Organizing shouldn’t cost a lot of money. Look around your house, do you have old shoe boxes, bank boxes (the ones your checks come in) or maybe you have a bookcase that just needs a new coat of paint? What I am getting at is these items can be used to organize areas in your house without breaking the bank. Whether my clients have a disposable income or are pinching their pennies, I always ask myself, “What already exists in the home or office that can be used to help organize the client?” After all, everyone enjoys saving money and time.

Here are 5 household tips that can help you get organized while also taking it easy on your pocket book.

Tip #1: Need a memory box or photo box? Use one of your shoeboxes, some scrap paper and double stick tape or matting tape. I utilized the red color of the shoe box to create the red lines. A great project to involve the kids in while being fun and economical.

Tip #2: Bank/check boxes or old jewelry boxes can be separated, placed side by side and used as drawer dividers in a desk, junk drawer, jewelry drawer or stand alone on a shelf to help organize. You can get creative by adding stickers or lettering on the sides of the box as well.

Tip #3: Do you have empty jars that aren’t being used? Fill it with glass beads from the dollar store and presto you can use it as a Q-tip holder. Spruce it up with different colored glass beads or add letting on the outside spelling Q-tips.

Tip #4: Wish you had a use for those toilet paper rolls once all the paper is used? Use them to keep cords from tangling in drawers. You can decorate them if you like…I did! Use scrap paper and doubled sided tape or shelving paper.

Tip #5. For the men in your life, this is a very simple way to store their ties. Instead of storing the ties in a drawer where they have to unroll a tie to match with their attire and re-roll in if they choose not to use it, why not store their ties on a towel rack. Mount a towel rack in your closet or on the inside of their closet door and hang their ties over it. They can get to them easily, they never get wrinkled and it will save  dressing time in the morning.

Janae Kelly is the owner of OrganizedPhilosophy which is a professional organizing and consulting service based out of       Concord, Ca serving Contra Costa County. Their mission is to provide and execute simple systems and processes that help clients live more effective and uncluttered lifestyles, while empowering clients to live happier and healthier. She is a member of NAPO & NAPO SF BAY (National Association of Professional Organizers) and an active member in the local BNI (Business Networking International) chapter CCBuRN (Contra Costa Business Referral Network) which is a 2.5 million dollar chapter. She has been in business for 3 years, but has been organizing her whole life. She has over 15 years of combined experience in corporate organizing, project management, program coordination, creative design and development. www.organizedphilosophy.com