Organizing your home is like getting married, only a lot less expensive.

You need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue (or red, or white, whatever your preference). At least, that’s what I used when I decided to get my things in order once and for all.

I was born without an organization gene. My desk, while tidier than several in my office, is still labyrinthine. On my editor’s day off last week, I decided to do a “massive overhaul” to my workspace. When she returned on Monday, I said, “Look what I did!” like a proud kid, sweeping my hand dramatically past my calendar, my computer, my two file racks and a new-to-me mail sorter. She looked. Then she looked again. She couldn’t tell the difference.

But I could. The piles were all in new locations.

The change at home was more dramatic and noticeable, chiefly because ShopGuy is a much better organizer than I am. A few weeks back, we decided we’d had enough of the clutter that choked our barn, mudroom and office. And ShopPup was taking her toll on our shoes, the Tupperware (stored at snout level), and the couch. Our ongoing renovation was making it impossible to keep things tidy. Clearly we needed a system.

Call me frugal (actually, don’t), but I’ve always believed that you don’t need to buy containers to keep your things in order. I was ready to just consolidate our piles of stuff, but ShopGuy knew better. We hopped in the car and went to The Home Depot to peruse their organization aisle, which is really just a bunch of racks and shelves that you put in your closet. This would’ve been great if we had closets.

Next, we were off to Kmart, where we picked up giant plastic bins for our shoes and recycling (something blue), as well as small, stackable, clear tubs for electrical doodads and other things you would find at the hardware store that I can’t identify (something new). The whole shebang set us back less than $20.

To keep Stella off the couch, we bought a baby gate at Toys ‘R’ Us for $24.99, which was about half the cost of a comparable gate at area pet supply stores – don’t let the puppy on the box fool you; the ones made for children work just as well. Then, we meandered over to Bed Bath & Beyond, which completely changed my mind about containers.

Suddenly, I was ready to buy a Rubbermaid gift-wrap organizer, a see-through plastic chest of drawers, a shoe rack, a divided caddy for cleaning supplies, and an in-drawer spice rack – and we don’t even have drawers. I ended up buying cruets for oil and vinegar instead, which solved one small but greasy problem.

But it left several problems unsolved, such as the laundry-room mess. I was getting tired of looking at the dirty wire rack that had barely enough room for my Tide and Bounce. And if it didn’t cost $40, I would’ve bought a three-bin laundry sorter at Bed Bath & Beyond, too. But on our renovating budget, that was out of the question.

ShopGuy and I took a quick trip up to the Salvation Army store on Broadway, where he found the desk of his dreams – 1950s gray metal with a built-in file cabinet and segmented drawers – which took care of our office clutter. I found a three-tiered, white enameled hospital cart that would look perfect in the laundry room. We both got something old, and together, we spent $35. I recently saw a similar cart at Second-Hand Rose in Orono for $20.

When we started working on our project last weekend, I realized I was going to need something borrowed, too. Namely, ideas. So I turned to my Martha Stewart organizing book for advice. Say what you will about her trial, but the woman knows how to spruce up an entryway, tidy a workshop, and keep recycling at bay.

I adopted her idea of turning an old wooden fruit crate into a newspaper bin – if you screw toggles on each side of the crate, you can easily bundle the papers with twine when it fills up. Martha’s ideas for the mudroom were a little more advanced than what we needed (we’re in the bare drywall phase), so we resurrected an antique cabinet that we picked up at an auction for $5.

It looked gorgeous in a primitive, peeling-paint kind of way. I placed a plastic tray from Swell, which I picked up at Target for $1.99, on top as a receptacle for our keys and spare change, and filled the bottom with bagged newspapers. Then I cleared a space for the bin that holds plastic, cardboard and glass. When recycling day comes, I won’t have to scramble to get it together.

Now if I can just find the recycling schedule, I’ll be all set. I know I put it down somewhere …

Reader question

Dear ShopGirl,

My girlfriend has a hard time finding bras that fit and hates bra shopping. Are there any bra fitting clinics happening in the Bangor area? Are there any shops you can recommend that have experienced, competent staff who can fit her properly?

Thanks,

Scott in Bucksport

Dear Scott,

How sweet of you to help your girlfriend – she’s a lucky gal. And she’s not alone. Surveys conducted by major bra manufacturers have found that up to 85 percent of women are wearing the wrong size bra.

I can recommend several shops, one of which is in your back yard. Rosen’s on Main Street in Bucksport offers fittings, and if they don’t have what she needs, they can order it. J.C. Penney also carries a wide range of styles and sizes, and is holding a bra-fitting event through today.

I hope this helps, and, as always, happy shopping!

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476.