44 Handy Hints That Will Help You Become a Master Organizer
Updated: Oct. 05, 2023
Tired of your house always being a mess? It's time to conquer the clutter with these seriously smart ideas for organizing all of your stuff.
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Easy-to-Make Wine Rack Cabinet
I never have enough space for wine storage, so I made this wine rack cabinet using pantry shelves and 1x2s. I used a router to round over the top edges of 1x2s, cut them so they're a few inches shorter than the shelf depth; then spaced them about 2 in. apart. Then I screwed them to the shelf. I adjusted the shelf spacing so there’s about 5 in. of clearance for the bottles. – reader Robert Lackey
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Remember Your Keys!
You’ll always know where your keys are with this handy hint! To make Lego keychains, start by drilling a hole into the base of a Lego that is slightly smaller than the screw potion of an eyelet screw. Next, wind the eyelet screw into the lego. Thread a split ring through the hole and use it to attach keys. Mount the lego board to a surface using your preferred method. You’ll be so excited to put the Lego on the Lego board that you won’t lose your keys (hopefully) ever again!
Plus, check out these 14 super fun DIY projects to do with kids, rain or shine. And don’t worry; these projects won’t break the budget!
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Write Notes on the Washer
When you put a load of clothes into your washing machine, use a dry-erase marker to note on the lid which items should not go into the dryer. That way, whoever switches the load from the washing machine to the dryer will know which items to leave out for line drying. The enamel finish on most washing machine lids is similar to a whiteboard, and dry-erase markers can be removed easily with a dry paper towel.
Better safe than sorry! Learn which items should not be dried in the dryer. This way, whoever switches the load from the washer to the dryer won't ruin any clothes!
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Super Simple Lazy-Susan Fridge Organization
Digging to the back of your fridge to find a certain ingredient is a pain. Instead, use a Lazy Susan to bring that food to you! Simply place a lazy Susan on a shelf in your fridge and stock it with condiments and other small containers. Nothing could be easier than spinning your ingredients around to find just what you need.
Check out these 30 Ways to Revolutionize Your Kitchen Space.
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Paper Towel Holder Tape Storage
Rather than take up space in a drawer or cabinet for storing rolls of tape, mount an old paper towel dispenser to your wall or pegboard. It can hold several rolls of duct tape, painter’s tape, etc., within easy reach. And unlike stashing tape in a dark cabinet or cramped drawer, the paper towel holder makes it really easy to find the specific tape needed for different jobs. A dowel-style paper towel holder designed to sit on top of a countertop would also work for corralling rolls of tape. And it’s portable, so you could take it with you for painting and repair jobs around your house.
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A Garage Pallet Organization Hack
If you have a yard or a garden, you know that there are a lot of long-handle tools involved. You probably also know how obnoxious it is when you need the shovel or the rake and have to walk all over to find it. All you need for this pallet organization hack is a pallet, a couple of screws and a drill. And if you don’t have any pallets lying around, they are easy to get for free. Many businesses will give them to you, but you should call first! Another great place to check is local Craiglist ads.
Looking for more ways to work smarter in your workshop? Here are 19 tips from a seasoned woodworker and do-it-yourselfer.
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Easy DIY Drawer Organizer
My kitchen drawers used to be an absolute wreck; pans and dishes crammed in however they’d fit. And nearly every time I needed something, it was always at the bottom of the drawer. My solution was to cut a piece of 1/8-in. pegboard to the size of the drawer bottom and attach dowels using screws from underneath. Now my pans are organized and easy to access. The 10 minutes it took to build was easily made up for with how much frustration it has saved me. –Tom Smith
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Hair Tie Carabiner
I always have trouble keeping my hair ties together. Somehow they are always missing when I want them but are all over the place when I don’t. The solution to this mess was to attach them to a carabiner. It keeps them all in one place, provided I remember to use it! — Rachel Douglas
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Store and Label Fasteners
When disassembling a piece of furniture that needs to be repaired or moved, thread the screws and nails into a piece of rigid foam. Group similar fasteners together or arrange them however it will be most helpful when piecing the furniture back together. You can also write on the foam with a pen or marker to label the fasteners or to make notes that will be helpful when reassembling the piece at a later time.
