I love a good organizing product, and believe they’re useful tools that can, and do, help when organizing.    But you definitely don’t need to spend money on matching containers or specialized products to get organized.  I’m sharing 12 of my favourite items to organize with that you probably already own, and the many ways you can use them to get organized at no-cost!

Easy Organizing Ideas With 12 Items You Already Own  

1) File Folding: File folding only requires your time and is the fastest and easiest way to maximize space in your dresser and closet.  It also allows you to see all your options in a quick glance and to retrieve the item you want without searching through and messing up piles (that you then have to refold).

And it’s not only for clothes.  Use file folding for towels and aprons in the kitchen, towels and sheets in linen closets, fabric in sewing or craft rooms.  Basically, anywhere you have a textile to store, you can use it.

Here’s a link with easy step-by-step instructions and videos of how to file fold everything.

2) Adjust Shelves: When unpacking on moving day most people, understandably, don’t stop to adjust kitchen shelving to suit their needs.  But this one easy tweak can really improve the storage and function in your kitchen.  For example, coffee mugs or plates don’t need as much space so shelves above them can be lowered, making more room for taller items such as water bottles, juice jugs or vases.  Or remove a shelf in a lower cabinet to make room to vertically store your cooking sheets.

3) Boxes: Shoe boxes work great as dresser drawer dividers or on shelves to corral similar items together.  Smaller boxes from things like stationary or jewellery work great in a desk or junk drawer.  And don’t forget about cereal boxes!  Click here to see how Jen at iheartorganizing.com transforms cereal boxes into the cutest drawer dividers.  And here to see how you can use them to keep your Tupperware lids contained, among other things.

Carrying on with boxes, this is how I’ve repurposed my FabFitFun boxes to be closet organizers and a keepsake box.

You can also keep a larger box tucked away in a closet or basement for items you have decided to let go of.  By giving these items a home you stop them from cluttering up your space until you make your next donation run.

Finally, you can make your own custom drawer dividers out of cardboard.  Click here to learn how.

4) Tupperware: Tupperware without lids or that you don’t use are another great no-cost organizing option.  Smaller ones make excellent drawer dividers and larger ones make excellent storage containers.  Below they’ve been used to contain various hardware and laundry supplies.  But you could use them in cupboards, pantries, linen closets, bathrooms, or anywhere else you need to contain items.

5) Jars: Clean out and remove the labels from candle and food jars and you’ve got versatile storage containers for items like dry goods, pens, pencils, craft supplies, makeup brushes, cotton balls, spices, and cupcake liners to name just a few.

6) Baby wipe containers: From corraling crayons, markers, chalk and other craft supplies, to nail polish, medications, plastic bags and acting as drawer inserts, these containers can serve a lot of purposes.  For even more ideas (101!), check out this post over on Modern Simplicity.

7) Ziplock bags: I love using ziplock bags in conjunction with a box or basket for puzzles and craft sets, which take up so much less space when out of their boxes.  They’re also great to contain small game pieces in boxes and to neatly organize and store cords and user manuals together.

8) Toilet Paper Rolls: You can use empty toilet paper rolls to keep gift wrap from unrolling and becoming unruly, to tame cord chaos and to make a pen and marker caddy in combination with a box or basket.

9) Ice Cube Trays: These work great in a drawer to store jewellery, hair accessories or small office supplies like paper clips, thumbtacks, binder clips, tabs and so on.

10) Muffin Tins: Ditto for muffin tins.

11) Small mesh and fabric bags: These often come with jewellery and area great at keeping chargers or earphones untangled and tidy in a drawer or bag.

12) Vases: Use vases for utensils, paintbrushes or makeup brushes to name just a few possibilities.

Conclusion

See, you don’t need to spend money to get organized!  You just need to get creative with the items you already have around your home.  I’ve listed 12 of my favourites here, but there are many more.  If I missed your favourite way to get organized using what you have, let me know in the comments below.  I’d love to hear about it.  And if you liked this post, please share it.

Happy organizing!