Whether you are making getting organized one of your New Year’s resolutions or not, use these DIY organizing home hacks to bring some sanity to your space.

One of the biggest obstacles to getting organized is taking on too much at once. The key is to tackle small projects with east organizing home hacks. The other mistake many make is thinking it’s necessary to buy all new storage containers and goodies. Organizing does not need to cost money or involve buying new stuff that will one day just end up in the landfill.

Instead, get your stuff together buy repurposing and getting clever with DIY organizing home hacks.

Organizing Home Hacks

1. Magazine Holders

Magazine holders can be repurposed for a multiple of uses. After all, who has a subscription to print magazines anymore? One idea is to reuse magazine bins for cabinet storage to organize pot lids and create more space.

2. Double Duty Furniture

Getting organized can be as simple as providing more storage space. For example, a small chest of drawers can be used as a bedside table. Not only is it a handy place on which to place a lamp, but you can also store your tech and cords in the drawers.

3. Create a coffee/tea station

Morning is not the time to be disorganized–especially for those of us who need to get caffeinated to start the day. Use a tray to store your coffee and tea fixings on the counter right next to the coffee pot and/or electric kettle. And use an under cabinet storage bar on which to store your mugs, so everything is within reach.

4. Color Code Closet

Another organizing home hack that will help you get to work earlier is to color code your closet. Not only will be able to find your favorite blue blouse, but you just may realize that you really have enough black pants.

5. Drawer Organizers are Key

Drawer organizing is key. Growing up, we had what was called the “junk drawer,” but in reality every drawer was a junk drawer.  Baby food and other small jars are perfect for holding everything from bobby pins to thumbtacks. Paper boxes (like cereal boxes) can be used to keep pens and pencils together (measure your drawer to see at what height you should cut the box). And by the same token, individual yogurt cups can be repurposed to keep jewelry separated.

6. Ice Cube Tray Storage

Did you get a new refrigerator with an icemaker? Don’t throw out those ice cube trays–they work wonderfully to keep nails, screws, nuts and bolts and other hardware sorted and organized.

7. Shower Hook Storage

Shower hooks are super versatile too. They work smashingly to keep scarves, belts, and small purses organized. Not only will your closet look like less of a disaster, but you will also look fabulous wearing all those items that were once lost on the floor or stuffed in a drawer.

8. Repurposed Drawers

Getting rid of an older chest of drawers? Consider keeping the drawers to utilize them for under bed or sofa storage. Store extra blankets or sweaters handy but out of the way. If your bed isn’t high enough, try using risers!

9. Shoe Boxes

Whatever you do, do not throw out shoe boxes when buying a new pair of shoes. They are super versatile for DIY organizing home hacks. They work well for office storage–keep all your notecards, stamps, pens, and other stationery in a box to make it easier to send greetings.

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The post 9 Organizing Home Hacks to Simplify Your Life (for Real This Time) appeared first on EcoSalon.

In an effort to declutter your space and live a more organized and happy life, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks to help you get your shit together.

With a fresh year usually comes the desire to get your life in order. And when your day-to-day consists of working to get around your stuff, instead of making your stuff work for you, then that usually means it’s time for a change. Whether you’re plagued with too many things, or you live in a small space, we’ve gathered some tips to help you declutter your home and organize the bulky and awkward items that have overstayed their welcome.

1. Holiday Decor

Ah yes, the dreaded post-holiday cleanup is no less dreadful, but can be much more productive. The idea here is functionality, and the thought that you’ll keep these storage containers around for years. Pick up a duffle bag designed especially for your artificial tree, a few collapsible tarp bins for linens and blankets, and those boxes with individual compartments for your ornaments and other odds and ends.

2. Food Items

Buying food in bulk is a great way to get better prices at your health food store, and saves trips to the grocery store. Keeping these items fresh is critical, therefore, we recommend glass containers with airtight lids in the shape of a square. This way you can fit them in your cabinets without wasting space due to a cylindrical exterior.

3. Pots and Pans

Storing clean pots and pans in your oven when not in use? Yeah, you know who you are. Well kick that habit to the curb by investing in a couple of towel bars a la Ikea (or shop something like the Habitat for Humanity Restore) and hang those babies up. A few S-hooks are all you’ll need display your cookware and have a place to rest the lids.

