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  1. Real Simple
  2. Home Organizing
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  4. 10 Cheap Organizing Hacks for a Clutter-Free Home

10 Cheap Organizing Hacks for a Clutter-Free Home

By Erin Henry
Updated September 21, 2016
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Credit: Levi Brown
Create order out of chaos with creative, low-cost—or, even better, no-cost!—DIY ideas.
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Use Shoe Boxes as DIY Dividers

Credit: Levi Brown

Why pop for manufactured drawer dividers? You can make a completely customizable set with just scissors and shoe boxes. Simply cut the boxes in half by length or width, as needed for your space, then tuck into a drawer.

1 of 10

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Use a Picture Frame as Dry-Erase Board

Credit: James Wojcik

Stay on top of your errands with an eye-catching DIY memo board: Frame a pretty scrap of fabric or wallpaper, hang in a high traffic area, and use a dry-erase market to jot down reminders on the glass. Extra points for attaching the marker to the frame with a coordinating ribbon.

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Use Pegboards to Create a Mini Dressing Station

Credit: Formula Z/S

Transform the inside of your closet door into a one-stop shop for accessories by using pegboards to neatly and visibly display necklaces, scarves, belts, and more. Hang a small mirror, so you can take one last look before jetting out the door.

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Use Velcro as Stuffed Animal Storage

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Keep dear old Teddy on hand—but off the floor—with a few strips of Velcro. Attach half of each strip to the back of lightweight stuffed animals and the other half to the wall, using the Velcro's soft side on the toys to avoid potential scrapes.

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Use a Stepladder as a Bedside Table

Credit: Mikkel Vang

This minimalist take on a night table holds only the essentials—a lamp, a smartphone, water—forcing you to edit which items spend the night there.

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Use Magnets as a Medicine Cabinet Organizer

Credit: Jonny Valiant

Mount a magnetic strip (we used the Mini Magnetic Strip Bulletin Board, $6.50, seejanework.com) on the inside of the medicine cabinet door to store tweezers, bobby pins, and other grooming tools in plain sight.

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Use Jars as Floating Storage Spaces

Credit: James Baigrie

Fill small jars with tacks, nails, buttons, or other easy-to-lose supplies, then attach the lid of each jar to the underside of a shelf. Voilà! Instant storage without wasting a precious inch of shelf space.

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Picture Frame as Key Holder

Credit: Sang An

Framed hooks will keep keys organized―and looking decorative. Eliminate the glass and paint the backing or cover it with fabric or paper. Then attach the key hooks using an extra-strong glue.

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Use a Wine Rack as a Wall Organizer

Credit: Jonny Valiant

Hang an unused wine rack on the wall of your garage or supply closet to stash rags, tools, extension cords, and more odds and ends.

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Use a Tension Rod to Store Cleaning Products

Credit: Grant Cornett; Styling: Alexis Givens

Secure a tension rod in the cabinet underneath your bathroom or kitchen sink, then hook on your most frequently used sprays and scrubbers for instant access.

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1 of 10 Use Shoe Boxes as DIY Dividers
2 of 10 Use a Picture Frame as Dry-Erase Board
3 of 10 Use Pegboards to Create a Mini Dressing Station
4 of 10 Use Velcro as Stuffed Animal Storage
5 of 10 Use a Stepladder as a Bedside Table
6 of 10 Use Magnets as a Medicine Cabinet Organizer
7 of 10 Use Jars as Floating Storage Spaces
8 of 10 Picture Frame as Key Holder
9 of 10 Use a Wine Rack as a Wall Organizer
10 of 10 Use a Tension Rod to Store Cleaning Products

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10 Cheap Organizing Hacks for a Clutter-Free Home
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