The Avid Antiquer: Organizing On A Budget

One of the most popular resolutions many people make in January is to get a part of their homes or their desks organized. If that is one of your top priorities this year, you can accomplish it without a lot of effort or a lot of cash. Antiques and items you find in thrift stores like the Open Door Thrift Shop can look great plus be functional and useful at the same time, and inexpensive, too.

This time of year we have more things to organize: a hat, a scarf, gloves, earmuffs, etc. The more things you have, the more you need to organize them. A landing area is essential in any home, whether you live alone or with a family of six. If you have a place to put all those things, plus your bag, wallet, cell phone, keys, gloves, etc., then you will never go crazy looking for them when you are racing to get out of the door.

If your home does not have an entryway, then designate a place to act as a landing area. It will help you develop a routine when you walk in the house that will keep you organized and stress free. I use a side table, which is located just outside my bedroom door as a landing area. There is a basket on the table for mail and my keys and another basket below the table for magazines. If you have multiple people in your home, assign each person their own basket.  They are always a steal at thrift stores.

My mail basket is also home to my phone charger so I remember to charge my phone as soon as I see it. I place my bag next to the basket, and as I take off my hat, gloves and scarf, I put them right on top so they are right where I need them when it is time to go out again. I hang my coat on a hook over my bedroom door. This set up works for me. Find one that works for you.

If you prefer to have a landing area for certain things in your bedroom, saucers or dessert plates make great organizers for things like a wallet, cell phone, personal digital assistants, receipts, spare change and frequently worn jewelry. You can even place a few places inside a draw to act as a jewelry organizer. Place rings on one saucer, earrings on another and bracelets or necklaces on another. As soon as you open the drawer, you will be able to see everything you have to choose from.

Desks are another area that is hard to keep organized. Whether you go to an office or work at home, there are simple ways to stay organized. Thrift stores always have a ton of glassware and mugs and they are unbelievably inexpensive. Buy a few you like and then designate one for pens, markers, highlighters or general supplies like a ruler, a stapler remover or a pair of scissors. Or color-code them if that works for you.

You can also find old glass ashtrays for pennies and they make great individual holders for supplies like binder clips, rubber bands or push pins. Or buy an old muffin tin and use each opening to store something different. When looking for a place to put your everyday paper folders for easy access, think out of the box again and use an old wire basket or an old crate.

If you can only make one change now, my suggestion would be to designate one place in your home to put everything that does not yet have a home. Call it a junk drawer or a miscellaneous basket, but if you do that, when you cannot find something or if you need to get something out of the way until you find the like items, this will save you time and aggravation. If you only have one place to put things, there is only one place to look.