Get Organized Without Spending Any Money

It is no secret that just about all of us feel overwhelmed and anxious right now. There is so much happening in the world that we can’t control and that is not a feeling that any of us enjoy. So many of you have reached out to me to share how decluttering and organizing have helped bring you peace and give you something that you can control and that makes me so happy!

So today I want to share some very simple tips and tricks for decluttering and organizing that don’t require you to purchase anything. You can add these on to your social distancing to do list and instantly see the benefits. These tips either use items from around your house or just some good old fashioned decluttering.

It is important, now and always, to remember that organizing doesn’t have to require spending a lot of money or a trip to the store. Organizing products are tools but not the end all be all of organization. As so many of us are watching our spending or just simply can’t get to the store these tips will allow you the joy of organization without the expense.

Finally, don’t forget that organization is supposed to be something that makes you feel better and improves your life not something that stresses you out. If your mental health is more improved by a binge of Tiger King do it! We all have plenty on our plates right now (working from home, homeschool, cooking, making masks) and don’t need to add another item just because everyone on Instagram is doing it. If organizing brings you peace keep reading, if it makes your heart race tell your remote to turn to Netflix.

Organizing Tips Without Spending Any Money

• Fold, fold, fold – over time, any place we have items folded (sweaters, towels, leggings) will start to get messy. Taking everything out and simply refolding will make the space look so much more streamlined and organized without getting rid of a single piece. You very well might find a sweater or ripped towel you can part with but don’t go into the exercise with that in mind. As a bonus I have a video on file folding on my IGTV to take your folding up a notch.

• Set a timer – pick a spot in your home that needs a little love, tell Alexa to set a time for 15 or 30 minutes (whatever you had the capacity for) and go at it. A hard end time makes any task more manageable and it is amazing how much mail you can sort in 15 minutes.

• Decant when possible – excessive packaging can be the enemy of organization. It is so easy when you get home from the store to just toss everything in the pantry or linen closet but removing all of the outer packaging can make a world of difference in how much space you have. From taking a few types of granola bars out their boxes and popping them all together in a bin to putting your Q-tips in a pretty vase you never use; decanting both visually looks better and removes those unnecessary boxes and bags from our homes.

• Get creative with storage bins – you don’t have to run out to The Container Store before you can dive in to organizing. Take a peek around your house and you will be shocked at what you can come up with. Cover old shoe boxes in wrapping paper to store the kids art supplies. Use baggies to organize puzzles and games. Create home-made drawer dividers with leftover boxes or cardboard.

• Start small and focus – most of us can’t even remember what day it is so it might not be the best time to organize your entire closet but just your jewelry or workout clothes are much more manageable.

• Color code something – rainbows make people happy and to take a little liberty with the notorious Elle Woods’ saying “happy people don’t go crazy during social distancing, they just don’t.” I am not saying to go overboard but a little rainbow bookshelf or lego bin will bring a smile to your face, I promise.

• Take before and after photos – now this one might be a little selfish as I want to see your progress but you will also get so much satisfaction with a simple before and after photo. We are a society that thrives on immediate gratification and let me tell you that posting a tap to clean photo definitely delivers.

I hope these tips help you create a home your enjoy spending time in since we are going to be here for a while. Don’t forget to post your organizing wins on Instagram, tag #organizingdone and tag me so I can celebrate with you.