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File Folders Kitchen Organization Hack
File folders can be used for more than just organizing papers and magazines in your office. They can also be used for organization in your kitchen. We filled file folders up with the clutter that normally barricades the cabinet under the kitchen sink. Place all of your kitchen cleaning supplies into file folders, putting the most frequently used items towards the front.
This kitchen organization hack is so easy and satisfying!
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Catalog Paint Colors
When it comes time to touch up walls that have been marked or scratched, trying to find the correct paint can on the storage shelf is a huge headache. Even if you do manage to find the correct color for a room, the can may so old and rusted that the paint inside is useless. To make shopping for new cans of my existing paint colors easier, I started taking pictures of the labels and uploading them to the cloud, so I can find them later. Then I bring the photo with me to the store, and the associate can whip up a can of the same color using the ID on the label. — JD Williams
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Paper Towel Roll Bag Storage
There are many uses for plastic grocery bags in the workshop. You can use them to seal up brushes and rollers during a painting project, so you don't have to wash so much stuff between coats. The point is, it's worth keeping a handful of plastic grocery bags on hand in the workshop, and here's a great tip for storing them: Stuff as many plastic grocery bags as possible into an empty paper towel roll. Then toss the roll in a drawer or cabinet. The cardboard tube keeps the bags contained, and it's easy to pull one out at a time when you need it.
Check out more home hacks using cardboard tubes.
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Move Clothes Masterfully
To save time packing and unpacking your clothes during a move, simply take a handful of your hanging clothes and wrap the tops of the hangers together using bendable electrical wire. Then throw a garbage bag over them, pulling the tops of the hangers through a hole in the bottom of the bag. Tie the garbage bag handles together to keep your clothes extra clean during transportation.
Whether you're toting heavy furniture, packing up fragile items or prepping for the big day, these 18 tips will help to make moving stress-free!
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Concrete Form Wrapping Paper Storage
Using a 6-ft. cardboard cement form cut in half, I created two wrapping paper storage containers. I cut the cylinder in half and cut pieces of heavy cardboard for the base of each, attaching them with duct tape. Then I spray painted them to look presentable. — Peter Turner
Check out what another Christmas-related item you can stuff in a concrete form tube.
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Bread Tabs for Labeling Cords
Not sure which cord goes with which electronic device plugged into your power strip? Save yourself the hassle of following the cord from the plugin to the device for each item you need to move by labeling them. Plastic bread tabs are perfect for labeling cords that are plugged into a power strip because they're sturdy, have enough room to write on and can easily clip around the plugin end of a cord. Plus, they often come in different colors. You'll be able to easily identify and move your electrical devices.
Plus, learn how to use a Surge Protector for Electronic Device and see why plugging your electronics into a surge protector is a smart way to save money.
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Rubber Band and Paperclip Binder
Store small extension cords neatly with this simple office supply hack: Attach a paperclip to a small rubber band. Then wrap the rubber band around the bundled cord and clasp the paperclip onto the rubber band again. No more tangled extension cords!
Check out this Simple Idea for Extension Cord Storage.
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Easy-Find Dado Blades
Dado blades have a very specific way that they need to be installed on a table saw. A lot of them will have a letter that indicates how they should be installed printed on them, but it can wear off after use. Write the letters large on the blades to keep this from happening and make your dado blades much easier to use.
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Paper Towel Cord Storage
Give empty paper towel rolls new life as cord wranglers. Fold small extension cords neatly before slipping them into their own individual storage sleeve. You can even label the cords by writing on the cardboard.
Be safe and learn How to Prevent Electrical Overloads!
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Electrical Wire to Wrangle Cords
Before putting your extension cords in a drawer or storage bin, keep them wound neatly with a piece of electrical wire. For an additional organization feature, first wrap the wire several times around either end of the cord. Then the wire will stay with the cord, even when you’re using it, and you’ll have a tie at-the-ready when it’s time to put the cord back into storage. Be sure to cut a piece of wire long enough to wrap around one end of the extension cord several times as well as to wrap around the whole cord once it’s organized into a neat loop.
