Declutter Your Space for Less Than $15 with These Simple Storage Ideas

By Jessica Bennett
Updated January 22, 2020
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Credit: John Granen
Organizing your home shouldn't break your budget. By making smart use of everyday items, you can meet all your storage needs in a budget-friendly fashion. These simple storage ideas (each for less than $15) will help you declutter and organize any space on a budget.
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Utilize Baskets and Bins

Credit: Megan Chaffin

Get organized and add style at the same time with pretty baskets and boxes. To stay within your budget, search flea markets and thrift stores for inexpensive options. Look for items that coordinate with your decor, and select a variety of sizes to meet your storage needs.

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Rethink Kitchen Items

Credit: Ann VanderWiel Wilde

Repurpose old or unused kitchen storage items in different areas of the house. Here, a paper towel holder is used as craft storage to keep spools of twine neat and orderly. This stacked arrangement allows you to easily unwind and cut off the exact length you need.

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Frugal Storage

Credit: Werner Straube Photography

At about $10 for a pack of 12, Mason jars make great budget-friendly organizers. These inexpensive containers can be used all over the house to corral small items. This Mason jar storage project repurposes a vintage metal caddy found at a flea market as a portable holder for silverware or party supplies.

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Group Items in a Tray

Credit: John Granen

Take small loose items out of their bulky packaging for more streamlined storage. Fill a tray with small cups or bowls to contain office supplies like rubber bands, paper clips, and labels. Stash the packages elsewhere if necessary and refill the cups as needed.

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Cabinet Storage Upgrade

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Add affordable organizing bins on shelves to keep kitchen cabinets organized. Group like items (such as spices or oils and vinegars) in one container that you can easily pull out when you need to search for a specific ingredient. Attach labels to each one for even more cabinet organizing power.

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Store Sports Equipment

Credit: Adam Albright

Basic laundry baskets make ideal vessels for storing bulky sports equipment. These spacious containers are affordable, portable, and durable enough to handle plenty of wear and tear. To attach a label to the basket, punch holes in the corners of the labels. Run zip ties through the holes and the weave of the basket to attach.

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Plan a Weekly Wardrobe

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Make morning routines easier by organizing a week's worth of outfits. Place hanging tags on a closet bar, each marked with a day of the week. Place your planned outfits with the designated tag and you'll save time each morning when deciding what to wear.

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Tabletop Organizer

Credit: Adam Albright

Milk-glass cups and bowls can be found at flea markets and garage sales for as little as 25 cents each. These decorative containers can provide a stylish way to store pens, pencils, paper clips, and other office supplies. For a cohesive look, mix and match vessels of different patterns and shapes in the same color on a tray.

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Drawer Divider

Credit: The Wilde Project

Honeycomb organizers are useful for organizing your dresser, but these inexpensive dividers also work well for decluttering deep kitchen drawers. Use the small slots to give each cup its own spot. This simple trick will make both getting cups out and putting them away easier, as well as prevent the cups from clinking against each other.

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On the Shelf

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The inside of a small closet can pose a serious organizing challenge. To keep the tight space clutter-free, use a combination of baskets, boxes, and open bins to organize shelves in a space-savvy manner. Clearly label the items with matching stickers to make finding what you need simple and easy. An over-the-door organizer is another affordable option that can help you make the most of closet space.

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Pantry Storage

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Large glass storage jars, which can range in price from about $3 to $6, are affordable (and effective) organizers for your pantry, craft room, or home office. Screw tops make them ideal for storing dry baking ingredients or small supplies. Adhere labels to the fronts of jars so you can easily tell what's inside.

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Boot Tray

Credit: Robert Brinson

Create a DIY boot tray by lining an inexpensive serving tray with glass pebbles found at a crafts store. Ice and snow will melt and drain through the rocks to the bottom of the tray so your boots won't stand in a puddle. Not only will you have a stylish place to rest your shoes, but your floors will be protected from wet footwear.

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Kitchen Catch-all

Credit: Adam Albright

Expand your kitchen storage with an over-the-door clear plastic shoe organizer. The pockets are a perfect place to organize kitchen tools and supplies so they don't get lost in a drawer. Don't forget to label each pocket so everyone knows where to return items.

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DIY Basket Liners

Credit: Adam Albright

Turn a basic wicker basket into a food storage bin by adding a liner made from kitchen towels. Cut one towel to fit the bottom of the basket, then use a second towel to cut four side panels. Make the panels about 3 inches longer and wider than the basket. Stitch the pieces together and hem the top edges. Place the finished liner in the basket and fold over the top for an inexpensive way to safely store produce on the countertop.

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Use a Spare Pan

Credit: Jay Wilde

Eliminate vanity clutter by storing beauty essentials in mini loaf pans. Use each compartment to organize a single type of product such as makeup sponges, nail polish, perfume, and brushes. Loaf pans come in many sizes and their stainless-steel finish makes them sleek enough to sit out on a countertop.

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Fill Buckets with Miscellaneous Items

Credit: Adam Albright

Tidy up the entryway with personalized storage buckets for each family member. Pick buckets that will fit the shelves of a bookcase to maximize space, and, if desired, prime and paint them to match the rest of your decor. Give buckets a personal touch with name tags that help everyone keep track of their items. Use magnets to add to-do lists and messages to individual buckets.

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Hanger Holder

Credit: The Wilde Project

Organize craft materials with plastic bags on hangers for an easy-to-see storage solution. Sort supplies into bags by type, and clip them on pants hangers. This affordable storage idea helps clear off your workspace and allows you to easily find what you need.

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DIY Jewelry Holder

Credit: Jay Wilde

Turn your jumble of jewelry into an orderly (and attractive) arrangement. Use a paper towel holder to elegantly display necklaces and bracelets and prevent them from getting tangled. Install it on the wall above a dresser or vanity for jewelry organization that doubles as decor.

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Creative Container

Credit: Janet Mesic-Mackie

Look for inexpensive secondhand finds at thrift or antique stores for fun storage solutions. This 1950s aluminum tumbler set with a carrying caddy is an unexpected and colorful way to store art supplies. The handle makes it easy to bring all your brushes, markers, and pencils to the crafts table in one trip.

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Divide and Conquer

Credit: Jay Wilde

File sorters are inexpensive storage solutions that work well outside the office, too. Add one to a bathroom shelf to keep towels organized and at-the-ready. Sort towels for various uses by attaching a label to each compartment.

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Stepped Up Storage

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Give a retired ladder a new life, while adding storage space and vintage charm to the room. Simply screw vent grates in place on each rung to form shelves. Paint the ladder a color that matches the rest of your decor. Mount the ladder to the wall for secure storage.

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