Reuse Household Items for Closet Organization

You don't have to spend tons of money to get your closet organized. Follow these tips on how to use what you already have to organize your space.

By: Amanda Wills

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Funky Frame for Your Jewels

Don't let your favorite necklaces get in a tangle. Mr. Kate transformed a simple picture frame into perfect storage (and display) for your best jewels. All you need is a couple of nails, a hammer and chicken wire. Make it your own by painting your frame a refreshing color, like this canary yellow.

Ice Cube Tray Organizer

It's easy to lose those stud earrings or extra buttons from that expensive pea coat you purchased last winter. Instead of having a junk drawer, use an ice cube tray to keep it organized. Now you'll know exactly where to go if that one-of-a-kind button goes missing. Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Silverware Tray Displays Your Jewelry

While this project really works great with a wooden silverware tray (because you can paint it any color), a plastic version will suffice. Jennifer Hadfield of Tatertots & Jello got creative and decorated her organizer with chalkboard paint, feathers and glitter. It's glam enough to leave out in the open, but also smart enough to stuff into a drawer without worrying that your jewelry will get lost or tangled.

Prop Up Boots With an Old Tabloid

We've all suffered from saggy boot syndrome. Storing your favorite kicks for the summer doesn't have to mean a nasty crease come fall. Roll up back issues of your magazines and stuff them into your boots so they stand tall until the cold weather returns. Photo courtesy of Clossette

Hang Baubles on Branches

If you have a big enough space, move that unsightly fake plant into your closet and decorate it with your necklaces by color coordinating them. Photo courtesy of Alejandra Bernardez Interior Designs

No Closet? No Problem.

Sometimes closet space isn't an option. If you're a small-space dweller, you know all too well how precious — not to mention hard to come by — storage can be. Toma Clark Haines of The Antiques Diva literally made her own closet next to her shower with some tension rods and duct tape.

Store It in a Planter

Need more storage for your beauty products or tube socks? Go outside. Hipcycle used a flower box planter as a depository for medium-sized necessities. Simply remove plants, clean it out and fill it up.

Bread Box Shelving

Remember that old bread box you inherited from your mom? Now you can finally put it to use. Cristin Frank of The Eve of Reduction turned a planter into shelving. She removed the hinged lid and positioned the box on the wall so the indents from the hinges aren't visible.

Basket Made From Plastic Bags

Hipcycle came up with a way to reuse all your plastic bags. They weaved colorful plastic bags into handy bins that you can use to store your T-shirts, allowing you to stay organized while helping the environment.

Savvy S Hooks

S hooks aren't just for hanging pots and pans in the kitchen. They're also great for those hard-to-store items like purses, umbrellas and scarves. They're not as big as hangers, so they take up less space. Use pliers to tighten up their grip so they don't slip off. Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Tag It With Shipping Labels

It's such a basic idea, but it really can make all the difference in getting your closet in order. Professional organizer Jean Linder had a client that wanted her linens to be separated by type. "We wanted to label each stack, but were afraid that putting the label directly on the wire shelf would cause the label to get hidden," she says. "So, we used regular shipping tags that were found with the client's office supplies."

Tie Rack for Your Jewelry

Who really has enough ties to fill an entire rack? Use that leftover space to hang your favorite chunky necklaces and bangle bracelets. Best of all, it's small enough that you can hang it in your closet or another inconspicuous place like your bathroom — or in the corner of your bedroom. Photo courtesy of Angel Tuccy

Sub Out Your Towels for Scarves

It's perfectly OK to neatly fold your summer scarves and place them into a drawer. However, folding isn't always an option when you're in a rush. A towel rack is the perfect solution for your storage dilemma. Simply loop it through to return to a non-wrinkled scarf, guaranteed. Photo Courtesy of Alejandra Costello

The Catchall Basket

You've used this wicker basket throughout the entire home — from the laundry room to the living room. It works just as well in your closet. Make this basket wool- and silk-friendly by covering it with cloth to prevent unwanted nicks in your fabric. Photo Courtesy of S.O.S. Sharb Organizing Solutions

Tidy Up the Tuna Can

Aluminum is one of the strongest materials around, so Stephanie Lynn of Under the Table and Dreaming had the idea to use cans to line a vanity drawer for storing small things like bobby pins and rings. You can also use cans to store office supplies. Be sure you fold down the sharp edges and wash them out completely to keep them odor-free.

Woven Tin Wastebasket

This colorful basket by Hipcycle is made from scrap tin containers and can store plenty of items without taking up too much space. Similar design ideas include using magazines, plastic bags, T-shirts and newspaper.

Bungee Cords Hold Items

You know the top part of your closet that you can't bear to look at? It's the place where you haphazardly throw the items you aren't sure what to do with, so things pile up and come crashing down. Alejandra Costello solved this problem by tying a bungee cord from the bottom shelf to the top shelf to create a cage, making the space innovative and safe.

Rolling Pin Coat Rack

This project really stands out because it's so unexpected. Jessica Farmer of Etsy shop Bluebird Heaven cut wooden rolling pins into halves and nailed them onto a sturdy piece of plywood. Add some variety by choosing rolling pins with different handles and adding a coat of paint to create one-of-a-kind storage.

Bring Your Wire Flower Box Indoors

If you have a special place in your closet for gift-wrap, then you'll love this idea to avoid the dreaded tangled ribbon calamity. Cristin Frank loved the style of this flower wire box, but she had no idea how to use it. "It wasn't long that I realized what a great ribbon holder and dispenser it could be," she says. Clean the residual dirt off with a wire brush, then hang the box on the wall with two picture hangers.