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Store Holiday Lights on Hanger
Save yourself the stressful task of untangling a messy string of holiday lights by wrapping them around a hanger before putting them in storage. Try to keep the string of lights neat as you wrap it around the hanger, starting on one end and working your way across to the other end, with as little overlap as possible. If your string of lights is quite long, you can continue wrapping a second layer neatly over the first, again with as little overlap as possible. This will help to keep the cord organized and free of tangles when you unwind it for the next holiday season.
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Food Containers for Ornament Storage
Empty egg cartons, drink carriers, plastic clamshell boxes from the bakery and other disposable grocery containers are excellent for storing holiday ornaments. They can be stacked neatly inside a larger bin and will keep your ornaments safe while in storage.
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Tension Rod Storage Hack
It can be difficult to keep spray bottles and other cleaning supplies from falling over and making a mess under your kitchen sink. Thankfully, we have plenty of cabinet organization tips and tricks.
To keep your cleaning supplies upright, hang them from a short tension rod inside your cabinet. Another clever idea is to slide a paper towel roll through the tension rod for easy access. This tension rod organization hack is also a great place to hang dish-drying towels and rubber cleaning gloves.
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Organize Small Cords with Toilet Paper Rolls
To keep small cords organized, try this handy hint: Fill a shoe box with as many empty toilet paper rolls that will fit vertically; then place a single small cord in each tube. It'll keep your cords free of tangles and in one place.
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Note Breaker Number On Outlet Cover
I discovered this useful tip after some trial and error and many, many trips up and down the two flights of stairs in my home: Once I’ve determined which circuit that a switch or outlet belongs to, I jot down the breaker number on the inside of the outlet cover or light switch plate. This way the next time I need to work on that switch or receptacle, I know which breaker to flip and just a single trip down to the electric panel is all that’s needed. — Jason Nizolek
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Wine Box Shoe Storage
You can easily find a free shoe storage container at almost any store that sells wine. Originally designed to protect glass bottles, a wine box is perfect for organizing shoes as well because it comes with cardboard dividers already in place!
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Scrap Wood Computer Shelf
Use some scrap wood from your workshop to create a simple computer shelf for your desk. We built this one using a 1 ft. x 2 ft. piece of plywood and two 12-in. pieces of 1x3 board. We used a brad nailer to assemble the shelf and left it unfinished for a modern look.
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Hot Glue Gun Uses: Magnets in the Medicine Cabinet
Reader David Farrand has a great solution for organizing small metal items such as tweezers, nail clippers and more in the bathroom: Hang them on magnets inside a cabinet. If your cabinet does not have a metal surface, attach the magnets with hot glue, one magnet for each metal tool.
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Bathroom Drawer Insert from the Kitchen
A silverware drawer insert works just as well in the bathroom for organizing toothbrushes, tubes of toothpaste, razors, clippers, lip balm and more. The various sizes of compartments keep items looking neat and easy to find.
In a small bathroom, every square inch counts. Use these clever tips to wring extra bathroom storage from unexpected places.
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Simple Hair Tool Storage
Convert a 4 in. x 4 in. x 2 in. PVC pipe fitting into a hair tool storage container. The large opening is perfect for holding a hair dryer while the small opening is just right for a curling iron. And the plumbing accessory will look right at home in the bathroom!
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Cardboard Box Bag Dispenser
Make a simple plastic bag dispenser using a small cardboard box with a hole cut in the top. Neatly stack the bags into the box and close it up. When you need a plastic bag, just pull one out of the hole.
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PVC Razor Organizer
Make this simple razor organizer by cutting 1-in. PVC pipe into lengths that are just larger than your razors. Stick the lengths together with hot glue. You could also color code or write names on each piece of pipe so your family members know which is their razor.
