Inexpensive Organizing Solutions: Top 10 Under $20
Ranked #2,214 in Home & Garden, #27,247 overall
The best (and cheapest!) organizing purchases I ever made
Organizing your home can be an expensive project. There are so many things to buy, and products to choose from, that you can easily spend thousands of dollars before you know what hit you. There are modular drawer dividers and desk sets. There are sleek shelving units and custom closets. And if you have ADD, like me, you might feel that you have to buy everything right now or your whole project will fall apart.
The good news is that you can make a huge dent in your home organization project on the cheap. In this economy, nobody wants to spend any money they don't have to. Before you spend hundreds of dollars on a custom closet, check out my "Top Ten Under Twenty" list. The products here are the best organizing solutions I've ever implemented. These tools have had the biggest impact on my mess -- and all of them come in under $20.
Organizing Solution Number One: Laundry Hamper
If you put your pile of clothes in a bag, it's not a pile anymore!
One of my best organizing hacks -- EVER -- was to put a laundry hamper in my bathroom.I realized one day, as I was frantically cleaning before company showed up, that there was always, always, always a pile of dirty laundry in the bathroom. This is because I always get undressed in the bathroom before I shower. Not surprisingly, instead of running naked through the house to put them somewhere else, I leave my clothes wherever I get undressed.
So I went to the store and got a single-bag, collapsible laundry hamper in white. It matches the rest of the bathroom, so it's not too noticeable, and my dirty laundry is kept off the floor. If you want more style, go with colorful stripes!
More Laundry Hampers
At even better prices.
Amazon doesn't have something you like? eBay is sure to come through for you.
Organizing Solution Number 2: Magnetic Knife Rack
It mounts on the wall, freeing up drawer and counter space
When I moved into my current home, I was dismayed to find that my nice wooden knife block was just a tiny bit too tall to fit in the kitchen drawers. I had no choice but to leave it on the counter top, allowing it to take up valuable real estate that I really needed to use for food prep.
Then one day I happened to be in Ikea, and saw a magnetic knife holder that could be mounted on the wall. I bought it, took it home, and I've been using it happily for six years. It was the best ten dollars I've ever spent.
Sadly, the one I bought is no longer available from Ikea. Happily, this is where eBay steps up!
Then one day I happened to be in Ikea, and saw a magnetic knife holder that could be mounted on the wall. I bought it, took it home, and I've been using it happily for six years. It was the best ten dollars I've ever spent.
Sadly, the one I bought is no longer available from Ikea. Happily, this is where eBay steps up!
Magnetic Knife Racks
Solution Number 3: Wall Mount Spice Rack
Free up counter and cabinet space!
My kitchen has some odd structural challenges. There are only two cupboards under the counters, one under the sink, and none mounted above the counter. The wall above the sink and counter tops is completely taken up by a large window, making it impossible to mount cupboards or other storage units there. I was at a loss for a convenient place to keep my spices, until I saw a wall-mount spice rack at Ikea.
What I liked about this particular spice rack is that it's actually a two-tiered shelf that hangs from a bracket. This enabled me to hang it on the door to the water heater, right next to my stove, where I need them.
The spice rack I have has been discontinued, but it's been replaced by the Kroken series, which is functionally identical.
Sometimes you can find Ikea products at a discount on Ebay!
What I liked about this particular spice rack is that it's actually a two-tiered shelf that hangs from a bracket. This enabled me to hang it on the door to the water heater, right next to my stove, where I need them.
The spice rack I have has been discontinued, but it's been replaced by the Kroken series, which is functionally identical.
Sometimes you can find Ikea products at a discount on Ebay!
Another Wall Mount Spice Rack
This one mounts flush to the wall. No additional hooks or other hardware required.
I set this module to show only products under $25. If you want to spend more money, of course, you can have more options:)
Solution Number 4: Drawer Organizer
Drawer organizers keep your silverware and utensils from getting jumbled and tangled. Nothing is worse than trying to open a drawer, only for the items inside to be so crammed in that something jams it. Since many kitchen tools have sharp edges, keeping them well-organized is also much safer, since it reduces the risk of cutting yourself.
