Recently, I've had an overwhelming number of emails asking about how to save money on organizing products. I am a huge fan of integrating products made to help you get organized, but I know that they can be expensive. I, too, have had sticker shock for my clients and myself! A space isn't organized "better" because high-dollar sorters and bins line the space. Here are a few simple - and green- ideas to stretch your budget and get that space in order once and for all!
Reduce:
Streamline your stuff. Limit the number of categories that you have decided upon. Files should rarely have just one piece of paper in them. Consider combining your files for your cable, water and phone bills into one folder dedicated to all of your utility bills. Placing bills in the back of the stack will automatically collate bills in chronological order.
Reuse:
By far one of the biggest money and planet savers is this step! Do I use fancy organizing products daily? Yes. But my most memorable storage solution was a mint tin! It was the perfect size to contain a collection of spare buttons for a clients sewing drawer. In my own home I am currently using a plastic bin that once held dishwasher tablets for my craft closet to keep my fuzzy pom poms. Who can pass up a free container? The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination and get creative!
Recycle:
Of course the previous step already indicates that recycling is easy and useful when organizing, but consider another side to recycling. Over time, our organizing needs, spaces and tastes can trap us into using the same organizing products over and over in the space and possibly hindering the perfect solution. Check with friends and family about a swap. Need a larger bin for toys? Maybe your mom has one that once held quilts that she no longer has or needs. Trade for that Space Bag that once held all of those toddler sheets you passed on to a friend. Talk to neighbors, friends and family, as well as your social networks to see about needs and how you can help each other!
For further information on organizing or to find a Professional Organizer near you, visit NAPO's website to begin your search.
