Check out these quick and simple DIY projects you can make this weekend without spending a bundle.
You might think you’re a disorganized person, when really all you need are a few organizational techniques to help you corral the clutter. These easy, do-it-in-a-weekend projects are custom-tailored to hit some of the worst offenders when it comes to storage and organization around the house, from your piled-high coffee table to your bursting jewelry box. You won’t break the bank with most of these projects, but you might just sell your home faster when you get rid of all of the extra “stuff” cluttering it up.
Work wall storage
What it is: Turn a wall into a storage and work space with just a few add-ons.
How to make it: Cover the top half of a blank wall with stick-on cork tiles to create an oversize pin board. Use colored tape to delineate zones for different purposes. Install a ledge beneath the cork tiles, and add a hanging rail system just below to make the wall of storage complete. For a fun bonus, paint the lower half of the wall with chalkboard paint to create a kid-friendly place to draw. This is a cheap storage solution—but remarkably attractive and effective.
Organized entry
What it is: A fits-anywhere organization station to corral essentials near the door.
How to make it: Place a divided bin on the wall for organizing gear. Install a few sturdy hooks for bags, hats and coats. Use smaller hooks to hang large binder clips to organize important papers that you’ll need to grab before leaving the house. Position a large bin or box below the installation as a catchall for other items. Creative inside-entryway ideas to keep things organized help you make a great first impression on guests.
Table storage
What it is: A storage-filled, flea market-style coffee table that’s both decorative and practical.
How to make it: Create this storage-filled table by topping four vintage produce bins with an old tabletop and resting everything on a plywood slab outfitted with casters. This creative recycling project is both cool and extremely functional.
Pocket protector
What it is: Magazine pockets for organizing stacks of periodicals.
How to make it: Cover a piece of plywood with upholstery-weight fabric. Cut strips of fabric long enough to be wrapped around the board and wide enough to be folded in half lengthwise to create a pocket deep enough to hold magazines; hem as desired. Fold the strips in half lengthwise and wrap around the sides of the board with the folded edge facing downward. Secure the ends of the fabric to the back of the board with staples. Keep the top layer stapled a bit looser than the bottom layer so that the pouch can accommodate a few magazines. Finish the edges with wood trim.
Charge it up
What it is: An antique toolbox repurposed for a modern necessity: charging devices.
How to make it: Drill a hole in the side of a toolbox; the hole needs to be large enough to feed an electrical plug through. Place a plug strip inside the box and feed the plug through the hole. Cut a board to fit inside the box and drill holes on the board (large enough so that one end of your charging cords can feed through them). Plug the chargers into the plug strip, feed the ends through the holes in the board and place the board inside the toolbox. Fire up the plug strip and start charging.
Two in one
What it is: A bar-height table with built-in organization made from bookcases and a prefab wood or laminate countertop.
How to make it: For a 36-inch-tall table, use 34-inch bookcases and a 2-inch-thick countertop. (Edge-glued wood tops are available in different sizes at big box stores.) The countertop should be the same width as the bookcase. Long countertops will need a center support. Attach the counter to the bookcases using L brackets.
Jewelry organizer
What it is: A piece of art that also holds your favorite pieces of jewelry.
How to make it: Trim a metal radiator cover or wire screen to fit inside a frame. Stand it at the back of a dresser. Hook earrings through the grid and use small S hooks to hang other items
Wrapping station
What it is: An all-in-one organization station for gift-wrapping essentials.
How to make it: Office accessories and bath necessities receive a unifying coat of spray paint and combine as a fabulous hang-anywhere wrapping station. A desk file mounted to the wall partners with a towel bar to stand gift-wrap rolls at attention, while S-hooks suspend tools within arm’s reach.
Stacked bath storage
What it is: Simple wood crates unite to make fabulous bath storage.
How to make it: Reinforce stapled slats on the crates with screws. Paint or finish the crates as desired. Stack the crates together and attach with screws. Make sure your configuration has a sturdy base to support the crates above it. If you have children, use molly bolts to attach the crates to the wall.
Ladder shelf
What it is: An old ladder extends storage space and adds vintage charm.
How to make it: Give a ladder a fresh coat of paint. Add old vent grates (or precut boards) to each rung and simply screw them into place.
Storage station
What it is: A bookcase outfitted with personalized storage buckets keeps entries clutter-free.
How to make it: Prime and paint buckets to match your decor. Adjust bookcase shelves to make room for the buckets. Secure name tags to the buckets with a metal fastener and use magnets to add to-do lists and messages.
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