Solution Number 5: Under-shelf Tray
Storing my cutting boards used to be a headache. I tried storing them vertically, against the side of the cabinet, where I had to wrestle with my pots and pans them each time I wanted to use one. I tried storing them haphazardly on top of the pots and pans, which of course was worse. I tried storing them under my plates, but then I had to move all of my plates every time I wanted to start cooking... . You get the idea.
This under-shelf tray was a godsend. I keep it on the bottom shelf of a small pantry near my cooking area. The items I store on top of the shelf are small enough that the tray doesn't interfere with them, and my cutting boards are always right where I need them. This is a truly painless way to store cutting boards or any other flat, low-volume item.
This under-shelf tray was a godsend. I keep it on the bottom shelf of a small pantry near my cooking area. The items I store on top of the shelf are small enough that the tray doesn't interfere with them, and my cutting boards are always right where I need them. This is a truly painless way to store cutting boards or any other flat, low-volume item.
Solution Number 6: Plastic Grocery Bag Holder
I used to use plastic grocery bags as garbage bags in the smaller waste bins around the house. Because of this, I never threw them away, and I had accumulated several plastic grocery bags stuffed with other plastic grocery bags that just sat around my house. These recursive bags were an excellent habitat for dust bunnies, which as you may know, nourish themselves by acreting dirt, lint, and cat hair. Since I have two cats, and one of them is a very large longhair, I had some pretty menacing dust bunnies.I finally admitted to myself that there was no way, really NO WAY, ever, that I would find a use for ten bags' worth of plastic bags. I got a grocery bag holder, mounted it on the inside of the under-sink cabinet, and stuffed as many clean plastic bags into it as I could.
I should have taken the others to the grocery store to have them recycled. I meant to, I really did. But after one of the resident dust bunnies cornered me and demanded all the lint in my pockets, I gave up and threw them away.
Now, if I stuff my plastic grocery bags into my bag holder until it's full. When it's full, I just toss them. Since I know this isn't good for the environment, it's made me much more careful about accepting plastic bags when I don't need them. I have many (many) fewer plastic bags floating around my house, and it's a lot less messy.
Solution Number 7: Tupperware Lid Racks
If you have tupperware, you need a lid rack.
Tupperware can be a chore to organize. There are all those different sized containers, and all those different lids; you can nest the smaller containers in the larger ones, but where do you put the lids? How do you keep them from taking up too much space? And how do you keep the whole thing from exploding all over the place every time you open the cupboard door?
The answer is lid racks. I was shocked to find, having bought my first lid rack, that once I had a place to store the lids the containers seemed to organize themselves. By storing the lids vertically, lid racks take up much less space than storing flat, in slippery, precarious piles. You can save even more space with a rack that mounts on the inside of a cabinet.
The answer is lid racks. I was shocked to find, having bought my first lid rack, that once I had a place to store the lids the containers seemed to organize themselves. By storing the lids vertically, lid racks take up much less space than storing flat, in slippery, precarious piles. You can save even more space with a rack that mounts on the inside of a cabinet.
Solution Number 8: Cup Stacker
also called a "cup organizer" or "mug tree"
Cups and mugs can take up a lot of space. A cup stacker or mug tree can reduce the footprint of six or eight cups to that of two cups. Better yet, an under-shelf cup storage system can eliminate the footprint of your mugs entirely. Some of them even slide out for an easier reach.
Since shelves have an overhanging lip, making it impossible to use an under-shelf product, I went with the cup stacker. My cups take up much less space, and they stay a lot cleaner, too.
Since shelves have an overhanging lip, making it impossible to use an under-shelf product, I went with the cup stacker. My cups take up much less space, and they stay a lot cleaner, too.
