Life Hack #9: How to get organized without buying anything

Here is the before.

 

The problem?  Lots of wasted space.  Lots of inaccessible items.  General chaos.

I used stacking boxes in order to make better use of the space.  It isn't ideal, but I'm trying to use a space for something that is not intended, so it is inevitably a makeshift solution.

The black box on the lower shelf is empty.  It's used as a riser.

The first few steps can be applied to any organization challenge.

1.  Take everything out of the space.

2.  Sort everything into two categories: keep and throw away.

3.  After throwing away one pile, sort the remaining items into categories that make sense to you.

4.  Sort into boxes.  If you have a bunch of shoe boxes with lids, you're golden.  If not, at the end of this post is a visual on how to make the boxes with lids that I used.

5.  Use name tag labels, or file-folder labels, or whatever labels you have a lot of to label the boxes.  If you change what you use the box for, just slap another label exactly on top of it.  Remember to put the label on with the box lid on so that you won't end up sticking the label somewhere that it is going to get covered up when the box lid is in place.  I put a label on one side and the front.

6.  Put the boxes in the space, trying to put the more frequently accessed ones on top.  Stuff you need all the time, hopefully he won't need to put in a box.

I hope that a little organizing helps beat the winter blues! 

 The photo essay on making the box lids 

or 

How to Make a Shoebox Lid for an Ordinary Box

Remove the flaps.

The square in the corner is one inch x one inch
but you can make it any dimension as long as it is a square.

  

Cut where the Xs are.

Test before you tape!

If the box lid is too snug, cut the flap as per above....

.... and angle it thus to give yourself more room.  You may need to do this one side or on all four corners.