While it’s always a great idea to take control of your clutter and organise your home at any time of year, it becomes particularly pertinent before Christmas. With guests visiting over the festive period and extra presents to fit into our homes after the big day, any additional storage is going to be handy to have.
Let’s face it – we could all do with a little extra space in our homes in December, if only to fit in the Christmas tree! That said, you don’t have to invest in lots of expensive storage solutions or hire a decluttering guru in order to do so effectively – you can organise your space on the most frugal of budgets. Here’s how:
Start by decluttering because it’s completely free
Okay, so if you’re serious about getting your home into good order, then you really do need to start with some decluttering. It can be hard to think about getting rid of things you have accumulated over your lifetime, but stuff really can wear you down, and giving away those things you don’t really love or need can be pretty freeing. Plus, it’s also a completely free way to organise your space.
So, go from room to room and ask yourself:
- Do I use this regularly?
- Does it add value to my life?
- Is it damaged or easily replaceable?
- Would someone else benefit from it more?
Then, you are going to want to create three piles: keep, donate, and recycle or bin. The fewer unnecessary items you keep, the less storage you’ll actually need to buy. Many people discover that their space feels “organised” simply because there’s less stuff competing for space.
A good declutter makes any organisational system, frugal or otherwise, far easier to maintain.
Repurpose What You Already Have
Instead of spending tons of money on new organisers and storage solutions, it would be a really good idea to see what you already have in your home that can be repurposed to meet your organisational needs.
Some simple, cost-free ideas to get you started:
- Old jars become containers for screws, cotton buds, spices or craft supplies.
- Cardboard boxes become drawer organisers when cut down to size.
- Shoe boxes are excellent for photos, cables or stationery.
- Ice cube trays make perfect organisers for jewellery, sewing supplies or tiny craft items.
Before purchasing anything, challenge yourself to create an organising solution using only what you already own. You’ll be amazed at just how much money you can save and just how impressively organised your home looks as a result. I upcycled all these charity shop items below to create storage in my home office – including a bread bin!
Use Vertical Space to Avoid Buying More Furniture
If your home doesn’t have a lot of floor space available, the last thing you want to have to do is buy more furniture that will take up even more precious space, right?
Well, the good news is you don’t have to do that, not if you go vertical with your storage.
For example, you can:
- Stack boxes upward instead of outward
- Install cheap wall hooks or adhesive strips for keys, coats, bags or accessories
- Mount lightweight shelves, cube units or or a DIY command centre on the walls
- Use the backs of doors for hanging organisers
By using the walls instead of adding more bulky cupboards and organisers, you can have a place for everything without taking up all the floor space in your room.
Try Budget-Friendly DIY Shelving
If you do need shelves, you don’t have to buy costly units. DIY shelving is a brilliant frugal option, especially for utility areas like garages, sheds, and pantries.
Affordable options include:
- Reclaimed wood planks + basic brackets
- Old pallets cut and sanded into rustic shelves – like my pallet pantry project
- Floating shelves made from leftover timber
- Corner shelves constructed from offcuts
For cheap but sturdy solutions, storage for the garage is often cheaper than storage meant for the home, and you can dress it up for whatever purpose you need. It’s also generally very easy to build, so don’t rule it out.
Make the Most of Pound Shop and Charity Shop Finds
Discount shops are treasure troves when you’re organising on a budget. Pound shops, value stores and charity shops offer baskets, containers, hooks, jars, and trays at a fraction of typical retail prices.
You should look for:
- Plastic baskets (for toiletries or snacks)
- Small jars and tins (for spices, screws, craft bits)
- Wire baskets (great for pantries or storing winter gloves, hats and scarves)
- Under-bed storage crates
- Fabric organisers for wardrobes
Charity shops often have quirky, sturdy storage options like old wicker baskets, wooden crates, toolboxes, or filing trays that will last for years, so be sure to keep an eye out for things like that, too.
Plus, you might want to consider getting some boxes or storage tubs in preparation for after Christmas, when you’ll be packing away your decorations. This will make storing those decs easier and you can label them to clearly see what’s inside for next December. Which brings us nicely on to…
Use Labels to Keep Everything in Its Place
Labels are extremely cheap and they are a really good way of keeping everything in your home as organised as possible. They make it obvious where things belong, which helps everyone in the household maintain order.
You can use:
- Stickers
- Printed labels
- Washi tape + pen
- Chalkboard labels
- Masking tape for temporary tags
Label shelves, drawers, containers, and boxes, and suddenly, everything has a home, and it becomes much harder for clutter to creep back in. Check out my little DIY project with 2 labelling techniques for your Christmas storage boxes, ready for the new year.
Create Zones so Your Space Functions Properly
Zoning can be just as useful in your home as it is in any warehouse space. It can help you to keep everything well organised and in its place at all times, and best of all, you can use it to organise each and every room in your house without spending a single penny.
Simply divide your space into categories:
- In the kitchen: cooking, snacks, breakfast, baking, cleaning supplies
- In the bathroom: haircare, skincare, medications, toiletries
- In the bedroom: everyday clothes, seasonal clothes, accessories, bedtime items
- In the living room: electronics, reading material, blankets, board games
Zoning helps you store items logically, making it easier to find things and preventing items from migrating where they don’t belong.
I hope these ideas will help you to get organised in December and that you won’t have to splash any cash to achieve a home that’s ready to receive your festive guests! Please let me know in the comments below how you like to organise your home in December to make space for Christmas, I’d love to hear your holiday hacks!
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