13 awesome organization projects you can get done for virtually no money

Staying organized is always a very important thing. Staying organized for little cost is even better! As Plato said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." So many wonderful, organizational things have been invented simply because they were necessary: shelves, cupboards, drawers, file folders, etc.
As life gets more expensive, though, people start trying to figure out how to create the "necessities" without having to pay the cost. People who have a little do-it-yourself and know-how, can often come up creative solutions that give the same outcome as the more costly store items.
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1. Create a drawer organizer with cereal boxes by I Heart Organizing
To create drawer organizers, gather a bunch of empty cereal boxes and place them in your drawer, organizing them into the formation you want. Mark the height of the drawer onto the boxes, and then cut the boxes down to size. Once that is done, you can make the boxes pretty by covering them with decorative paper. Then place them in the drawer again.
2. Or create a mailbox, also with a cereal box, as shown by Everyday Dishes
To keep all your mail together, you can create a mail holder out of a large cereal box. Cut the shape for the top and tape the bottom of the box to make it a little sturdier. Spray the outside of the box with adhesive and place scrapbook paper on to decorate the outside. A coat of decoupage glue on top of the paper will give some added sturdiness to the construction so it doesn't wear out as fast. For added support and a decorative touch, washi tape can be placed around the corners and edges. Your mailbox is ready to receive mail.
3. Wire organizer with Washi tape by The Budget Decorator
For people who use multiple plug strips, keeping all the cords straight, especially when they're the same color, can be really had. Labeling them with washi tape is a simple, effective solution. Lay a strip of washi tape flat, write a label for the cord on the tape with a Sharpie, wrap the strip around the cord, and cut a decorative tip on the end of the tape.
4. Post-its make the perfect chore chart for kids as shown by My Name is Nicker Doodle
Teaching your child to do chores is really teaching him or her responsibility for life. Amy has created a great chore chart for little kids. Take a piece of 6-inch by 12-inch (15.2 cm by 30.5 cm) colored card stock, trim the corners and score it lengthwise at 3.25 inches (8.3 cm). On the 2.75-inch (7 cm) side, make cuts to the score every 2 inches (5.1 cm). You should have six sections when you get done. Place 2-inch by 2-inch (5.1 cm by 5.1 cm) pictures on the solid half of the board close to the score. Round the corner of each flap and fold the flaps up towards the score. Then glue the description matching the chore to the inside of the flap. Attach 1.5-inch (5.1 cm) lengths of magnetic strips above each picture and below each chore description. Glue one printed "Done" to the back of each flap. Each "Done" should be 1.5 inches (5.1 cm) long. Your chart is ready to use.
5. Wipe-off menu board by Make and Takes
To keep yourself organized with planning weekly meals or making a to-do list, using a frame with some scrapbook paper gets you a great wipe-off board. Simply cut the scrapbook paper to fit the frame and place it inside. Use a dry erase marker to write on the glass and wipe it off later. If you want a fancier look, you can add vinyl letters for categories that don't change. To better match the rooms in your home, you can also paint the frame.
6. Organize your bathroom spending nothing by Just a Girl and her Blog. 
Abby shows how to organize your bathroom with a diaper box, envelope boxes and storage bins. She hides the pipes under her sink with a diaper box, trimmed to fit the space and covered with pretty wrapping paper. To contain the smaller items, she covers envelope boxes with paper and places sundry items inside. An extra storage container is placed into service on the opposite side of the sink. To decorate the container and trash can, she uses duct tape.
7. Organize your cords with toilet paper rolls by Our Thrifty Ideas. 
To keep your extra cords untangled, Vanessa recommends coiling them and placing them into leftover toilet paper rolls. If you want to decorate the cardboard rolls, you can place washi tape on them, but you will need to secure the ends of the tape with scotch tape. You can then write on the tape or cardboard what the cord is for. These stack easily and won't get tangled.
8. Organize your cans with a simple card box by A Single Coupon
To keep all your cans organized and cycling the oldest ones forward, simply take an empty soda box, cut an opening on the top in the back to drop your new cans in, and place it on your shelf. If you want to make it pretty, you can cover the box with paper, or you can let everyone know what kind of soda you like to drink.
9. Organize your jewelry with ice cube trays by The Soulful House
For those who love jewelry (and who doesn't) but can't seem to keep it organized, try this. The Soulful House uses a two-drawer letter box and places two ice cube trays in each drawer. Each "cube" is a perfect cubby for placing earrings, necklaces, and rings.
10. Toilet paper roll office or classroom organization by Clutter-Free Classroom
To organize pens and pencils, Clutter-Free takes a box and trims toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls to fit inside the box. She then stands the rolls on end and tightly stacks them inside the box. Now it's ready to be filled with all the necessities of running a classroom or office.
11. Organize your sewing supplies with egg carton, seen on BHG
Every time you purchase eggs, you get a storage carton. The dips for the eggs are great for holding loose change, pins, buttons and all other sorts of  tiny stuff. The top can be made into a perfect holder for a pin cushion.
12. Organize your flip-flops for no money by Epbot. 
Flip-flops are footwear that many women collect a lot of. To keep them neatly organized, Epbot shares this novel idea. Hang a curtain rod in your closet. A tension rod will also do the trick. Take wire hangers and cut off the bottoms. With a pair of pliers, simply roll the ends to create stops, and then make a bend half-way down each side of the wire. You can decorate the tops of the hangers with paper if you want, but it's not necessary.
13. Organize your pantry with diaper boxes by Blesser House
Laura decided to save her money and do the same job as a fancy storage system with just diaper boxes, faux wood paper and Mod Podge. Trim diaper boxes to fit your pantry shelves. Then cover them with the paper, using Mod Podge to adhere the paper. When you're finished, you can make fancy signs to go on the front.
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With a little time and ingenuity, you can create an organization system for just about any area of your home, usually at a fraction of the cost of those available in the store. By customizing the containers, you get to control color, size and shape, and that means you can make them perfect for your space. Custom organization is a win-win situation.
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