Image courtesy of Real Simple
I like to be organized (or try to at least!), however sometimes the items that are available to purchase to organize are just way to expensive. So I headed to Pinterest to see what I could find out there, and of course I found some great ideas! Below are just a few of my favorites.
When shopping I try to use my re-usable bags, however sometimes I make an unplanned trip, or forgot them in the car after I brought them to the store. So I still end up with plastic bags. I used to try to save them all and as a lot of you know they can end up all over the place. One of the things I started doing was putting them in a used Kleenex box. This allowed me to 1) easily access them and pull them out when I want to reuse them and 2) only keep so many at a time, once the box is full the rest get recycled so I don’t have them coming out of the woodwork.
If you don’t have an old tissue box there are a variety of other containers you can use too. An old coffee can or Pringles container, just cut slits in the lid so you can easily pull them out. If you want something that already is ready for dispensing you can use an empty Lysol wipes container or even a baby wipes container. Anything that helps keeps the bags under control and easy to access is the key here.
Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy
For anyone with more than one electronic (and sometimes even just your TV or Computer) you have a lot of wires plugged into a power strip, outlets or into other electronic devices. You can buy items to label them, but why not use something you already have around the house? It’s as simple as saving your plastic clips from bread, oranges, potatoes, and other bagged items. Use a sharpie to label what the electrical cord is for and you will save yourself some time tracing the cord back to the device (or outlet if you’re trying to unplug the right item)
Image courtesy of Doodlebug Design Inc
When we have larger parties I always use plastic utensils because it’s just easier with more people, but I don’t usually have a nice way to display them and have them sitting on the counter for guest. I ran across this great idea using a couple of tin cans and scrapbook paper. You could make this for any theme party, and would be perfect for outdoor gatherings as they’re a little heavier. I plan on making a few of these to place on the tables and include napkins in one also.
Image courtesy of JustSewSassy (website no longer active)
If anyone has been around a woman or a girl, they know that there is usually a lot of jewelry around! I found this fun way to organize and display it and would be perfect in a little girls room. All you need is an oven rack, spray paint, and cord or a strong ribbon to hang it. Spray the oven rack in your desired color and then tie the cord and ribbon on it to hang. Hand your jewelry on it and you’re ready to go! The thing I like about this the most is that if you want to change the decor all you need is new paint and new ribbon to change the look, so no buying something new.
Is there anything that you reuse to stay organized around the house, at work, in the car, or elsewhere in your life?
If you’re looking for other Frugal Ideas, check out the past Frugal Friday post.