Having an organized apartment can usually lead to a calmer and cleaner apartment life. But what if you don’t have a lot of money to spend to organize your apartment?
If you’re willing to do the heavy lifting and add a dose of ingenuity, you can save money and have an organized pad.
Set a budget
It’s easy to do apartment organization on the cheap, but you’ll need to create an apartment organization budget. First, go through you rooms and assess what kind of equipment you’ll need to keep things orderly once you get it organized. Will you be investing in storage bins? Shelf dividers? Hanging organizers? Do some online shopping and calculate how much money your new accessories are going to cost you.
Depending on the severity of your clutter situation, you might also want to consider hiring a professional to help you get over the clutter hump. Investing in a session with a professional organizer now could help you save money later as the organizer can help you zero in on what you really need. Check the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) to find an organizer in your area.
Declutter
Having fewer items to organize can save you money on organizing tools. Create three piles and sort like your life depended on it! One pile is for keepers — items you must love and use; one is for the garbage or recycling bin; and one is for things to donate or sell. If paper clutter is your poison, invest in an inbox, file folders and a filing cabinet. Now create an intuitive, alphabetical filing system and use it daily to sort mail and all the other paper that gathers in your life.
Repurpose
What have you already got that you could use to aid in your organizing mission? Unused hooks that could line the inside of your closet or the back of your front door? Coffee cans or plastic containers that can hold pencils, pens or other items? What about unused shoe boxes that you can use to store socks, jewelry, scarves or belts? Baby food and mayonnaise jars are perfect for storing nails and screws. Even a CD tower can give you extra storage space. If yours isn’t full of CDs, use it to store books, photographs or other knickknacks.
Now go room by room, putting away your reduced pile of stuff, using the various storage accessories you have gathered. Make sure you’ve got a simple system that you’ll use everyday.
Sounds easy, right? Getting over the hump of initial sorting and organizing is the tough part. With determination and some bright ideas, you can learn to keep your apartment in order — and do it for very little money.
Congratulations on getting your new apartment! So now you need to find some stuff to put in it. But you don’t have to break the bank to get the apartment furniture you want. Thankfully, furniture is one area of recycling that has been around for ages, and you can create a look you’ll love with ...
When it comes to monthly expenses, there are some costs you don’t think can get lower, like a utility bill. But with some awareness, a bit of effort and a few phone calls, you might be surprised at how much you can knock down utility costs that once seemed set in stone. Shop for the ...
If apartment decorating doesn’t come naturally to you, don’t worry: you can still create great-looking apartment decor by modeling your interior after a popular decorating style. Here is an overview of common apartment decorating styles to use as a guide. Contemporary A modern or contemporary look has sleek lines, minimal frills and neutral colors with ...
When looking for a new apartment, you’ll want to consider utility costs along with rent price. Some leases include full or partial utility coverage; others will require you to do the set up yourself. Ask the apartment manager for details about your utilities before you sign the lease and use these tips to help you ...
Plants add to a room’s decor and even help freshen the air circulating in an apartment. But if your previous efforts to maintain a plant ended in brown disaster, you may be wary of acquiring a leafy housemate. Fortunately, there are a number of plants that can go leaf-to-leaf with even the blackest of thumbs. Here are ...
When you’re considering renting an apartment, you’ll want to know what to expect from a prospective apartment community. That’s why asking the right questions of an apartment community manager is so important. Ask these questions during your apartment search to ensure that you have a clear picture of what it will be like to live in your ...
If you want to make sure you’re getting the best apartment for your money, you will need to focus on several details. Here are some important apartment features to consider when you are looking for your new apartment. Layout When checking out an apartment, don’t just look at the square footage in each individual room. ...
Like a home mortgage, monthly rent is a serious financial commitment. Before you get in over your head, know what you can afford. Follow these simple steps to calculate how much rent you can afford before you sign the lease. What’s coming in What you make each month will be the biggest factor in what ...
Finding a place to live that is accessible and comfortable is more challenging for disabled apartment hunters. But with an awareness of rights and a clear idea of what is needed in an apartment community, the task can be made easier. If you or a loved one are disabled, you should know that there are a number of laws ...
Not every landlord or management company requires an apartment walkthrough when you move into a new apartment unit, but it’s generally in your best interest to do so. Request one before you move in, if it’s not initiated for you, and check to see that all is well in your new home. If the owner is ...
How much will you budget for your apartment move?
Total Voters: 46