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Organization

Best Organizing Products Under $5

June 8, 2021

If all you see are dollar signs when you think about getting organized, don’t fret.  I’m here to show you that getting organized doesn’t have to mean spending hundreds of dollars. 

While it is easy to splurge on high-end products, there are plenty of clever tools at all price points that will help you accomplish your goal of a streamlined, organized space.

That’s why I’ve rounded up 12 of my FAVORITE organization products that you can buy for $5 and under.  

I’m happy to report that these items check all the boxes: functional, beautiful, and flexible. If you are ready to get organized this list will help you solve your storage needs without breaking the bank.  

You can purchase many of these items online or in-store.  

Organizing products you can buy under 5 dollars

1. Mesh Letter Sorter from Target –  Sometimes you just need a place to corral all those notebooks, calendars, and paperwork piled on your desk.  This metal organizer is only $5 at Target and is a great way to use vertical space to organize your paper.  Alternatively, you could repurpose this rack as a charging station for phones and tablets, keeping the kitchen counters clean and organized.

2.  Glass pantry jars from IKEA – Decanting flours, grains, and snacks can elevate the look of your pantry and make it easy to visually confirm when you are running low.  These glass jars from Ikea have a nice, tight seal to keep things fresh.  I love storing granola, brown sugar, raisins, and crackers in mine.  The price point is so good for a glass container that you don’t feel bad adding 2 or 3 (or 10) to your cart. 

3.  Sterilite bin – These are good quality, clear, sturdy bins with a lid.  Simple and practical, the 16-quart size is perfect for organizing toys, medicines, light bulbs, paperback books, tools, craft supplies, and much more.  These are my most reused organizers. As my storage needs change, I simply wipe down the bin and move it from room to room.

4.  Room Essentials Storage trays from Target – These organizers are $2 for a pack of 2 or 3 (depending on size), making each less than a dollar.  I used these extensively when I organized our small bathroom vanity.  The soft, flexible plastic helps them fit into most spaces so you can literally use these in any drawer or cabinet. I use them for holding lids, utensils, toothbrushes, makeup, art supplies, snacks, and more.  So cheap and so useful!

5.  Plastic Egg Carton from Dollar Tree –  If you buy eggs in bulk and need a carton for your fridge, this plastic organizer is only $1 and includes a lid.  But don’t just stop at eggs when you think about potential uses! These could be used in other areas of your house as well, like organizing jewelry or LEGO figurines.  

6.  Gold Wire Baskets from Dollar Tree – Okay, perhaps these aren’t the most practical, but goodness, these bins are so stylish and only cost ONE DOLLAR!  These would be perfect to corral things in a very visual place, like on a bathroom shelf or in a bookcase.  Think about how cute these would be holding rolled washcloths or corralling small toys in a playroom.  

7.  Glass Food Storage from IKEA – I had been wanting to replace my plastic food containers for a long time and after much research, I decided to go with IKEA 365.  These containers are nice and thick glass with tightly closing lids, but the low price won’t break the bank.  I love using these to meal prep for the week and for packaging up leftovers.  They stack nicely and the pieces nest for easy storage.  

8.  Multipurpose Bins from the Container Store – Multi-purpose bins are a steal at less than $5 for the small and medium-size.  These sturdy bins have straight sides, which means no lost storage space.  The bin is smartly designed so it is the perfect size for hanging files (like a mini filing cabinet!) but it can be used for so much more.  I love using these to organize my cleaning supplies, card games, and cans in my pantry.   

9.  Variera Bins from IKEA in Medium and in Small Size –   Hands down my favorite bins.  I literally buy a handful each time I go to Ikea because I find so many uses for them.  The smaller size fits upper cabinets and is great for organizing vitamins, medications, and sunscreen. The larger size works well as a trash bag dispenser, in a pantry, or as a drawer organizer in deep kitchen drawers.  My drawer of plastic dishes and cups would be a disaster if I didn’t have these to break up space and keep things nice and tidy.  

10.  Clipboard from Target – Do you have papers or checklists that you need to refer to frequently? Mount one or more of these clipboards inside your cabinet and you have an easily accessible place for school schedules, meal plans, and cleaning lists.

11.  Command Spray Bottle Hooks – Take advantage of the doors on your cabinets under the sink and hang your most-used spray bottles within easy reach.  I use these to hold vinegar + water and disinfectant under my kitchen sink and am considering adding a third to my bathroom to hold bathroom cleaner.

