Cheap and Easy Storage Containers...Plus a few Household Tips..

I am a freak for all things storage ( not that I am good at organizing it all ), I LOVE baskets, boxes, plastic containers, you name it, love em. I especially love when they are cheap! They can be used virtually anywhere around the home to organize or contain something. As I posted here before I am working on getting my house organized by the end of February, now I know I have done horribly at posting my updates and such but I promise it's coming along.

After Halloween I bought a bunch of these at Big Lots on clearance for  .30 each as they were 90% off. I knew they could be prettied up and used around the house for odds and ends.

I cute squares of wrapping paper out. The wrapping paper I had bought 50% off before Christmas at Hobby Lobby as it's not Christmasy and I knew I could use it on alot of projects. I got a huge roll for like $2. Anyway....

Using modge podge of course I basically wrapped it like a present and smoothed it all out. ** Hint if when using modge podge you end up with bubbles in the end, don't stress my friends, let it dry then go over it with a hair dryer while smoothing it out. Works for me. Just don't get it to close :) My containers had the little scallop edges around the top, I just lightly pushed down on the paper after gluing it down to get the scallop look. Also don't be a dummy like me, make sure your paper is plenty oversized when gluing it on so when you fold it into the inside it covers up the ugliness in there that you see.

The inside if the cluttery little mess in the entertainment center....

No moreeee....and it's pretty. I covered  all 4 of them I had and they fit perfectly inside here and are great to house the remotes, gaming junk, and some misc. dvds that lost their cases. Also I will probably go back and give the outside a coat of modge podge so they hold up better. Four pretty storage containers for under $2 and an hour of my time. If your like me and on a strict budget and can't spend the money on expensive, pretty matching conatiners. Something like this is perfect. They can be pretty, functional, and very affordable.

Now this is a 2 for one post, haha. Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick is having a So Fresh So Clean Party and if you haven't already you must stop over to see the pics of her and her bff dyson. Love it! Plus I have had so much fun going through all the links to the party and have learned so many great tips and tricks. I don't have to many but here is a few.

1. This one may sound a bit ok a lot insane but it works. Our poor stroller from our first little guy had sat outside and was abused, sadly it was a very nice stroller. So one day moms ( she's brilliant ) and I headed to the car wash, we opened it up, sat it in the back of her truck and sprayed away and the thing was seriously brand new afterwards. Seriously. People. I remember taking it all apart before and washing all the pieces and hating putting it back together and it didn't look near as good. Now when your spraying don't get the washer thingy to close as that's alot of pressure, also hold onto it, it will blow, lol. When your done take it home and set it out to dry. It will be perfect.

2. Same thing with shoes. I know, I know crrrrazzzyyyyy...But seriously, when my lil sis and I were cheerleaders in highschool, our shoes were white and would get horribly dirty after football games. We would wear them to the car wash and spray away ( again don't get to close ) then take them home and let them dry, looked like new. Much better than the washing machine or spending an hour scrubbing on them. It's kinda fun too :)

3. I know most of you already do this one but anyway. Clorox Wipes are Fabulous! I remember my aunt talking about them once, I used them but not like I do now since hearing her discuss it. I have canisters of them all over the house, my fave the orange ones for the kitchen, you can smell it forever and it smells so clean and good. They are so great for in the bathroom, to do a quick wipe down everytime your in there, then it stays clean. Same goes for the kitchen. Wipe, wipe, wipe, if your in the room get one out and do a quick wipe down. I use them on my desk, my coffee table, the walls, doors, everywhere. Wipe as you go and you won't be wiped at the end of the day but your house will sparkle. Bahhahaha, ok so that was lame. Anywho....

4. If your a modge podger and like me, you use LOTS of those foam brushes with the wooden handles. I use them for everything and especially when I am working with modge podge. I feel so wasteful though as I use them once sometimes and throw them out. If you have a quick little project and just need a little modge podge and have to use one, either rinse it and use it again later or clip off the end of the brush and reuse it. The wooden handles usually pop right off and those are great little stir sticks for small cans of paint or smoothing paper out when modge podging. I am sure they could also be used in a craft project somewhere down the road.

5. Coupons. I love me some coupons but I hate to organize them. I don't have a fancy organizer so I started using envelopes. I personally keep mine in a bin at home now, somewhat organized but I have envelopes that go in my purse with the different store names written on the outside. Then when I make out my lists or know that coupon will be used there, I stick it in the envelope for that store and it's so much easier when I go to do my shopping.

 

6.  Now like the bins I showed you above, if your looking for organizational items. Craigslist is another great place to look. I got 9 or 10 of the above jars that are originally from Ikea ( we don't have one nearby ) from a lady on craigslist for $5 for all of them. These are perfect to hold little things in my craft room. I also got the 10 matching baskets below for $20 I believe awhile back from craigslist and they will all fit perfectly on my bookshelf in my craft room to house all kinds of things and I love that they all match!

 

7. If you have lots of ribbon, or even ribbon pieces and scraps you would like to store easier, they are so cute wrapped on the old timey clothespins. For a tutorial go here. I found Nichole's blog the other day and you must go over and check out her pretty ribbon storage! I don't have a ton of ribbon but think it's so cool and will be doing this with what I do have.  p.s. Isn't that scrapbook paper awesome? I got it on clearance and can't wait to make something with it. I love paper with writing and text.

I am also linking this post to DIY Day over at Kimba's a soft place to land. Head over there here or by clicking the above button to check out everyone's projects for the week. Don't forget to head over to Sarah's for the Clean and Fresh Party here.

Head over here and see the super cute clay birds my Moms made on old light fixtures!! They are the cutest!

Have a Wonderful Week Everyone!!!!