Organize & Repurpose

Let’s establish some organizing ground rules —

1. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

2. It doesn’t have to be new!

3. It doesn’t have to be fancy!

4. It simply needs to work for you!

It is very tempting to assume that shopping for matching containers is a good way to get started on an organizing project. Actually — not true. Why buy containers for items you do not need, use or want? How can you determine what size to buy when you don’t know how much you will keep or where you will eventually put them? I follow a simple process with any area:

1. REMOVE all items from the area.

2. REDUCE the number of items you will keep.

3. REPURPOSE and reuse items in clever ways.

4. REARRANGE items to match the purpose of the area.

5. REJOICE!

6. REPEAT!

Here’s a clever secret—

You will save time and money by learning to creatively repurpose items in your home!

What exactly does that look like?

Here are just a few examples!

• Mason canning jars for tea bags

• Ice cube trays for earrings

• Buffet table for entertainment items

• Garbage can for sports equipment

• Vintage stool for a plant stand

• Old ladder to hang towels

• Old rake to hold garden tools

• Mint tins for needles & safety pins

• Plastic dish tubs for sorting toys

• Window frame for photo display

• Old door for a craft table top

• Ceramic cookie jar for receipts

• Glass relish plate for necklaces

• Stack of suitcases for games

• Glass jars for refrigerator leftovers

• Magazine holder for boxes of wraps

• Over the door shoe organizers for office supplies

• Sewing cabinet for end table

• Travel souvenir mug for pens

When you have decided that it doesn’t need to be perfect or new or fancy or expensive,

you allow yourself the freedom to be creative! And with freedom comes fun!

Don’t put pressure on yourself to design custom labels from a Pinterest template.

Simply use colorful painter’s tape or index cards and a black Sharpie.

Sometimes we make organizing more complicated than it needs to be. Go on a treasure hunt in your own home. See what you can discover and repurpose!

Read more encouraging blogs by Olive at:

www.organizedbyolive.com