DIY Desk Set Organizers

How to make a set of desk top organizers using items from your recycling bin.

Desk-organizer-made-by-repurposing-packaging

Would you like to save this post?

Enter your email below and I’ll send it to you!

This desk set organizer is one of my favorite types of projects – one that re-purposes, recycles, and reuses odds and ends we have sitting around our homes taking up space in their boring original states.

I tried to take what I learned at summer camp a long, long, time ago and make the basic project a bit more stylish, worthy enough to sit on my desk.

How to Make Desk Top Organizers

Desk Set how to tutorial Used Video Tape sleeves

Letter Organizer: I made the letter organizer by using 3 video tape sleeves.

If you can still find any of these video sleeves laying around your house or perhaps at your local thrift store  you will need at least 3.  You can use more, depending on how many sections you want your organizer to have.  You want to use the same type of sleeves as they have different notches along the edge.

supplies needed:

  • Video Sleeves
  • Tacky Glue and sponge brush to apply it evenly
  • Decorative Gift-wrap
  • Self-laminating sheets
  • Ribbon, enough to weave through the top edge and to tie into a bow
  • 4 Large beads
  • Hot Glue

1. Line up the notches on the video tape sleeves and glue them together with tacky glue.  Let dry.

2.  Measure a piece of gift-wrap, wallpaper, or decorative paper large enough to wrap around the glued together video sleeves.  Laminate the paper with a sheet of clear self lamination.

3.  Brush tacky glue all over outside surface of the video sleeves.  Wrap paper around as you would a gift.  Trim along top edge.

4.  Using a hole punch, punch a hole around top edge every inch.  Start in the front and work to each side around to one of the back corners.  This way if the holes are not evenly spaced when they meet it will be in a corner and less obvious.

 Desk Set Organizer weave ribbon

5. Find the center of your length of ribbon.  Starting from a back hole weave the ends around top edge in and out thorough the holes, one end going to the left the other to the right until they meet in the center front.    Bring the ribbon to front through the same hole and tie ends in bow.

Re-purposing Video Sleeves into desk Organizer

6.  Hot glue 4 decorative beads onto the bottom.

Letter Organizer made from Video tape sleeves

The finished desk organizer.

How to Make Pencil and Pen Holder

Orange Juice Can repurposed

For the pencil holder I used an orange juice can.

  • Follow the same steps used to cover the video sleeves above to cover an orange juice can.
  • Punch the holes and weave the ribbon in the same way.
  • If you don’t want a bow, just bring the ends into the inside of the can and tie into a knot.
  • Cut excess ribbon.
repurposed orange juice can used in Desk Set

Hot glue the beads to the bottom of the can and you are done.

Desk-organizer-made-by-repurposing-packaging

More Decorating Ideas

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


20 Comments

  1. Very clever and so pretty! Thanks for the ideas!

  2. Women's Magazine PL says:

    They say a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind. And there is really a lot of truth in this statement. How are you supposed to work effectively if you spend most of the time searching for items you need? That is why you should organize your desk. You will create a pleasant working atmosphere and you will be more able to focus on your work for better results.

  3. What a great idea,
    That’s so creative
    Thanks for posting

  4. <3 it! Thank you so much for sharing all your great work. Your projects are inspiring! Keep on crafting!

  5. wow..what a great idea…i have those casette thing in my parents house…have to go and get them some dy..this is very cool idea..thanks for charing..:D

    Hugs,
    Mirja from Finland

  6. Gay Vaughan says:

    This is very clever. I love it! I will be featuring this in my wrap up. Thank you for sharing. See you next party!
    ~Gay~
    itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com

  7. Stephanie Lynn says:

    This is so clever and creative! Love this idea! Super cute. Thanks so much for joining the Sunday Showcase. I greatly appreciate it! Hope you are enjoying your week. ~ Stephanie Lynn

  8. Very creative!! I love how you reused of VHS sleeves!! Great idea!

    Thanks for linking up!!

  9. Congratulations Diane!
    You have great imagination and good taste.
    It is a wonderful and original idea.
    Kisses and hugs from Barcelona

  10. Wow!!! Those are so adorable!!

    Thank you for your very sweet comment and thank you for stopping by and making my SITS day so awesome! :)

  11. TheCraftInMe says:

    Wow, I would have never thought to use VHS sleeves. Looks great, very cool!

  12. What a neat idea! Using those old cases is great!

  13. Julie @ Practically Spent says:

    Love the colors! Great idea….especially with the VHS sleeves (& feet).

  14. The Polka Dot Closet says:

    Cute set, we better be using those boxes, they are already almost vintage!

    1. I know, when I was writing this post, that thought came into my mind. They probably are already vintage. If you don’t have any you can also try using 3 small food boxes, like dry pasta, or a box around the same size as the video sleeve. You would just have to cut off one side of each box and then glue together.

  15. Blond Duck says:

    Popped in from SITS! You do gorgeous work!

  16. Ooooh, almost forgot! I just found your blog and think your layout is beautiful :)

    1. Thanks – I just had it tweaked a bit. I am working on some new features and pages also.

  17. Whoa! I can’t believe that beautiful box was made from crummy old VHS boxes! I am IMPRESSED and jealous of your crafty skills! :p

  18. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says:

    Very pretty! I need to do something for the pens, pencils and those types of things on my craft table. Right now I’m using a plastic cup! Time to check out the recycling can I think.