Organizing on a Budget
by Stacey Agin Murray
You've made the decision to get organized?good for you! But what if money is tight and you don't have a lot of extra cash to put towards this important project? Can you still achieve your organizing goals? Of course you can!
Getting organized does not have to be an expensive proposition. Here are some free or low-cost organizing products and resources to help you meet your organizing goals as well as your monthly budget.
Products
Not every organizing product has to cost you money. Some of the best organizing products are FREE!
Boxes
Boxes from the liquor store, shoe store, jewelry store or from your bank shouldn't cost you anything and most of the time, they're happy to hand them over to you. So when you buy jewelry, ask for a box and when your checks come in the mail, dont throw out the box they came in. **It is best to not use boxes that might have had contact with any type of food product.
Use boxes from a liquor store as temporary file holders and for storage of infrequently used items.
Use shoe boxes as deep drawer dividers (Ex. to separate different colored socks, scarves, etc.) or to hold shoes.
Use check boxes (from your bank) or jewelry boxes from a department store as drawer dividers in anything from a desk drawer to a junk drawer.
*Be sure to label the boxes with either a photo of what is inside or a label describing the contents so you won't forget what you've put there.
Calendar
Unless you're interested in a particular style, there's no need to run out and spend money on a calendar. At the beginning of the year many banks and local merchants hand out free calendars to their customers. Some small businesses and non-profit organizations do the same. Check your mailbox a the beginning of the year...there's bound to be one in the pile...
Use a calendar as a top-notch time management tool. List birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, etc. on it to keep track of the important events in your life.
Resources
There are a wealth of free or low-cost organizing resources in this world...you just have to know where to find them! Below are three options to consider:
Books and Magazines
One of the more budget-friendly ways to learn about organizing is to read about it. And where is the most cost-efficient place to do that? At the library, of course�the land of free books and magazines!
If you've read a book or magazine that piques your interest, you may want to consider copying the pages that interest you. Or, if you'd like it for you permanent library try to purchase the book on EBAY or at Half.com...two low-cost ways to acquire books.
The Internet
Let's discuss 'The Internet.' It hasn't been around very long but it's difficult to conceive how we ever functioned without it. The World Wide Web provides us with a wealth of information that's just a few clicks away. The best way to unearth this information is to go to the 'mother of all search engines'--www.google.com.
Looking for some basic information on how to get organized? Some top keywords to type into the 'Search' window would be:
get organized
organizing help
organizing on a budget/organizing on a shoestring
With all of the websites on organizing, you could easily read for days and not get to all of the resources the Internet has to offer.
Find an Organizing Buddy
If you think hiring a Professional Organizer is out of your financial reach, ask a buddy for help...it's easier to get organized when you're working with another set of eyes and hands. Pay them a nominal fee for their time or consider bartering you services in order to get your space organized in a fraction of the time it might take if you did it alone.
A more expensive option (but still low in cost) is to hire a Professional Organizer for a few sessions. Inform them of the budget for your organizing project and ask if they would teach you some 'organizing basics.' After these sessions, apply what you've learned to get your space organized. To find a Professional Organizer in your area, go to www.napo.net and click on, 'Get Organized.'
Organizing on a budget doesn't have to be a challenge. With time, resourcefulness, and a good amount of 'elbow grease,' you can organize your home and your life without emptying your piggy bank.
Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of Organized Artistry, LLC, transforms mess into masterpiece with patience, organizing know-how, and a sense of humor. For a free e-list of Top Ten Tips for Organized Living, or to order your copy of 7 Steps to an Organized Wedding Thank You Note please visit her web site at http://www.organizedartistry.com.
