Happy Earth Organizing Ideas

Happy Earth Day IHeart readers!

I hope you all are having a great day and enjoying this fabulous place we call home.  Every year I try to use this day to make at least one change within our home, that brings us a step closer to being more earth friendly.  In the past we have made the switch to green grocery bags, reusable water bottles, green cleaners and now even making some of our own cleaners... We have also challenged the kids to be little patrol officers for electricity, water and recycling.  However, the ways we can still improve are endless, and when it comes to storage and organizing, the biggest way to reduce the storage footprint is to use things you already have, or even up-cycle items that may have one belonged to someone else.  When purging and shedding the waste, which is such a huge part of organizing, look for ways to recycle, donate, sell and offer items for free on Craigslist, vs. throwing items away. 

In honor of the special day, I thought it would be fun to do a roundup of my favorite earth friendly storage and organizing ideas that have caught my eye. 

Let's dive right in shall we?

Food containers are first and foremost my favorite free storage solution.  The packaging for foods does the job for storing the items we eat, so why can't it function for storing all sorts of other items around the home?  So instead of throwing it away or sending it off in the recycling truck, I like to try and recylce it within my own home whenever I can.

We have all seen a recovered soup can a dozen times for office and art supplies, but in my opinion, it never gets old.

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But a new use for soup cans is to combine them together to create a portable picnic caddy!  So darling!

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Sometimes food storage containers are so stinkin' cute, you don't even need to recover them or paint them.  Just add some magnets to the backs and instant organizers on your fridge!

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Eggs seem to be another food staple.  Have you ever taken a closer look at those cartons they come in?  Multiple little pockets just waiting to organize itty bitties.  I really love the idea of converting them into a sewing supply organizer!

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I personally have found that cereal boxes are the perfect solution to messy drawers!

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Food storage rocks because you have to purchase the food anyway, so why not be really greedy and get some great storage out of it too?

But there are many other items out there that are just floating around waiting to be put to use.  Check with your local liquor store, my guess is they have wine crates coming out of their ears.  And wine crates make really awesome storage!

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 Apparently, using them to store magazines is really all the rage!  And rightfully so!

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Berry crates work too!  Check out this darling toy storage, some pretty casters and it's even easily portable!

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Are you addicted to shoes like I am?  Then I am guessing you have a few shoe boxes floating around.  And those boxes are super sturdy, making them victims to being recovered in all sorts of fun and pretty ways!

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Bigger boxes work great too!  We recovered a few in fabric a few years ago and they are still ranked as one of my most favorite storage items ever.

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Looking to recycle some scrap paper?  There are all sorts of folding tutorials around the blogosphere, and you could have yourself some DIY desk organizers!

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You could also use leftover paper to create pretty tags and labels.  Thin cardboard works great too!

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Anytime you can build something from scratch vs. purchasing something that is mass produced, is always a huge win for endless reasons.  Especially if you can use scrap or reclaimed wood.  Check out Ana White's incredible site for all sorts of incredible DIY storage furniture.

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But maybe you aren't all that handy with a hammer and tape measure {no worries, I would be lost without my hubby in this department}, that doesn't mean you still can't be green about your furniture.  In fact, scouring Craigslist and thrift stores for special items and giving them new life is a great way to reuse treasures that already exist vs. purchasing new.

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At the end of the day, you may be surprised how many items you already have within your own home, or that can be found at garage sales and thrift stores, that make really great organizers.  A little creative thinking, and even muffin tins can look pretty!

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Now it's time for you to share some more ideas with me and the rest of the readers.  Tell me your favorite organizer or storage items that you have DIY'd, re-purposed or given new life?  Maybe a Craigslist find that rocked your world?  How about an item you found in your home that almost made it's way to the curb, but now serves as a happy functional piece? 

Happy Earth Day and....