If you’ve been watching Clea and Joanna organize Reese Witherspoon and Khloe Kardashian since The Home Edit episodes premiered, you’re in good company. Unfortunately, not all of us have a celebrity mogul’s budget to use when trying to get our home organized. But sold-out product lines indicate home organization is seeing a surge!
Here are a few small investments I’ve made around the house that have truly helped me keep my home cleaner, make my space more functional, and save me time that I used to spend looking for something or cleaning up clutter. These pieces are versatile and are a great way to start the process of home organization without breaking the bank.
Budget-friendly Home Organization
For the closet
It’s true, matching hangers make a huge difference. It felt like a waste to me to spend money just to replace my hangers but I’m so glad I did. Not only do they make the closet look organized but it’s easier to keep your hanger hooks from turning into a rats nest. I picked up 5 boxes of these flocked hangers last winter and my closet is still organized. Bonus, when you take your clothes off of your old hangers it forces you to pare down!
For the playroom
I waited too long to make grab this set of toy bins. Prior to adding it to our playroom, I was either ALWAYS cleaning the playroom or my kids were ignoring the toys in there since they weren’t visible. This table makes coloring and painting a breeze. It’s easy to put crayons or Legos right in the middle for fast cleaning! Now my kids can see almost all of their toys and they can easily help put them away. The neutral colors match our living area. Last, this toy box is super simple to store large items and doubles as a bench!
For the medicine cabinet
These clear turntables have so many uses but as we head into winter, now is a great time to purchase one and stock up on your medical supplies. I have one for first aid, one for cold and flu meds, and one for all of my kids’ medical needs. I also use one in the pantry to store my tea. These are half the cost of a comparable version at Container Store.
For the kitchen
These Oxo organizers go on sale from time to time at Costco for 9 containers and I have snagged a box each of the last two years. They create a lot more visibility in my tiny pantry and prevent me from buying multiples of items that get shoved in the back. They are airtight and keep everything fresh. The easy-open top allows some independence when my four-year-old wants a snack.
For the laundry or mudroom
These bins from Walmart or Target are great for grouping like items, especially cleaning and laundry supplies. Add one of these clips from the Container Store and you’re set. Want to do it on the super cheap? Use ribbon or twine and some card stock to tie your label on. Pinterest has tons of templates.
For the craft closet
This gift wrap organizer freed up space on my closet floor. Just make sure you read the dimensions and that your wrapping paper rolls will fit.
For the car (or really so many uses!)
These zipper pouches that I found posted on Mika Perry’s blog are amazing. I’ve used them for coloring books and crayons or Lite Brite pegs on road trips. She also has a great post on how to use them to organize board games.
Some other resources I’ve found helpful are following the Neat Method on social for gorgeous inspiration. Want to get rid of stuff in addition to organizing? Check out Siobhan’s blog and consider using Three Sisters Consignment sale as a twice a year purge of all the things your kids outgrow. It is my favorite way to get rid of old baby items and clothing. Anything you don’t sell (and get cash for!) can be donated to local Dallas families in need.
All the experts will tell you to measure your space before purchasing new products and to consider what you have on hand. When our school went to all disposable lunch bags and containers, I ended up repurposing a cleaning caddy to be my lunch packing station with assorted plastic baggies, recyclable sandwich wrappers, stickers, disposable containers and markers. It makes it easy to grab during my nightly lunch prep. Think about ways you can repurpose a container or bin you no longer use.
I hope these help you streamline your home organization a bit, mama.
