DIY Office Storage Solutions...Don't Waste your Money!

My postings have been a little sparse lately, due to the combination of a lot of freelance work right now, and a pretty major home remodel project we have going on. This remodeling, however, means that the Junk Mail Gems studio will soon be moving to the room next door, which means I will have more space. Wahoooo! It also means that this is a great opportunity for me to de-clutter and re-organize.

I have always been big on organization since I was little. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go into a Container Store. However, rather than leaving their store with full shopping bags, these days I've been leaving the store with a lot more ideas to make things myself for a whole lot cheaper.


Take these storage canisters (above,left) for example. You can buy them for$3.99 to $6.99 a piece. OR, you can do what I have been doing in my office, and spray painting the lids of empty food jars with metallic paint, and getting the exact same look for pennies (above, right). Probably not even a penny...fractions of a penny. And I bet you can do it in less time than it takes you to go out and buy them. I don't understand why the same people who toss glass jars into the garbage or even recycle bin, would then turn around and pay for the exact same thing in a store!!

Here's another one. You can spend $8.00 on a piece of metal that you can stick magnets to:

Or, you can go to the hardware store, buy a piece of steel bar stock, and attach it to your wall yourself.


These wood veneer magnet boards are pretty cool looking. Bet you think you can't make this, eh? Think again!

Save the $25.00 and go get yourself a piece of steel from the hardware store, add some peel-n-stick woodgrain shelf liner in oak or pine, and you've got virtually the same thing. You can even try faux leather or granite! Looking for an even better deal that's even more green? Instead of buying a new sheet of steel from the hardware store, go to a local thrift store or yard sale and pick up a few cookie sheets! There's a great DIY cookie sheet message center project here. I've even seen rolls of left-over shelf liner at thrift stores and on Craigslist as well.

Don't forget to spruce up your magnet boards with some Junk Mail Gems recycled junk mail magnets, of course! Starting at just a buck a piece, you won't have to worry about emptying your wallet.

I am eager to get started on making my own personalized organization and storage solutions, once I am able to move into my new office. Once I do so, I'll be sure to post some instructions so you can try it too!