It’s a fresh start and everyone is ready to organize! But what to tackle first?

I’m all about clearing things out while reorganizing what you have…with things you already own! In a recent segment for Live! with Kelly and Ryan I did just that with 12 clever ideas.

So before you run out and load up on lots of products to get your organized, take a peek at this repurposing effort first!

1. Frame up your necklaces/jewelry

Jewelry is meant to shine, not be “stored” jumbled in a drawer getting tangled.

Here we take a large photo frame you aren’t using, remove the backing and add re-useable sticky hooks to the back top.

Make an attractive display for your favorite necklaces. With each season you can adjust your inventory depending on what you’re wearing most. 

WHY?

Not only does it display them beautifully and keep them separated, but also when you can SEE what you have: you’ll be more likely to wear them!

2. Wine Rack your Water Bottles

As people move to refrigerated wine storage, you may find you have an extra wine rack lying around. It’s a great way to store your reusable water bottles to free up an entire section of your cupboard (they take so much space!), grab what you need and go!

WHY? I have a lot of water bottles, but so often forget to leave home with one. With them so attractively displayed on the kitchen counter, it’s a fantastic reminder for the entire family to stay hydrated!

3. Repurpose gum containers as snack holders!

Don’t you hate it when your pantry is filled with almost finished chips/nuts/cracker bags? The bags take up so much unsightly space, and the food at the bottom usually emerges stale when you finally eat it.

Take an empty car-gum holder. Rinse and dry. Remove the exterior wrapping.

Take that small, bottom-of-the-bag serving like nuts, fish crackers, dried fruit, etc. and place in the car-gum holder. It’s ready for your next snack! Use the pop-open top to shake it out or for larger snacks merely remove the lid.

WHY? For the times my kids are in the car asking, ‘MOM! You got something to eat?!’ (this happens every day to me) these can actually be ready and waiting in the car! Also, I put the daily vitamins in it – my kids always forget to take theirs with breakfast!*

*Please note: my children are old enough to know that vitamins are not candy, and I can use these containers to store smaller portions of vitamins in my purse or car when the weather is cool. But as the lid is not secured, please use your discretion and only place and dispense vitamins with adult supervision!

4. Use a blanket basket for scarf storage.

I love the use of baskets for storage of blankets and magazines. Additionally, a basket you already own can be used to roll up and store your most often-used winter scarves. You can also clothespin your gloves together in pairs and pin them to the interior rim of the basket so they are always together and ready for wearing!

WHY? So many times I run out the door forgetting my scarf and gloves and regret it (fashionably and frigidly), so placing this pretty basket near my exit door helps me to remember to don my cold-weather accessories!

5. File Your Reusable Bags into Submission  

Now that New York has banned plastic bags, as many cities and states have, it’s important to have a stash of reusable bags for any time you need to shop at a brick and mortar. But the bags seem to have a life of their own, and like children go every which direction and get messy quickly!

Get a wire file folder organizer that you aren’t using in your office. I had one! Fold the bags and place in the organizer. You can organize by height, color or capacity. I’ve selected a variety of different bags as mine aren’t uniform to show just how nicely it can look!

WHY?

If they look neat, you are less likely to forget them when you head to the store! Maybe keep this in the trunk of your car if you are prone to forgetting to take them in!

6. Display your New Photos Pronto with a Binder Clip

So many photos are digital these days that when you are gifted or print some actual pictures, it’s a pain to get them framed or in an album—especially odd-sized photos. They sit in envelopes or in piles and hang out there, unseen.

Like my children’s school photos for example.

Clip a black binder clip to the edge of a photo you’d love to display.

Remove the silver metal tongs and display!

WHY? This is a very minimalist-chic way to get your photos on display quickly: they are meant to be seen. If you wish to preserve the photo against yellowing, you can laminate it first! I did so with a home laminator.

7. Nail it with your grooming supplies on a magnetic organizing board!

I literally had this magnetic organizing board lying around – it used to be above my desk. With anything you have lying around unused in your house just think—how can I possibly use this for something else!?

Attach any metal and light grooming supplies to the magnets of the board, and voila! A nice display of your most frequently used items in a chic new way!

WHY? How many times do I have to hear, where are the clippers?

8. Roll Small Towels for Maximum Storage

I’m always looking for clean wash towels. They simply seem to get lost amidst the bigger bath and hand towels.

Here’s a fresh take on a pot lid organizer, where you roll any towels that are small and place them in the organizer, separated by size.

WHY?

This makes better use of vertical (and visual!) space in your linens cabinet or closet.

9. Store Sheet Sets Inside Its Pillowcase!

All it takes is one poorly folded sheet set to make your entire linen cabinet or closet look messy. And with the popularity of the neutral-colored sheets trend, this also means that sets can get easily confused!

Did you know you had the solution to organize your sheets right before you? Fold sheets to desired rectangular size, and then stack. Then taking one of the pillowcases, place the sheet set at the bottom of the pillowcase so that it fills roughly one-half, and fold over access pillowcase to make the sheet set perfectly packaged and ready for a shelf!

WHY?

If you are horrendous at folding the fitted sheet (even though you know how!), this technique hides all lack of skill—and hopefully never has you miss-matching sets again!

10. Fold Your Flats/Sneakers in Under-bed Storage

Shoes, even if you aren’t a collector, can overwhelm your shoe storage space! Especially this time of year when boots take over!

So take flats and sneakers and store in under bed storage. You can sort seasonally (all sandals together, all sneakers together all flats together) or whatever way helps you to remember where they are.

WHY? Because not everyone has backlit shoe shelves in custom-built closets for displaying their footwear one pair at a time!

11. Shower Curtain Clip Your Tank Tops or Scarves (through the holes) and small wristlets too!

I love tank tops year-round to layer and keep me warm in winter and conversely cool in summer, but I have a hard time keeping them neatly stored. Because they are small, they are easily misplaced, lost and forgotten about!

Get a package of shower curtain clips and attach them to a sturdy hanger. Individually clip one tank’s straps (or thin, summer scarf or wristlet!) per curtain clip, and you’ll have a way to see your tops at the ready, hanging in your closet for your next outfit! 

WHY? In prepping props this segment, I discovered two new tanks I had forgotten about! They are simply too easy to forget when folded up small: outta sight, outta mind.

12. Kick unsightly cleaning supply storage--with a shoe organizer!

It’s hard to keep track of all of the cleaning supplies and I often run from sink-to-sink looking underneath for that one cleaning item I need: window cleaner, wipes, counter cleaner, new sponges etc. Time to consolidate!

Use a clear or monochromatic over-the-door shoe organizer to store all of your cleaning supplies in one spot, so that you can see easily what you have and grab it in a snap.

WHY? Consolidating cleaning supplies from under sinks and closets and onto a door for display saves tons of space! (And the additional cleaning that may result from being able to find everything is merely a bonus!)