Today, I have twenty-one repurposing ideas to increase storage. From detergent bottles to old frames, it’s all possible.
We all know how expensive storage and organizational bits can be, so why not make our own?
There are plenty of options that already exist in our lives and are begging to be upcycled.
1. Turn A Cereal Box Into A Document Holder
Cereal boxes are a wonderful option to upcycle into office material! Today’s hack is for a document holder, and making one or a whole shelf full couldn’t be easier.
Add fun paper and washi tape to match your office interior. This is one of the best cheap organizing ideas!
2. Transform A Coffee Pod Box Into A Stationary Holder
If you need space for a small stationary-esque item, make this holder! It’s great for all the bits and bobs that always seem to float around the desk without a permanent home.
Decorate just like the cereal boxes or experiment with different materials to customize the piece. Check out these other ways to organize home offices!
3. Turn An Empty Detergent Bottle Into A Container For Sponges And Gloves
Empty detergent bottles are great, and sturdy containers begging to be upcycled! Cut the top off and add your cleaning essentials!
Bonus: keep the handle intact for easier carrying access.
4. Turn An Old Paper Bag Into A Box
If you have some old bags floating around that are no longer passable as bags, consider turning them into boxes for lightweight items.
They make great carrying options when heading to a loved one’s house.
5. Create A Wrist Rest From A Pool Noodle
Work at a computer all day and looking for some relief? Grab a pool noodle like this and chop it up!
The cushion from the cut noodle will provide enough relief for your wrist while you work.
6. Make Elastic Bands From An Old Rubber Glove
One of my favorite upcycle hacks is cutting up an old or worn rubber cleaning glove to make rubber bands!
Clean the gloves before cutting them up so you don’t get that old dish or cleaning smell on your food items.
7. Organize Necklaces With A Frame
If you have an old frame or are looking for a cheap project to invest in during a rainy weekend, this necklace organizer is a great option!
Decorate and paint the frame however you’d like, add some pins at the top, and get to hang your jewelry!
8. Use A Grater To Organize Earrings
While we’re on the subject of jewelry, a cheese grater doubles perfectly as an earring holder!
Another item to make sure to clean thoroughly before adding your items to the grater, let’s avoid the old cheese smell!
If you’re looking for a brand new one for this project, this cheese grater is excellent.
9. Turn Boxes Into Organizing Trays
If you’ve seen all the organizing videos with the fancy dividers and know you can’t afford those but would like to try this trick, make them yourself!
Cutting up various boxes and decorating them is way cheaper and entirely customizable if you’d like.
10. Keep Your Ribbons Organized When Using With A Plastic Container
Ribbons are a great addition to crafts, presents, and the like, but keeping them organized is another game entirely! Keep or grab some plastic clam shells to store your ribbons.
Pop or cut a hole for each ribbon and thread each one through. Tape the box shut so it won’t pop open when you are pulling some.
11. Use Empty Yogurt Cups To Store Small Items
A wonderful way to upcycle all of those small yogurt containers that pile up anytime I turn around is to use them for small-scale items.
By organizing small items in these cups, those things will have a hard time floating away.
12. Store Washi Tapes In An Egg Carton
Egg cartons are another wonderful, unsung organizational hero that comes from the kitchen. Cartons are the perfect vehicles to keep your washi tapes in line.
Paint the carton if you feel like it needs a pop of color! This paint set should do well for it.
You’ll also want to see these other ways to organize small items!
13. Organize Makeup With A Pool Noodle
Take the other half of that pool noodle from earlier and use the other half to organize makeup items. From eyeliners to brushes, a noodle is an easily moveable custom holder.
14. Use The Glasses Case To Carry Personal Items
Your old glass cases are a great option for storing small items on the go!
Most of us have at least one or two cases floating around, and if not, there are plenty of fun ones at your local thrift or dollar store.
15. Use A Tissue Box To Organize Eye Shadows
Tissue boxes are always floating around my recycling bin, and a great way to repurpose one or two of them is to add your eyeshadows to them!
The square shape helps keep your shadows literally all squared away and easy to sort through.
16. Keep Your Boots In Stellar Condition With Empty Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles are always another item that seems to float around no matter how much we try to drink from our reusables.
Keep a few of those bottles and stick them in your boots to keep them in great condition! The bottles will help reduce stress on the materials.
17. Use Shower Hooks To Organize Belts
Shower hooks are an unexpected item to store belts, I know, but my belts have never been more organized! The clippable hooks like these are great because they secure the belt.
18. Keep Important Medicine Accessible With Hangers
Regardless of whose medicine it is, having it clipped onto a hanger in a designated area is a safe and reliable way to know anything they need is in the bag.
If you have curious kids or youngsters in the house, put them in a more secluded or secured closet for safety. Enjoy these other ingenious organizing ideas!
19. Use A Toilet Paper Roll Holder To Hang Your Headphones By The Desk
Headphones are a key part to a lot of people’s work routines. Keep yours safe by adding a toilet paper roll to the side of your desk to store yours!
It’s a safe and reliable place for a pair to hang out instead of under a stack of papers or on your chair.
20. Use Glass Candle Jars To Store Small Items
If you’re a candle person like I am, you may have empties accumulating faster than you know what to do with.
A great option is to empty them and use them as organizers for your desk.
21. Use A Glass Jar As A Toothbrush Holder
Finally, if you have an excess of glass jars, repurpose one as a toothbrush holder with this DIY storage idea!
This tip is great for a small bathroom–a clear jar makes the space lighter and feels less cluttered.
Jan
Sunday 7th of April 2024
All these are great ideas! I need to find time to use a bunch of them! Thank you - I do use some of them already but love new ideas!