How to Create a Budget Friendly Cleaning Caddy

Last week I received an email from a reader named Jess which sent me on a mission to create a budget friendly cleaning caddy. Can you guys believe it’s already time to start thinking about spring cleaning? I know some of you are rolling your eyes right now thinking, “I’ll get right on that CoCo in all my spare time!” ha ha. I totally get ya. Even I don’t feel like cleaning sometimes especially after spending a good portion of the winter organizing closets. Here’s the thing though…we gotta show our spaces some love with a little bit of deep cleaning.

In my humble opinion spring cleaning is good for our health (think clearing out allergens), our productivity (think actually being able to find items you’re looking for because you’ve taken the time to organize and declutter) and our spirits (think how proud you’re going to be when you live in a space you’re proud of).

I know you work really hard to create a home you love. It melts my heart to get your emails and hear how things are going for you. Here’s a look at how you can make your own budget friendly cleaning caddy too…

and the email that inspired it all…(I’ve linked back to the blog posts that Jess refers to in this email, in case you’re new and if you are, welcome.)

I’ve been reading all of your organization posts because I need tons of help in that department. I have a toddler and a newborn which keeps me really busy. I want to live a clutter free life but I always feel like I am either running behind or playing catch up and by the end of the day I find myself exhausted. I’ve tried several of your suggestions like the morning routine (we already had a nightly routine in place because of the kids), meal planning and I’ve even started working to organize the kitchen, pantry and refrigerator.

I know you’re a big fan of baskets and glass jars but I was wondering if you have an alternative to the galvanized cleaning caddy. The reason I’m asking is because by the time you buy all the other stuff that caddy is expensive. I know you recommend a cleaning caddy for each task or space.

Any help is appreciated and thank you for showing pictures of when your house is messy. It makes me feel like you don’t judge…

First, I want to say thanks so much for taking the time to write, Jess! It’s always fun to hear from you guys. Second, our house is far from perfect! While we strive to keep a tidy home on any given day the dogs are bringing in all sorts of random things from the yard, there is laundry to be finished and someone has probably left a to-go mug with a dried coffee ring on the counter not even an 8^th of an inch from the sink #truestory. The good news is I have a budget friendly solution for you! You’ll need these supplies…

I found this plastic stackable basket from the Dollar Tree for a dollar.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of color but if you can find the blue in your area and you like it feel free to keep the blue. If you want to change the color, consider purchasing a can of your favorite spray paint. Just make sure the spray paint is formulated for plastic. On a side note, I asked my bestie S to pick up a can of gray spray paint…I guess “primer gray” seemed like the perfect shade ha ha. You can’t make this stuff up.

Following the directions on the spray can and in a well ventilated area, use caution, care and respirator mask and spray paint the plastic basket. Allow to dry completely.

To make a handle for your budget friendly cleaning caddy, use an old belt.

Thread the belt through the holes in the basket…

…reaching from one side to the other.

After you’ve reached the desired length you want, buckle the belt and make sure it’s secure.

I lined the bottom of this cleaning caddy with some drawer/shelf liner I also found at the Dollar Store but you can skip this step if you want.

It just adds a little bit of pretty and a no-skid layer too.

While I was at the Dollar Store I stocked up on a few of our cleaning essentials: microfiber cloths, gloves, duster, a grout brush, non-scratch scour pads, sponges and a shower squeegee. I found the Magic Eraser and the Pumie at Walmart both of which were very reasonably priced (think less than $5 for both).

While we try to have a cleaning caddy in each bathroom (just to save time), two in the kitchen and one in the laundry room, I know some of you like to keep all of your supplies for the entire house in one basket. I also know some of you live in a two story home so you want to have a cleaning caddy to address the needs for the upstairs and downstairs too.

Only you can decide how many cleaning caddies you need and which ones will work best for your family. As always, keep your cleaning caddy and the contents of the cleaning caddy out of reach of children, pets and elderly adults.

We do our very best to make “green” cleaning products a part of our daily lives. Each cleaning caddy is catered to the specific needs of each space. For example, the bathroom cleaning caddy has only products that are needed for cleaning the bathroom.

It’s just one more way to make the cleaning process efficient so we’re not having to read every label and we know the products are safe to use on that particular space in advance #itsthelittlethings

I hope this post has helped, Jess! I’m planning to tackle some of the closets at Hawk’s Ridge using budget friendly baskets just like these in a few weeks so stay tuned.

Many blessings,

CoCo