Ring binder

Ten Cheap Supplies to Help You Get Organized

When it comes to getting organized, you can get there one of two ways – you can buy the most expensive items or you can choose the frugal route. There’s really no need to spend a large amount of money when there are at least ten cheap supplies to help you get organized. 1. Calendars – Calendars are the number one item for keeping family and yourself organized, at least as far as appointments are concerned. You can find calendars at dollar stores and discount stores, often for as little as $1.00. If you have your heart set on a particular calendar, wait a week or so after the new year and you could save as much as fifty percent. 2. Boxes – If you have a watertight location to store items, you may be able to save money organizing by using boxes that you get at grocery stores. There’s really no need to go out and spend money on boxes when you can get them for free. 3. Index cards – There are a number of ways you can use index cards when organizing; here are just a few: Shopping lists, goals, recipes, menu planning, frequently used telephone numbers, and to organize research. 4. Timers – Set your timer for fifteen minutes and spend that time de-cluttering, cleaning, or organizing. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in a small amount of time if you work hard during that time. 5. Totes – Totes, or bins, come in all shapes and sizes. They also come in a variety of materials: wood, plastic, fabric, metal, or glass. Some have lids and some don’t. They vary in price, as well, but are great for storing and organizing. 6. Cereal boxes – Another free, or almost free, item. Cut off one corner of the box, cover with contact or wrapping paper, and use them for storing magazines. There’s no need to purchase magazine holders if you’re going to eat cereal anyhow. 7. File folders/Labels – What organized person doesn’t need an effective filing system for wayward papers? You don’t have to have a large filing system for it to work for you; plan on having just enough files to store and be able to locate important papers for finances, insurances, health, utilities, credit cards, warranties, or anything else you can think of. 8. Baskets – These are wonderful holders for so many objects. Crafts that you’re working on, wash cloths or towels in a bathroom, fruit, or any other number of things can be kept in baskets to help keep things neat and organized. 9. 3-Ring Binders – The 3-ring binder comes in a variety of widths to be able to hold different amounts of paper. If you don’t want to keep a filing cabinet in your home, you could have 3-ring binders for each category and store everything on a shelf instead. You can find great deals on these around back-to-school time. 10. Clipboards – These are an organizing powerhouse. You can use them for keeping up with to-do lists, shopping lists, and any number of other things requiring paper. They help corral papers, can hang on a wall, and yet are out in the open rather than tucked away in a filing cabinet. You don’t have to spend a great deal of money to get organized. These ten cheap supplies will help you get organized and won’t break your budget. If you think about it, there are probably other items around your home that you can repurpose for organizing. Look around – you may be surprised at what you find.