Although January is nearing its close and many a Resolution Revolution have fallen by the wayside, we’re still going strong on ours! This week, we’re all about letting our Neat-Freak flags fly and getting down ‘n dirty with home organization. If you’ve been bitten by a similar clean-up bug and are looking to organize your own home—we’ve got you covered! From ways to stow away piles of books to clever new methods for dispelling clutter, these tips, tricks, and techniques will have you in the organizing groove well into the new year! Check out all 52 ideas after the jump!—Max
Also—don’t forget to submit your own organizing projects and techniques to our #DSNeatFreak feature! We’ll be sharing our favorites at the end of the month!
1. Turn old dresser drawers into handy-dandy hang-alls!
2. Recycle used mailer tubes into snazzy wine bottle holders!
3. Old leather belts? Scrap wood? BOOM! Instant shelves!
4. Capitalize on your home’s underused doorknobs!
5. Keep papers clean and pretty-looking by making these cute touch-of-gold clipboards!
6. Suitcases—they make great coffee tables!
7. And nightstands!
9. …And bathroom vanities!!
10. Disguise a storage box as a book!
11. Or make a secret compartment behind some framed art!
12. Store food in stacking glass containers for space-saving, visible, air-tight storage.
13. Use a ladder as a makeshift bookshelf!
14. Take advantage of underused hall space with floor-to-ceiling shelves!
15. Books too much visual clutter for you? Dress them down with uniform white covers for a cohesive look!
16. Store your pots and pans on a ladder using s-hooks!
17. Remember where to put pots back with painted outlines!
18. Pegboards—also great for magazine storage!
19. Make a tiny filing box for your greeting cards!
20. Keep all of your letter-writing tools together with a small stationery kit!
21. Whip together some DIY paper boxes!
22. Recycle a tin can into a perpetual desktop calendar/pencil holder!
23. Hack a simple IKEA chair into a multi-purpose nightstand!
24. Need extra bedside storage? Consider a mini filing cabinet!
25. Bookshelves are also great for storing firewood!
26. Divide and conquer! Create a mini office with a multi-purpose room divider/bulletin board!
27. Bring nature in—along with your mail! Make this simple, mossy mail organizer!
28. Divide your dresser drawers with a few pieces of cardboard!
29. Bent that spoon trying to eat ice cream? Turn it into a handy key hook!
30. Color-code and identify keys, drawers, and more with tiny yarn tassels!
31. Turn used Altoids tins into colorful organizers!
32. Craft a chic wood and leather catch-all for mail near your front door!
33. Got too many books? Use some as building blocks for a postmodern side table!
34. Turn an old book into a portable tech organizer!
35. When working with small spaces, never underestimate the power of corner shelves!
36. You can even make one with a magazine holder!
37. Use pipes to craft a coat rack that wheels out of the way when not in use!
38. Your old CD storage drawers? Repurpose them as a kitchen pantry!
39. Organize your books by color!
40. And your clothes!
41. Sew a wall-mounted desk organizer!
42. Making a DIY desk? Try using filing cabinets as “legs” for extra storage!
43. Low on space? Store books face-out on shallow shelves!
44. Store jewelry on pegboards and window screens cut to fit vintage frames!
45. Mount wall hooks vertically to store purses and bags!
46. Got too many scarves or ties? Store them and make art at the same time by hanging them on a wall-mounted wire!
47. If desk space is an issue, wall-mount your computer screen!
48. Maximize your bookshelf space by stacking books vertically!
49. Turn your home’s awkward spaces into shelving spaces!
50. Or a mini built-in office!
51. Or clothing storage!
52. Trying to save space? Use a wall-mounted shelf as an ultra-thin workspace!
I love the coat rack on wheels! The wooden desk on file cabinets (a great find at thrift stores) and your purse hanging idea. But all of them are cute and useful. Thanks for sharing.
Love!
really interesting . ..
Dig the suitcase coffee table! Great for boho-chic. I’ll bet very easy to make too.
Also, the secret storage space behind framed art on the bookshelf. Super idea. Again easy to make.
And the pots n’ pans ladder. Need a little open kitchen space for that one but great idea that could be incorporated into many different kitchen designs / styles.