4. Clothes

Sweaters, handbags, and shoes are all bulky, and closet space is precious, so let’s fix this problem. A great way to store these items is to get yourself a trunk or two that you can be placed somewhere in your room (perhaps in lieu of your current nightstand or at the foot of the bed) where you can keep your clothes and accessories, especially the seasonal stuff. Aside from that, getting a multi-tier shoe rack is seriously life changing. And don’t be afraid to post up some peg board in your closet to hang smaller handbags and jewelry.

5. Books

Maybe you prefer paper to digital, and that’s totally fine, but as any book collector knows, these can quickly take over your life. A bookshelf is an obvious place to start, but for something less traditional you could use crates (these also double as end tables and coffee tables), those cool floating bookshelves, or rolling storage cubes that can be used to create temporary book nooks whenever and wherever you need one.

6. Hand Tools

Every person needs a set of tools. The extent to which you collect and use them, however, will vary greatly. That doesn’t mean you don’t need proper storage, though, so try a few of these ideas around your house. Magnetic strips are perfect catchalls for screws, washers, and other metal hand tools, and they don’t use any shelf space. Glass jars that screw into lids attached to the underside of shelves or cabinets offer lots of storage for supplies. And finally, pegboard is the ultimate way to declutter your tools. From hanging your hammer to putting up pliers, you can seriously mount just about any hand tool to pegboard. Check out this garage for some inspiration.

7. Exercise Equipment

This won’t really help you with huge pieces like treadmills and elliptical machines, but you can certainly find homes for those free weights and resistance bands. Baskets, wire bins, hooks, and storage benches are all viable solutions for that workout gear. The baskets can make free weights and kettlebells look wrangled; hooks can hold your resistance bands, towels, and yoga mat; and the storage bench can be a place to store sneakers.

8. Cleaning Supplies

Can’t live with them (when they’re in disarray), and can’t live without them. A wall-mounted set-up that secures brooms, rakes, and pretty much anything else with a handle is a must-have. Bonus points if it has little hooks for hanging miscellaneous tools. Or, you can opt for a free-standing cabinet that is tall, but narrow. And if all else fails, just use pegboard. Seriously.

Do you have plans to declutter this year? Share your ideas with us over on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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The post 8 Ways to Declutter Your Home and Organize Bulky Items appeared first on EcoSalon.

Most of us are not lucky enough to have walk-in closets or even have enough closet space in our homes. That means we must be extra clever in our use of these spaces–making the most of what we’ve got.

Whether it’s as simple as adding more organization to your closets or totally overhauling and utilizing a closet in new and unexpected ways, it can be a challenge. It’s very likely that your closets, rather than being functional and useful, seem more like creatures that threaten to engulf you every time you open the door! That’s why we’ve compiled this round-up of some of the best clever closet ideas we’ve seen. Use these ideas as inspiration to transform your eyesore closets, quit shutting the door on that problem and reclaim your closet spaces!

 Organizational Tips to Transform Your Closets

• Baskets – add shelves and baskets to deal with the clutter. Catch all baskets can help you control all those little odd and ends that need to be stored away, but don’t quite fit in a drawer.
• Peg Board – adding peg board to backs of closet doors can instantaneously add more usable space to every closet. Use it to store wintertime accessories, like gloves and scarves, or for tool storage, like scissors and pruning shears.
• Towel Bar – the same idea can be applied, but by adding towel bars to the back of closet doors. Hang scarves, necklaces, purses or even spools of ribbon from these. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your solutions.
• Rolling Carts – use rolling carts to take advantage of the floor space in closets, but add the functionality of being able to roll the cart out of the closet for easy access to your stored goods.

Inspirational Closet Transformations:

Whether you have a need for the space or just want to transform under-utilized closets, here are some great inspirational closet transformations.

1. Turn a linen closet into a well-stocked home bar.
2. Transform a closet into a much needed home office.
3. Take the doors off and add more entryway space to your home.
4. Turn a closet into an amazing crafting space.
5. Take a large closet and make it into a hideaway nook.
6. Create a cozy work space and comfy hangout space all in one.
7. What every home needs is a cozy book nook!
8. Turn a boring closet into a fun play space for the kids.
9. Add curtains for a dramatic stage.

 Top Image: Pottery Barn

Related on Ecosalon

Spring Cleaning your Closet: 6 Steps to Less Clutter and More Fabulous Clothes

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The post Rescue Your Closets With These Clever Closet Transformations appeared first on EcoSalon.