DIY Recycling: Get Organized by Repurposing Household Items

Repurposing Household Items — Use one thing to put other things into and make it look decorative so your living space will be neatly organized and nothing gets tossed into the landfill. Try these ideas for getting organized by repurposing common household items.

DIY Recycling: Get Organized by Repurposing Household Items

Recycle, upcycle repurpose, reuse, declutter. So many hyphenated words that basically mean the same thing: organize your stuff with your stuff. Use one thing to put other things into and make it look decorative so your living space will be neatly organized and nothing gets tossed into the landfill. Good deal, I say, and here are some ideas on how to get organized by re-purposing common household items.

Recycle Tote Bags

We’ve collected re-usable tote bags so we can be Eco-friendly and not use one-time use plastic bags. Now we need a good idea for using all those tote bags that are cluttering up closest. Use them to organize the closet.

Place pegs or hangers every 8-12 inches in a 2×4 piece of wood. Paint to match décor then attach 2×4 to the wall at eye-level. Hang a tote bag on each peg, label tote bags if desired, then place like-items inside the bags for easy access – dog walking items, gardening tools, beach supplies, mail, etc. Place the hanging catch-all totes in the entryway, laundry room, mud room or inside of the closet to help you get organized.

Reuse Glass Jars

Pickles, salsa, pasta sauces and other foods come in reusable glass jars. Wash jars and let them air out, then use them to store sewing and craft supplies. Super-glue jar lids to the underside of a shelf, then screw the jars into the lids to free-up even more storage space.

Repurpose Mesh Laundry Bag

A large mesh laundry bag can keep things like bats, ball, helmets, and gloves corralled together so when it’s time to load up and take the kids to practice, all the sporting equipment is in one place. Hang the mesh laundry bag on the back of a door so it’s out of the way.

Organize with a Chest of Drawers

A chest of drawers or dresser is perfect furniture pieces for most any room of the home. Give an old set of drawers a new coat of paint and hardware, then place it in the entryway, bathroom or use as a side table in the family room to store board games and video games.

Upcycle Luggage

What does your luggage do approximately 11 months a year when you’re not on vacation? Absolutely nothing. Put your luggage to work by using it to store out-of-season clothing or bed covering. Don’t stop there – stack 2-3 pieces of filled luggage and use it for a night-stand or occasional table.

Declutter with a Tackle Box

A new tackle box (sans the fishy smell) is a perfect storage unit for make up, jewellery, sewing supplies, arts and craft supplies. The built-in compartments making getting and staying organized a breeze.