Solution Number 9: Cupboard Shelves
Also called "helper shelves" or "cabinet organizers"
A lot of cabinets are just not that useful for storing dishes. They're often too deep, and their the shelves are too tall, and you resort to stacking huge piles of plates and bowls on top of each other. Using them becomes a hassle as you have to lift everything off the items you need, then you have to find a place to set them down, then you can finally get at your dishes, and THEN you have to put it all pack again.
Stackable cupboard shelves are a lifesaver here. I used to have my large dinner bowls stacked under all of the desert plates and all of the smaller bowls, because that's the only way everything would fit on my shelves. Of course, since my household eats a lot of pasta and a lot of soup, we use those bowls nearly every night. Every night, eating dinner required a major dish-moving operation.
Last spring, I got some cupboard shelves. They doubled my storage space and neatened the appearance of the open shelving where my dishes live. Meanwhile, my dishes are protected from chipping and breakage, and my back is protected from the strain of moving stacks of heavy dishes out of my way every single night.
Stackable cupboard shelves are a lifesaver here. I used to have my large dinner bowls stacked under all of the desert plates and all of the smaller bowls, because that's the only way everything would fit on my shelves. Of course, since my household eats a lot of pasta and a lot of soup, we use those bowls nearly every night. Every night, eating dinner required a major dish-moving operation.
Last spring, I got some cupboard shelves. They doubled my storage space and neatened the appearance of the open shelving where my dishes live. Meanwhile, my dishes are protected from chipping and breakage, and my back is protected from the strain of moving stacks of heavy dishes out of my way every single night.
Solution Number 10: Tiered Cabinet Organizer
For spices, canned goods, what have you!
These cabinet organizers look sort of like steps, or those risers you stand on in choir performances. When used to store canned goods, baking supplies, or cooking oils, they enable you to see exactly what you have and where it is -- without needing to pull half your stuff off the shelf to find it.
You also save money in the long run. When you can easily see what you have, there's no question about whether you need to add olive oil to the grocery list. You know whether you have baking soda at home, so you aren't continually buying more "just in case". In short, you will spend less money on groceries because you will only buy what you need.
The ones I have are adjustable to the width of the shelf. I recommend going that route unless your shelves or cabinets are particularly narrow.
You also save money in the long run. When you can easily see what you have, there's no question about whether you need to add olive oil to the grocery list. You know whether you have baking soda at home, so you aren't continually buying more "just in case". In short, you will spend less money on groceries because you will only buy what you need.
The ones I have are adjustable to the width of the shelf. I recommend going that route unless your shelves or cabinets are particularly narrow.
*BONUS* Solution Number 11: Letter Cage
A basket that mounts over your mail slot to keep your mail off the floor
I admit, this letter cage didn't quite come in under $20; I paid $24 for mine. But it was totally worth the extra $4, so I'm including it anyway.I live in a pretty old building. Like many old houses, it has a slot in the front door for mail delivery. The mail carrier pushes all your mail through the slot, at which point it lands on the floor. I guess you're supposed to stop and pick it up off the floor the minute you come home. In reality (at least, in my reality), I would come through the door, usually with at least two bags of groceries, slip on the pile of mail, curse the pile of mail, remind myself to deal with it when I was done putting away groceries, and then completely forget about it. Until the next time I came through the door and slipped on the mail.
The mail stayed on the floor, getting covered in dirty footprints. Important mail would be fished out and dealt with. Junk mail would just accumulate until it was impossible to open the door. Then, sometimes, it would be recycled, but more often it was just kicked to the side somewhere. When I cleaned my entryway last Spring (2009), I found stuff dating from 2006. Seriously.
Next to the magnetic knife block and the wall-mount spice rack, the letter cage has had the most immediate, visible impact on my home. Overnight, mail was contained in a basket off the floor. Huge drifts of catalogs and coupon circulars stopped accumulating. Now that we don't have to bend down to floor level to get the mail, junk mail is immediately recycled and important mail stays in one place, free of muddy footprints.
Letter cages can be hard to find, and many of them are expensive historical replicas meant for impeccably restored older homes. But if you keep your eyes on eBay, you can find one for around $20.
