organizing on a budget? is it possible?

[Lantern Light Mama]

I really need to organize but I dont have a lot of money to spend on organizing pieces. Can I have your best advice for organizing a kitchen cheaply? Thanks! I just finished college until the fall so I was to get this taken care of this summer! :giggle

[KatieMae]

If you have the time, I would look at yard sales. Also you could ask for specific things on Freecycle, or watch on Craig's List. People tend to buy organizing stuff & then it doesn't fit or they never bother to install it.

[crunchymum]

absolutely! what kinds of things do you need/are you thinking of? what kind of storage is existing?

[HummusDip]

I organize things in jars (reuse ANY glass food products you buy), rice sacks, cardboard food containers with lids, and even small shoe boxes.

I do the same thing around the house, shoe boxes and even just normal sized boxes. I'd rather use those than plastic.

I garage sale almost every weekend (when they are going on) and search out alternative more green friendly ways to organize-on a budget. I find the coolest stuff!

[Lantern Light Mama]

I am having issues with my pots and pans. They are all over the place.

[ThreeKids]

I bought everything organize-ish I could get my hands on. All those wire shelves and baskets were as much in the way as everything else. I just gave them to my neighbor. They are her problem now. Less stuff is the way to go. In retrospect, buying them in the first place was one more step of procrastination.

I'd rather be able to see my things on fewer shelves, even if they are stacked a little bit, than have more square footage to put things and not be able to see them and then just have to buy more stuff because I can't find what I have.

Closet Maid and an occasional extra wire shelf come in handy if you have very specific plans that are definitely going to be an improvement on what you have now.

Pots & Pans - can you just keep a few in your kitchen and put away the rest? If you find ways to not have to go get them out of the garage or wherever, you might even be able to sell them.

[Forsynthianicki]

I am having issues with my pots and pans. They are all over the place.


I have found that I only use about three pots/pans on a regular basis. I have those where I can get to them easily, the ones I don't use often I have tucked away in that deep lower cabinet next to the stove with the once a year turkey roaster. Sometimes I think I should get rid of them but I do occasionally use them, and I hate to break up a set.

[crunchymum]

ok, pots and pans... i have mine in a deep drawer, it's just easier for me than digging through a cupboard. you could also try hanging them on hooks by the stove, or if you're *really* pressed for space, store them in your oven (not ideal, but it'll work in a pinch). i agree to try to pare down to what you really use. :yes

for other kitchen stuff, i LOVE those white bins you can find at target... they are really cheap and are so good for containing stuff. i use them in my pantry, my tupperware drawer, my vitamin cabinet... you get the idea. here's a pic, i actually have a few more of them in now than in this picture:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/mamamolly/home%20integration/IMG_0079.jpg

hth!

[SansSouci]

I have a deep drawer for my pots & pans too, and I LOVE it!!!

But before I had the deep drawer, I had to pile my pots & pans on top of each other. I just used some nice doilies (hand-made, by my great-grandma) as a buffer between them so they wouldn't scratch each other. It's a great use of a doily!

[ArmsOfLove]

for about $20 at Cost Plus World Market I got a hanging pots and pans rack--it's round and hangs right above my stove. I love it!