Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your use of these links is greatly appreciated!
Last updated on March 25th, 2023 at 04:40 pm
True or false? If you want an organized home, you need a way more than a zero budget.
Definitely false.
Most months I have no budget for buying organizing products. And many times when I work with clients, I have to work with what they’ve already got.
This is SO key —work with what you’ve already got.
Once in a while, I’ll splurge on a much-needed organization item. But it usually comes after I’ve planned it out for several weeks in advance. I’ll create a vision and a budget for the space I’m organizing.
But usually, I need solutions right away. I can’t spend months waiting around until I can get it “perfect.”
I organize my home on an almost zero monthly budget repurposing items I already have. Here are some of the things I’ve been able to do around my home.
Organizing bedroom drawers
My favorite organizing tool for bedroom drawers? Shoeboxes.
Some friends and I will get together for a girls’ night once in a while. Once, a friend suggested we do a craft using leftover shoeboxes.
I have no leftover shoeboxes. I’m utilizing them all in my drawers!
Shoeboxes are amazing dividers for smaller clothing items like socks, underwear, and little kid clothes.
Utilizing fabric storage bins
A lot of our furniture came from Costco. My dad found these cube shelves (that he uses for his record collection) that came with 8 fabric storage bins. So we bought two shelves and inherited a lot of unused bins from my parents.
These aren’t the prettiest bins in the world, but man, are they functional (and cheap!).
We use them to organize our closets …
…the playroom and our media collection.
Would I like to upgrade someday? You bet. But for now, this keeps our home tidy and organized as well as on budget.
Dollar Bins
My most functional organization item has to be these less-than-a-dollar shoeboxes I found at Walmart.
We use them to organize our bathroom supply cabinet, medicine cabinet, toys, and craft and art supplies.
It doesn’t matter what they look like because they’re hidden behind closed doors or inside of other bins.
All those small items have a place to go to be corralled and not lost.
Random storage investments
Over the years, I’ve collected baskets and trays here and there. I mostly find these items at Marshall’s and Homegoods, where they’re discounted.
This basket originally held a potted plant inside. But once it was outgrown, I repurposed it for wrapping paper storage.
These baskets, though matching, I found a year apart at Marshall’s in January when they stock up on storage items.
Similarly, I found other storage bins at Marshall’s and Homegoods that, while they don’t perfectly match, it doesn’t matter because they’re hidden anyway.
This tray serves as my Actionable Paper Hub (explained in the Paper Hubs System). Yes, it’s a serving tray, but it serves me better as a paper bin.
Frugality at it’s finest.
Want to get really frugal?
Do your kids have any Melissa & Doug stamp sets? These are the boxes from those stamp sets.
They’re perfect for this low-height drawer I use for my hot beverages.
I’ve requested custom drawer dividers from my husband, but he’s still trying to figure out how to make them.
So, in the meantime, I repurposed what I had.
So frugal, right?
…
These are just a few examples of how I keep my home organized on an almost zero budget. And, yeah, I know it would look prettier if everything matched and went with the aesthetics I want for my home.
But sometimes all you need is a tidy home, not a perfect home, to feel calm and relaxed.
Here’s my challenge to you:
Search around your house for boxes, baskets, bins, and trays that you could repurpose inside of drawers and closets to corral similar items.
Then post a picture of your tidied up, budget-friendly space on Instagram Stories and tag me @jenawithlove.
I can’t wait to see what kind of magic you make!
Pin the post for later:
Leave a Reply