Organizing Solutions Don't Have To Be Expensive
they just have to work.
The success of an organizing solution is not determined by how much money you spend. By finding the right solutions to your own organizational needs, however inexpensive, you will be much better organized than someone who expects a quick fix from spending hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars on a custom-designed walk-in closet. As long as your decisions are guided by what fills your needs in your space, your money will be well-spent and your organizational project will be successful.
Buy at AllPosters.com
Buy at AllPosters.com
There's more great organizing info on my blog!
It's called Well-Ordered Chaos, because, well, that's what it is.
My blog is still very new. I'm writing about how I learned to organize my space, and how I'm learning to manage my time, from the perspective of an adult with ADD. I'd love it if you dropped by for a visit.
Other Organizing Tips at Squidoo
Help is out there.
There are other wonderful organizing tips on Squidoo. Just remember, a tip is merely a suggestion. If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean YOU failed, it just means you need to keep looking for the right solution.
Visit the lenses below, and you'll learn how to organize a room, step-by step. You'll learn where to stash the remote. You'll learn how to use a household notebook to keep yourself organized. You'll get some great tips on where to shop for organizing supplies, and how to get discounts while doing so. And you'll learn about the best organizing books for people with ADHD (in my humble opinion, anyway). It's all right here on Squidoo.
Visit the lenses below, and you'll learn how to organize a room, step-by step. You'll learn where to stash the remote. You'll learn how to use a household notebook to keep yourself organized. You'll get some great tips on where to shop for organizing supplies, and how to get discounts while doing so. And you'll learn about the best organizing books for people with ADHD (in my humble opinion, anyway). It's all right here on Squidoo.
Love This Lens? Rate it here!
Save yourself all that tedious scrolling back up to the top of the page.
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Did you like my "Top Ten Organizing Solutions Under $20"?
Please leave a comment!
-
-
PestControlNottingham
May 8, 2012 @ 6:35 am | delete
- Thanks for the info! Some of these organization solutions will work nicely in my home :).
-
-
-
veryirie
Apr 30, 2012 @ 4:23 am | delete
- We use several of these organizing solutions at home. Well done and helpful research. :)
-
-
-
Truorder
Jan 28, 2012 @ 10:54 am | delete
- I like several of them. My favorite is the magnetic knife rack. I plan on buying one asap.
-
-
-
laundrybaskets1
Dec 15, 2011 @ 1:03 pm | delete
- Great! This lens is creative laundry baskets?there are a lot of new idea?it gives me inspiration. I think I will also inspired by you and think about more new ideas of laundry baskets.
-
-
-
RetroMom
Sep 27, 2011 @ 9:47 pm | delete
- Nice tips you have here. Thanks for sharing.
-
- Load More
by AddaptAbilities
I'm an adult with ADD who's managed to get organized in spite of it. My journey has made me interested in helping others who face the same problems.... more »
- 67 featured lenses
- Winner of 24 trophies!
- Top lens » The Best Jobs for Introverts
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
Explore related pages
- Creative Organizing Ideas Creative Organizing Ideas
- Organizing With Binders, A Household Notebook Organizing With Binders, A Household Notebook
- The ABCs Of Organizing A Room The ABCs Of Organizing A Room
- Shoe Racks Deal Finder Shoe Racks Deal Finder
- Decorating Ideas for Small Living Rooms Decorating Ideas for Small Living Rooms
- HELP - My Desk Is Buried Under a Mountain of Paper HELP - My Desk Is Buried Under a Mountain of Paper
Receptacle for Mail Slots
SNAIL SAKK: Mail Receptacle For Mail Slots - TAN
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Oval Laundry Hamper
Household Essentials 5630 Oval-Shaped Laundry Hamper with Carrying Straps
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Organizing From the Inside Out
Organizing from the Inside Out, Second Edition: The Foolproof System For Organizing Your Home, Your Office and Your Life
Amazon Price: $6.20 (as of 05/30/2012)