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Sheet Metal Magnet Board
Reader Bill Jones thought of using a piece of sheet metal as a message board in his workshop—brilliant! He used self-tapping metal screws to secure the piece to studs; then he filled the board with magnets for hanging printed project plans, lists and even small metal tools.
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| one on the key and the matching one on the corresponding padlock
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Gum Containers are Great for the Workshop
Save those durable gum containers and use them to store washers, nails, screws and other small parts in your workshop. That’s what reader Jerry Bullock did! He also glued one of the items to the top of the container, so he knows what’s inside at a glance.
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How to Make Tool Organizers with Gutters
Make inexpensive compartments for your tool bag using PVC gutter downspouts. Carefully cut the downspouts into pieces that will fit vertically inside the bag and glue them together. Then organize your tools inside the compartments.
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How to Hang Bananas Under Cabinets
My wife and I wanted to get a banana tree to keep our bananas fresh longer and to help them ripen evenly. But counter space is an issue in our kitchen, so we thought of a solution: Instead of adding something else to the countertop, I attached a small adhesive hook under the cabinets to store bananas. When we need it, it holds bananas without taking up any of our limited counter space. When it is not being used, it is hidden from view. It works great, and I didn’t have to drill holes in the cabinet! – Michael Blough
Check out these 25 Handy Hints for the Home Cook.
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The Benefits of Adding a Key-Holed Ruler to Your Workbench
You can mount a removable key-holed metal ruler on the front edge of your workbench, for both easy measuring on the workbench and for easy access for measuring and marking projects elsewhere. Simply drill keyholes (a larger hole with an overlapping smaller hole above it) in two locations along the ruler. Learn how to mount a removable metal ruler on the front edge of your workbench!
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Use a Pool Noodle Inside a Drawer
Silverware is a notoriously difficult part of kitchen storage and organization, especially in small kitchen with oddly sized drawers. Reader Roy Allison found a solution for keeping his silverware drawer organizer from moving around each time he opened or closed the drawer: a pool noodle! He cut the noodle to size, so that it fits snuggly between the back of the organizer and the back of the drawer. This is just one pool noodle hack to use around the home. You can also make your own silverware drawer oragnizer.
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Color-Code Padlocks and Keys
Reader Michal Jacot saved himself the hassle of testing one key after another with his many padlocks by color-coding them. He purchased two sets of color ID rings and puts one on the key and the matching one on the corresponding padlock. Brilliant!
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Shoe Holder for Spray Product Storage
Keep spray paints, lubricants, etc., organized and out of the way in a hanging shoe holder. The material is easy to clean, mounts quickly to a wall or door in your workshop and has pockets sized perfectly for holding various spray products.
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Store Spray Paint in a Wine Box
Corral your pile of spray paint in a wine box for storage. The interior dividers in a wine box are sized perfectly for the narrow cans, and the colorful lids remain visible when you look inside.
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Organize Your Fridge with a Six-Pack
Do all of your small bottles in the refrigerator door like to tip over after opening or closing the door? Fortunately, the answer to tidying those wayward bottles is just a recycling bin away. To keep your kitchen storage and organization under control, use an empty six-pack holder to hold the condiments in your refrigerator door.
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DIY Small Kitchen Coffee Storage and Organization
Coffee pods can be a disaster to keep organized. But this hack uses simple t-molding as an ideal organization system for your coffee pods (Keurig, Nespresso or any other type of coffee pod).
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Secure Your Kitchen Towels
We've collected hundreds of home tips throughout the years to make life a little easier for our readers, and this one's super easy. Hanging a dish towel from an oven or dishwasher door makes sense. The towel is in a convenient location, and the oven's warmth quickly gets rid of dampness. However, the one drawback with hanging your towels here is that they are constantly falling off! Here’s a way to keep the towel from slipping off: Fold your towel into its desired form and attach Velcro strips in two spots, one on the front and one on the back, as shown in the photo below. Stitch in place, or use fabric iron-on Velcro strips and follow the directions on the packaging. Finally, hang your towel from the oven or dishwasher door and match velcro ends together.
