DIY Organization Solutions for the Hard Working Mom

When you’re a hard-working mom, having a few DIY organization solutions will not only save you money but also sanity. Working from home isn’t always as appealing as Pinterest makes it out to be and things can get piled up pretty quickly. To help keep your working space nice, tidy, and organized, I have a few do-it-yourself solutions that will help make it a breeze!

What materials are needed to create DIY organization solutions?

For the majority of the craft projects mentioned below, all you’ll need are things you most likely already have lying around your home. Think old shoe boxes, jelly jars, egg cartons, and metal tins. In the event you don’t have some of the things mentioned below, you can almost always find them at a local thrift store, craft store, or an online bargain Facebook group.

DIY Organization Solutions for the Hard Working Mom

Do-it-Yourself Solutions for Your Desk

The desk area can be one of the quickest areas to get cluttered and piled up with everything you need and things you don’t. Not to mention, having a clean desk can help with staying focused and on task.

First and foremost, clean your desk completely off. Make piles of things you want to keep on your desk, things you want to keep in your desk, and things that will need to be removed altogether. Once you have a completely clean slate, choose from some of the ideas below to keep your desk clutter-free.

Tin Can Pencil & Pen Holders

Hang on to a few tin cans and turn them into pencil and pen holders. Depending on the color theme of your office or desk area, you can keep them the aluminum color or paint them and add some embellishments. If you lack the space, consider attaching a few cans to a piece of scrap wood and hanging them on the wall within arms reach.

Mason Jar Organizers

Grab a few small to medium size mason jars and use them to keep down the clutter of smaller supplies like paper clips, mini notepads, push pins, white-out tape, and the like. These can easily be labeled with peel-and-stick chalkboard labels, which also makes it easy to change the name if the contents inside change.

DIY Cork Board

Keep your notes in one place (and off your desk) by making your own corkboard. All you need is an old wooden frame (or pick up one from the Dollar Tree) and a roll of cork paper or cork sheets. Attach the cork to the back of the frame using hot glue or E6000 clear adhesive for a more durable hold. Hang the corkboard on your wall and you’re all set! Don’t forget to add some decorative push pins.

Cupcake Tin Drawer Organizer

Having the insides of your drawers organized is just as important as having the top of your desk organized. Use a cupcake tin or two to help organize the small trinkets inside your drawers. These are ideal for paper clips, push pins, jump drives, binder clips, and the like.

Cereal Box Drawer Organizer

Cereal boxes make some of the best do-it-yourself crafts. Cute a few boxes down to 2-3” in height, not exceeding the height of your drawer. Decorate them individually with paint, washi tape, or decorative paper and place them inside the drawer. They can be used to keep pens, pencils, highlighters, and other writing utensils separate.

Do-it-Yourself Solutions for Your Bookshelf

Bookshelves are another area that can get over-packed and become a catch-all for trinkets and gadgets. Before you begin implementing any of the ideas below, make sure to clean your shelves off and start with a clean slate. Keep your bookshelf from being an eyesore and get the most use out of it with these ideas below.

Shoe Box Organizers

Before you toss those shoe boxes in the trash, consider giving them an updo with decorative paper and labels to turn them into small organizers. If the bookshelf is your go-to spot for keys, electronics, or the mail, shoeboxes are the perfect size for housing these items.

Cereal Box Book Organizers

Going back to the cereal box upscale, this time you’ll create an opening similar to that of a magazine holder. Decorate it according to your style preference and use them to keep your books and magazines separate but organized. 

Binder Organizers

This technically may not qualify as a “do-it-yourself” solution; however, binders are some of the best-kept secret organizing tools. If you typically have a lot of loose papers, files, and other things that could be hole punched and put into a binder, then it won’t hurt to have a few on your bookshelf. They can be decorated, purchased already decorated, and easily labeled.

Egg Carton Organizers

Egg cartons already have individual sections that are perfect for holding small office accessories. All you have to do is remove the top, which can also be used as an organizer, and decorate it to your preference.

Other Storage Solutions

Depending on the size of your work or office space, you may want to consider adding a few other do-it-yourself organization solutions. Hanging a plank (think 2×4) or two on your wall can instantly create space for hanging baskets, bins, and extra shelving areas. 

Egg crates and woven baskets can be positioned in places to serve as trash cans or hold other bigger office accessories. Toilet paper rolls can be painted, washi taped and assembled together to create an eclectic pencil/pen holder. The possibilities are endless!

Final Thoughts

The key to creating do-it-yourself organization solutions is to use what you already have on hand along with a bit of creativity. Use this post for inspiration and have fun designing solutions that help you stay organized. If you’re looking for specific ways to organize your craft supplies, check out this post. In the meantime, I’d love to hear some of your DIY organization solutions for the hard-working mom! Let me know them in the comments below.  

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