If you’re one of those people who watches those amazing DIY room makeover shows or you have a Pinterest board filled with dreams and hopes of someday making over or even just organizing the rooms in your home, you’re not alone. And, if you’re anything like the rest of us, those shows and those pinned ideas probably leave you feeling like you’d need the budget of a Rockstar to get it accomplished.

There are probably some great DIY’s out there on how to make thrifted things look fabulous – and you can get to those eventually. But for now – let’s talk about how you can get yourself happy and organized on a simple budget by shopping at Goodwill.

Here are a few ways you can organize your life and do it affordably!

Start by maximizing your space – this likely means taking time to declutter.

Out with the old, in with the new(ish). You may think you need more space, more storage containers, bigger or more cabinets, etc… to do what you really want. But if you look at any of the shows and boards we talked about above – they all have one thing in common. No clutter and maximum efficiency. So the first place you should start is looking at your stuff and start to pare it down. Once you start making the decisions about keeping only what you really love and will use, you will start feeling a little freer already! (And of course, please donate what you don’t need to Goodwill®! Find your nearest donation center here.) 

Don’t rush to shop before you even begin!

When you get motivated to organize your house, it is so tempting to run out and start filling your cart with organizing bins and gadgets. There is a good chance you may not even need them, which means later with the annoying errand of making those returns, or worse—trying to now figure out what to do with what you have purchased, leading to the same issue of clutter and unneeded stuff! Wait until you get into the project first, after you sort out what you are keeping and are making decisions about how to store it. Then you’ll be able to head to Goodwill after measuring, taking photos, and making a list of what you might actually need.

Repurpose everything you can!

There is ZERO reason to go out to a big retailer and spend hundreds on new containers to store and organize the stuff you decided to keep. We have so many things already in our homes that can be useful and purposeful in ways they were not originally intended. You just have to think outside the box. A great example might be the handful of ball canning jars laying around with no lids and no purpose – so you use those to store craft supplies. The possibilities are endless.

Always shop at Goodwill before heading to a big retailer!

I will say it again – there is ZERO reason to spend $25 on something you can get for $5 at Goodwill. This is how you really maximize your budget and get organized. There are countless possibilities from kitchen gadgets, shelving, containers, and the list goes on. Have an open mind when you go in and do not limit yourself to one section of the store – look everywhere!

Look for the DIY blog posts and videos!

Those shows on TV are great – but we aren’t all pro’s at this DIY thing. Find some posts or YouTube videos for inspiration on what you want to do. Found something you love at Goodwill? Use that item as a term in your search and you will no doubt find someone who has done the work to make the same thing into something fantastic. Example: “Canning jar storage container DIY”

When you make your local Goodwill your first stop for anything you may need for organizing, decorating, or just ordinary every day household items, it leaves you spending probably a quarter of what you would spend if you went to a big box store. And, while you are spending your hard-earned cash at Goodwill, you’re also helping to create jobs and stability in your community.

There are so many more solutions that you can think of, I am sure! But now that we’ve sparked your imagination – go wild! What are some fun things that you might use from Goodwill to organize your rooms?

Find a Goodwill store near you at https://www.goodwill.org/locator/ and help create new jobs in your local community while saving on your household organization. You can share your great finds with us on social media using the hashtag #ShopGoodwill!