Creative Storage Ideas For Your Home Office

Home Office Storage on a Dime

Clever and inexpensive storage is easy if you know where to find it. See basic storage items in a different light to create a budget-friendly, organized office.

Keep a small desktop clutter-free. Stack simple trays on top for items you want in sight and in mind, such as bills to pay and outgoing mail. Use a file box to hold items you need to access regularly such as receipts and contact information. Attach an inexpensive toothbrush-and-tumbler holder to the side of the desk to stash pens, pencils, and a pair of scissors. Hang S hooks for keys.

Loose papers and small items are the biggest challenges in a home office. Corral papers and mail in an unused bath cabinet mounted to the wall. The pegs offer extra space for hanging lunchboxes or clipboards. For extra organization, store small items, such as labels, note cards, and ribbons in a three-tier basket.

Mount a low-cost shower caddy to the wall to stash home office supplies, bills, and mail or create gift central (shown here) by storing stationery and wrapping paper. Add ribbon to a wire canister to hang writing utensils from one of the hooks.

Finding inexpensive storage is easy if you know where to look. Check out the kitchen shelf storage section and use a baker's rack for a sturdy alternative to a built-in storage unit. Take a stroll down the clothing storage aisle to find cardboard clothing boxes that house papers, books, and notebooks.

Repurpose a toothbrush holder and soap dish to round up office essentials and keep your desktop and drawers clutter-free.

Store pens, markers, paper clips, and more in simple glass kitchen containers. The clear glass makes it easy to spot what you need, and twist-off lids make them a breeze to open.

Install a magnetic knife wall mount to the side of a shelving unit and hang small items on magnetic hooks.

Need a better way to keep track of your business cards? Rather than throwing cards into a drawer, keep them organized in a leftover mint container. They're the perfect size for keeping all your contacts in one place. Don't know what to do with your own cards? Organize them in a separate container.

Use empty cans for wall storage in your home office. They can organize sewing essentials (as shown) or corral writing utensils, scissors, and other small office items. To make this wall storage, clean the cans, then spray-paint them the desired colors. Attach each can to the wall with a single screw through the bottom or with a heavy-duty wall-mounting tape.

Don't spend money on a corkboard -- instead turn an artist's canvas into a practical memo board. For a magnetic surface, attach a sheet-metal square. Hang this above your desk to keep important items visible.

Take advantage of your wall space by turning it into storage space. Hang clipboards, magnetic boards, and plain containers around the room. Each item is inexpensive and available at office supply stores.

Recycled soup cans make great holders for writing utensils. Install pan-head screws through the backs of the cans and mount the cans to the wall.

Use unexpected containers, such as these simple mailboxes, for desk-side storage. They're perfect for organizing mail, takeout menus, and bills. Plus, they'll keep your desktop paper-free. Dress them with pretty motifs from wallpaper remnants or decorative paper, and adhere with decoupage medium.

This pan will do more than help you cook when you use it to compartmentalize office supplies. Use an inexpensive cupcake pan to organize small items that have a tendency to get lost in drawers.

Create a magnetic memo board out of a cookie pan. Just add magnets and important papers and your memo board is ready for business.

Can't keep track of your writing utensils? Get them in line with a holder made from a cloth napkin. Fold over one-third of the napkin and sew the side edges. Then create the slim pockets by spacing seams 2 inches apart along the napkin's width.

Keep your finances in order with food containers turned piggy banks. Disposable food containers are great for keeping track of loose change. Pick a denomination for each container and cut a slit in the lid. The containers can also work for keeping paper clips, rubber bands, and other small office supplies organized.

If you need big, open space in your office, build a large open desk area using a large cut of plywood. Support it with either file cabinets or sawhorses.

Use small containers to compartmentalize office supplies. Don't be afraid to shop the sale racks for storage items you'll have to mix and match.

Instead of having rolls of paper rolling around on the floor, transform a sturdy wine storage unit into convenient paper cubbies and keep the paper in its place.

Before you go about organizing the things in your home office that you need, get rid of what you don’t need in your home office. Rid your home office of unnecessary papers, using a shredder to destroy important information. One option is singing up for online bill statements and bank statements. By eliminating excess papers coming into your home office, you will be able to achieve organizing your home office more easily and you will enjoy working from your home office even more.

Be quick and decisive when choosing what stays in your home office and what should go out of your home office, what will be tossed out and what can be donated to make your home office a much more brethable space. Your home office should be a space that you are comfortable and productive in, and you cannot do that if you are fighting with piles of junk that keep on appearing in your home office. Having your home office organized, will help you be more productive and efficient in whatever you are doing.