12.  Milk Crate from Target – These sturdy and stylish crates stack for storage and are strong enough to be used both inside and out.  I use one in the trunk of my car to hold roadside emergency supplies.  These would also make great garage storage bins for toys and bike helmets or used at the bottom of a pantry to hold heavy items like cans or water bottles.  

When organizational products are inexpensive and useful, it makes the process of getting organized feel thrilling.  There is nothing better than opening your cupboard to find your items neatly stored in an attractive container (and all the better if you didn’t have to spend a fortune to get there!)

Tell me, have you tried any of these items?  Is there anything else I missed?  Share your favorite budget organizers in the comments below!

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Hi! I’m Lisa and I dig smallish homes. I believe they bring families together and provide a constraint on the accumulation of stuff. I’m obsessed with rethinking room design and storage solutions in order to live the life I want in the house I have. I hope you stay a while!
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Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve literally just crossed the last thing off my to-do list.  All the planning, shopping and prep work is done and I’m ready to enjoy the next few days.  If you need me I’ll be eating a gingerbread cookie (or two) while drinking cup after cup of coffee.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few pictures of our minimalist holiday decorations in our living room/ dining room. 

This year we tried something different and cut our own mountain grown tree and I’m LOVING the change.  Even though it’s real skinny, it has the nicest placement of branches and is truly a beautiful tree.

The delicate branches can’t hold heavy lights or ornaments, so I reused the white crocheted snowflakes  and matte black balls from last year, along with a single string of copper LED lights.  So simple, so easy, but still beautiful.  Just what I needed this year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday!
The crows are back! The best decorations are the o The crows are back!
The best decorations are the ones you are  EXCITED to see each year. The ones you instantly pull from the box and start placing in your home. They don’t need to be fancy, or new each year. They just need to bring joy to you and your family. ✨❤️
Surprise! We bought a new home!  And sold our ho Surprise!

We bought a new home!  And sold our home!  It’s been a whirlwind and I’m exhausted.

We are incredibly lucky to have bought our neighbor’s home FSBO.  It’s larger than our current home by ~700 square feet and is a split entry home with most of the living space upstairs and a bonus family room/bedroom in the basement.  

While the rooms (and closets!) are still small, there are more of them.  There will be room for office space for both my husband and myself, a bit more storage, and even a laundry room/mudroom (woo hoo! No more garage laundry for me!)

So what do you think? Do I need to change my name from smallishhome to sortofmidsizehome?  No matter what, I’ll continue to share how I maximize storage in small spaces, because, well, that’s my life and my passion!  

Be sure to check out my stories for a walk through of the new house.  Don’t miss the avocado green tub and original 1960’s kitchen cabinets. So many projects ahead of us!
Hey there! It’s been a while! I’ve had a lot Hey there! It’s been a while!

I’ve had a lot on my plate personally these last few weeks and have had to drop all social media as a way to stay sane and focused on the path ahead.  I love this community, but I just couldn’t give it the time it deserved, so I took a break.  Hopefully you understand. 

I’m trying to ramp back up but could use your help.  What spaces are you having trouble organizing?  What kind of videos would you like to see?  I appreciate each and every one of you and love hearing your suggestions.  It’s what keeps me going when I start to feel stuck!

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Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve literally just crossed the last thing off my to-do list.  All the planning, shopping and prep work is done and I’m ready to enjoy the next few days.  If you need me I’ll be eating a gingerbread cookie (or two) while drinking cup after cup of coffee.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few pictures of our minimalist holiday decorations in our living room/ dining room. 

This year we tried something different and cut our own mountain grown tree and I’m LOVING the change.  Even though it’s real skinny, it has the nicest placement of branches and is truly a beautiful tree.

The delicate branches can’t hold heavy lights or ornaments, so I reused the white crocheted snowflakes  and matte black balls from last year, along with a single string of copper LED lights.  So simple, so easy, but still beautiful.  Just what I needed this year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday!
The crows are back! The best decorations are the o The crows are back!
The best decorations are the ones you are  EXCITED to see each year. The ones you instantly pull from the box and start placing in your home. They don’t need to be fancy, or new each year. They just need to bring joy to you and your family. ✨❤️
Surprise! We bought a new home!  And sold our ho Surprise!

We bought a new home!  And sold our home!  It’s been a whirlwind and I’m exhausted.

We are incredibly lucky to have bought our neighbor’s home FSBO.  It’s larger than our current home by ~700 square feet and is a split entry home with most of the living space upstairs and a bonus family room/bedroom in the basement.  

While the rooms (and closets!) are still small, there are more of them.  There will be room for office space for both my husband and myself, a bit more storage, and even a laundry room/mudroom (woo hoo! No more garage laundry for me!)

