Easy, Economical DIY Organizing Projects

Clockwise from upper left: coffee station, jewelry organizer, chalkboard wall, garbage bag/paper spool, cabinet door rack

Home stores are making a killing marketing tools and gadgets to help you save space and organize your cabinets, closets and drawers. The problem, aside from their pricetag, is that many of them turn out to be uni-taskers, that is they can only be used for a single purpose. When your needs change, many of these specialized items are no longer useful and merely clutter up your home...which is the very last thing you need when trying to restore some order.

This week, I want to share with you just a few of my favorite DIY organizing tools that are not only helpful space-and-sanity-savers but also very easy and economical to make yourself. These are just a few examples. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can come up with more of your own just by looking through your pile of excess stuff with an inventive eye. 

I am listing the materials I used for each of the projects below and have estimated what it would cost if you had to purchase them all. However, it is my hope that you will be able to use whatever you already have on hand or acquire items for free from friends or neighbors who may have some to spare to reduce your costs...perhaps down to nothing. Substitutions are encouraged! Your local  Nothing Project or Freecycle groups can be great resources for scoring free materials.
(See the photos above for reference.)

Jewelry Organizer
Keep jewelry easily visible, accessible and tangle-free while saving boatloads of space in your bedroom with this simple DIY organizer you can hang on the inside of your closet door.
Cost: Approximately $10
Materials:

• 2 strips of wood (roughly 2”w x 36”h x ¼” thick each)
• Strips of white wire hooks (I found mine for $1 apiece at the Dollar Tree)
• Zip ties
• Screws and drywall anchors
• Shallow wire baskets (I found 3 for $2 from Dollar Tree)

Position one strip of hooks against the vertical surface (wall or inside of a closet door) where you want to hang your jewelry organizer. Make sure it is level before marking the screw holes with a pencil. Then attach the two wood strips vertically to the surface so that they are parallel, with each strip centered over one of the two markings. Now screw your first strip of hooks into the vertical wood pieces at the desired height, making sure it is level. Use your longest necklace, your bracelets, and your scarves (if storing here) to determine the appropriate positioning of each additional strip of hooks. Your bottom strip should be high enough off the ground to ensure that the items hung there will not hang down too low or drag on the floor. Screw each strip of hooks into the wood strips at the appropriate intervals. You can double the number of necklace hooks on one strip by laying a second strip of hooks on top of one of the attached strips so that the hooks are slightly offset; then zip tie the two strips together in several places. Pull the ties tight and trim off any excess tie. Create a grid for hanging earrings by attaching the small wire baskets to your vertical surface by the rim of the basket, with the bottom facing out. Hang up your jewelry and scarves as desired.
 
Cabinet Door Rack
Increase storage space in the kitchen and bathroom for as little as $1 with this quick and easy project. You’ll want one for every cabinet in your home.
Cost: under $5
Materials needed:

• Inexpensive cooling rack (I got 2 for $1 at the Dollar Tree)
• Picture hangers
• Thin cardboard (old cereal boxes are ideal) or packing tape
• Stapler with staples

Turn the cooling rack upside down on a flat surface and lay a sturdy ruler on top of it so that one edge of the ruler is parallel to and pressed firmly up against the center wire of the rack. Bend one side of the rack up against the other edge of the ruler at a right angle so that the cooling rack now forms an L shape. Reposition the ruler so that it now rests against the other side of the center wire and bend the opposite side of the cooling rack at a second right angle. The cooling rack should now form a flat-bottomed U shape. Continue bending as necessary to define the angles and create as flat a bottom as possible until the cooling rack can stand up relatively straight on its own. Next, cut the cardboard into strips about 3 inches wide and long enough to wrap around the wires at each end of your shelf to close off the ends. Staple the cardboard together in several spots to hold it securely in place. If using the packing tape, simply wrap it several times around the wires at each end of the shelf to close off the ends. Use the picture hangers to hang your shelf by two corners flush against the inside of your cabinet door. Be sure to allow enough space above the shelf to store items without obstructing closure of the cabinet door. You can hang a second shelf below it, if desired, to create even more storage space..
Tip: Increase the versatility of these wire door racks by fitting them with small plastic cups or jars that can hold items that would otherwise slip through the wires.

Garbage Bag/Paper Spool
This clever trick keeps rolls of garbage bags, food wraps, paper towels, and wrapping paper at your fingertips and saves space in your overflowing cabinets!
Cost: You can make several for about $7 total
Materials needed:

• ½-inch wooden dowel about 3 inches longer than the roll you are hanging
• Two ½-inch wood dowel finials
• Two curtain rod brackets or ¼-inch x 3 ¾-inch thread screw hooks
• Wood glue
• Drywall anchors

Measure the roll you are hanging and add about 3 inches. Cut a length of dowel equal to this number. Determine the vertical surface where you wish to hang your spool. This can be a wall, the end of a cabinet, or a cabinet/closet door. Install the curtain rod brackets or screw hooks so that the distance between them is about 1 inch less than the length of your dowel, making sure they are level and using drywall anchors if needed. Glue one of the wood finials onto one end of the dowel and allow it to dry. Insert the opposite end of the dowel through the center of your roll and then insert it into the other finial. Do not glue the second finial but make sure it fits snugly onto the dowel so that it will not fall off. Rest each end of the dowel onto the bracket or hooks When you need to change the roll, simply take the entire dowel off the hooks and remove the unglued finial before replacing.

Chalkboard Wall
Keep everyone in your household on the same page with a fun chalkboard wall. Why limit yourself to one chalkboard when you can have an entire wall to write messages, share important info, and keep track of upcoming events, all in a central spot in your home.
Cost: About $8
Materials Needed:

• 1 can chalkboard paint
• Painters tape
• Chalk

This couldn’t be easier! Simply paint any small wall (or section of wall) in a central location of your home with two coats of chalkboard paint, allowing it to dry completely between coats and for at least 24 hours after painting. Then rub chalk all over the entire board and erase it to “cure” it. It’s now ready for your messages, lists, menus, and doodles.

Coffee Station
Set up a cute coffee station in your kitchen or dining room to save oodles of kitchen cabinet space and make it easy for guests to help themselves to hot beverages when you entertain.
Cost: varies

• 1 or 2 boards of equal lengths (approximately 8 inches wide and ½ inch thick)
• 2-4 sturdy shelf brackets
• Screws and drywall anchors
• 8-10 screw hooks
• Counter height bookshelf, small table, or cabinet (if not installing above a counter)
• Variety of jars and/or baskets to hold coffee and tea supplies (hint: save your large empty glass jars for this)

Mount shelf/shelves to the wall above the counter, cabinet, bookshelf or table that holds your coffee maker using brackets, screws and drywall anchors, if needed. Be sure to allow enough clearance beneath the bottom shelf for your coffee mugs to hang below it. Install screw hooks at even intervals on the underside of the bottom shelf and hang one mug from each hook. Store coffee/tea supplies in jars and/or baskets on shelves.
 
These projects are just the tip of the iceberg. Unleash your creativity and see what you can create to suit your organizing needs using stuff you already own. Convert a storage trunk into a filing cabinet or a piano bench into a giant jewelry box. Make a scarf hanger by taping shower curtain rings onto a hanger. Send photos of your creations to [email protected] or tell us about them in the comments. 

Visiting Pinterest for ideas before ordering fancy organizers online can save you lots of money you can use on something way more fun than organizing your closets or pantry!

Don’t miss next week’s blog, where I’ll tell you how to shop smart and get more bang for your buck out of the stuff you own so that you can own less stuff.

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