also make for durable containers. Plus, since you already spent the money, you might as well get a free basket out of it. You can use them to store pantry items, separate tools, keep reading materials, divide up drawer space (for small packages), and so much more.

For this DIY, you'll need a box cutter, a ruler or measuring tape, and preferably a hot glue gun. Start by disassembling the box so that it's completely flat. Then use the box cutter to cut square or rectangular holes on each short side of the box. When that's done, cut off the top flaps and reassemble the box so that the Amazon tape is inside. Lastly, hot glue the seams, and you have yourself a basket fit for display anywhere in your home. Not in the mood for a full-on project? Just cut off the box flaps, and you have a basic basket to organize things in cabinets, pantries, or closets. If you're feeling a tad crafty, you can cover the box in wrapping paper of your choice to hide the packing tape.

Dish basins are super affordable and can make a world of difference when trying to maintain a clutter-free kitchen counter and sink area. They come in a variety of sizes, colors, and designs to suit your kitchen aesthetic and dish-storage needs. They're also handy if you're having company over but don't have time to clean. Just move the dish basin to a cabinet or an undisclosed location (no one needs to know). As long as you have enough drinking glasses and plates for your guests, you can whisk away dirty dishes without a second thought — that's an after-dinner-party problem.

When choosing one for your kitchen, a collapsible design, like this basin by Craftend, offers the most flexibility, and looks neat and tidy anywhere it goes. Put a dish basin right beside the sink and use it to place dirty dishes when you aren't ready to wash them or when the dishwasher has yet to be unloaded. This keeps your sink itself clear and prevents the countertop from getting filled with a bunch of dirty plates, mugs, and utensils.