So what do you think? Do I need to change my name from smallishhome to sortofmidsizehome?  No matter what, I’ll continue to share how I maximize storage in small spaces, because, well, that’s my life and my passion!  

Be sure to check out my stories for a walk through of the new house.  Don’t miss the avocado green tub and original 1960’s kitchen cabinets. So many projects ahead of us!
Hey there! It’s been a while! I’ve had a lot Hey there! It’s been a while!

I’ve had a lot on my plate personally these last few weeks and have had to drop all social media as a way to stay sane and focused on the path ahead.  I love this community, but I just couldn’t give it the time it deserved, so I took a break.  Hopefully you understand. 

I’m trying to ramp back up but could use your help.  What spaces are you having trouble organizing?  What kind of videos would you like to see?  I appreciate each and every one of you and love hearing your suggestions.  It’s what keeps me going when I start to feel stuck!
⁣I woke up today and saw it - 10K. I’m in sho ⁣I woke up today and saw it - 10K.  I’m in shock. ⠀
⠀
I’m so grateful for each and every one of you who chose to follow my account and watch me organize my smallish home. ⠀
⠀
My goal has always been to share my love of organization and design - while hopefully inspiring others to show their own home some love. ⠀
⠀
No matter how small or large your space may be, I hope you are able to walk away with a few ideas of ways to maximize the space you have.⠀
⠀
In the meantime, I’ll keep working space by space in my own home, adding functionality and order that fits the needs of my family and the space that I have.⠀
⠀
I’d love to know what you would all like to see more of - let me know in the comments what you’d like to see me tackle next!⠀
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#10k #10kfollowers #organizationmotivation #motivation #simplifylife #simplify #organizedmom #organizing #homeorganization #declutter #diyorganizer #diyorganization #smallhomeliving #getorganized #stayorganized #letsgetorganized  #tidyhome #mysmallishhome #lessismore
⁣It’s a rainy Monday here and all I want to do ⁣It’s a rainy Monday here and all I want to do is drink mugs of hot tea nonstop.  But tea can be a tricky item to store!⠀
⠀
When it’s in the box, you never know how many tea bags are left.  But take them out of the box and they slide all over the shelf!⠀
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Using some sort of small, clear, lidded container keeps the bags together and helps you see when it’s time to restock.  Bonus points if the containers can stack, allowing you to store multiple varieties in a small space. ⠀
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These containers are from Target, but any food storage container will work. Even the cheap plastic food storage containers from the grocery store. ⠀
⠀
What is your favorite variety of tea?  I’m a big fan of English Breakfast if I need a little caffeine boost (which I’m definitely in need of today!)
⁣Do you ever have weeks where you just can’t g ⁣Do you ever have weeks where you just can’t get back on track?⠀
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Where you feel tired, and all you see is work that needs to get done?⠀
⠀
It can be hard to figure out where to start.⠀
⠀
I’ve been struggling to get myself moving the last few weeks after experiencing a family emergency that knocked the wind out of my sails. ⠀
⠀
But I know it’s time to turn things around.  Here are my go-to steps for getting back on track: ⠀
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1️⃣Get those machines working for me.  I always get the dishwasher running and then start a load of laundry.  It makes me feel productive and gets the momentum going for the rest of the day.⠀
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2️⃣Grab a pen and a notebook, plus either a glass of water or a cup of coffee, and sit down.⠀
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3️⃣Take everything in my head and write it down.  Everything that needs to be done, everything that needs to be bought, every card that needs to be written, bills that need to be paid, people I need to message back.  I write it down so it isn’t in my head.⠀
 ⠀
4️⃣Circle one thing that I can do now and finish.  Maybe I only have 10 minutes, but in those 10 minutes I can pick up a room, put away laundry, or go through a stack of paperwork.  Anything that will make progress on my list but Isn’t too big of a project that I can’t finish.⠀
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5️⃣Once I’ve done just one thing, I try to reward myself with some sort of self care.  It can be anything that makes me feel good - going for a walk, stopping in at a store, looking at a magazine, or maybe just scrolling on my phone for a few minutes.⠀
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6️⃣Then, I look back at my list and prioritize in order of importance.  I’ll choose the task with the highest priority and start working down. ⠀
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While this process works, it sometimes takes a few days.  I just keep repeating it over and over until things start clicking again. ⠀
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Getting outside helps too.  Fresh air and movement seem to do a world of good.⠀
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How have you been feeling lately?  Are you crushing that to-do list or are you feeling like you need like 3 clones of yourself in order to get it all done?⠀
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Photo by @callimechemphotography

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