You all know I have a tiny little obsession passion for organizing products right? (okay, that just might be the biggest understatement of the year 🙂 ) I get excited by products that simplify life, not complicate it. Products that help to eliminate chaos and confusion and bring a piece of sanity to my life. I really really love products that keep me from losing my mind.
I also especially love being introduced to new products by others. So my question to you today is this:
What is your most favorite organizing product?
I’m not looking for general answers like containers or baskets (because really who doesn’t love those!) but instead would love to know about that one specific product that you use regularly to help you organize your time, space, stuff, etc. and just can’t live without. If you can find it on the internet, feel free to leave a link to it so I can drool all over my keyboard check it out and be inspired!
In other words I need a “fix” and since you gals are the greatest friends a junkie could ask for, I’m going to go ahead and thank you now for enabling my habit. Ahhhh I can feel the shakes subsiding already 🙂 Mwah!
Also if you didn’t get a chance to listen to the podcast I did with Musing Mommies, you can find it here.
Caroline says
One of my favourite organising products is the Clip It Up. It is so versatile & doesn’t have to be used for organising craft stuff.
http://www.clipitup.com/
Larissa says
I really wish i knew the name of this specific basket line, but they are interlocking containers for your fridge. They come in various different sizes, and have ventilation. I use them for my produce drawers to keep all my produce apart and organized. I bought them at Diaso in Richmond BC!!
Lyn says
I enjoy the Lock and Lock storage containers (found at QVC, also minimally at Wal*Mart). They can be used for food, the pantry, and other items (like crafts, for ex.)
Amanda says
I use simple Ziploc bags for much of my organizing, especially with my daughters’ toys. When the box the puzzle came in starts to wear, I cut the picture off of the box, and put it and the puzzle pieces in a Ziploc bag.
Jennifer Clark says
Amanda, I had to say “ditto” 😀 I do this exactly as well, except that I go ahead now and just cut the the photo and toss the rest :0)
Shannan Felix says
3m Command Hooks and Strips are a must for any household. I am obsessed with them – LOVE EM’.
Debbie JordanKravitz says
As a massive list maker, I can’t live without my Planner Pad daily organizer. I wrote a post about how I use it:
http://virtuallyorganized.com/2008/10/oh-lovely-lists-what-would-i-do-without-you/
Also love E-mealz for menu planning inspiration and time-management help in the kitchen.
http://virtuallyorganized.com/2008/08/take-the-stress-out-of-dinnertime-decisions/
jenO says
Thank you so much for the E-mealz. That is the one area of my life in total chaos. With 3 kids and a full time job, dinner always seems to fall through the cracks. I signed up immediately and I can’t wait to start putting it into action!
Tiffany says
I put out weekly menus with complete grocery lists and recipes. It’s free and there are about 6 months worth now on my blog. New menus get posted on Mondays http://eatathomecooks.com/weekly-menus
heidi says
I love these! I have all dry items in my pantry stored in these and I am using the small ones to hold my touch up paint! 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000063SSI/ref=ox_ya_oh_product
Sarai G says
I love this tray/pan organizer from Wal-Mart:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Neu-Home-Bakeware-and-Tray-Holder/8832621
Mine fits perfectly into the cabinet beside my oven, so I keep cake pans, cookie sheets, muffin tins and even cutting boards in there. It’s so much easier than having to sort through tons of pans to find the one that you want, which is ALWAYS stuck on the bottom! You can also use it to store lids for pots and pans. AND if you can’t find this item, a desktop paper organizer for the office works as well!
Sophie says
What an awesome idea!! Thanks!
Michelle Elbert says
I use one of these in the cabinet over my stove for trivets and oven mits. Great, multi-use item.
Laura says
That could be used for so many things, awesome!
Jarnette says
This is a great idea…looking to revamp my kitchen cabinets soon, Lord willing, with some of the wire pull out drawers and this might be just the thing for some of my trays, cookie sheets, cooling racks, etc. that are in one of my cabinets now ~ a great item to add to my list and layout diagram. =)
At home with the kiddos says
I love my rummbermaid tupperware with interlocking lids. They are square so they are economical in my cupboards and fridge saving space.
I bought a 19 piece set and refuse to put anything else in my tupperware cupborard. (No stinky gladware or miss matching containers.) Everything is stacked perfect and neat in there at all times! It makes me smile :o)
Kim says
You know my favorite most favorite organizing solution is so inexpensive I love it! It’s the clear plastic shoe boxes with lids. They are .99 at Wal-Mart and you can see what’s in them at a glance and they stack wonderfully. I use them for organizing my crafts, sewing and scrap-booking things and I love them. So that’s my can’t do without organizing thingy!
Hugs
Kim
Laura says
Yes I love those too!!
Teri Lynne says
I love these too!! Use them everywhere … medicine cabinet, bathrooms, my closet (for belts & scarves), dd’s room (for everything!) …
Sarah says
It took me a while, but I’ve finally gotten into the rhythm of using Delicious:
http://www.delicious.com
Using their “bookmarklet” button in Firefox, I can quickly and easily save pages I want to read later, a wish list for myself and gift ideas for others, interesting-sounding recipes, etc. It’s especially been handy when I find something neat at work I’d mostly use at home, or vice versa; I used to email myself links in those instances, but this is far, far more efficient. I’m also in school at night, and I frequently tag websites and pages that apply to specific classes using their course numbers.
You can also tag pages as “for” others, so instead of telling my husband “oh, there was the coolest thing on…uh…one of the blogs I read…lemme find it…” I can just tell him I tagged something for him in delicious. In fact the reason I finally got going with it–years after I first created an account–was that many of my husband’s friends simply refuse to accept links via email anymore, for security reasons.
Think of it as a binder with an infinite number of dividers, where you can put items in multiple places.
Jennifer says
Thanks for this link to delicious. I had never heard of it before. I use Firefox and already had a Yahoo account so the set up was so easy. I can’t wait to see how this will organize my bookmarks!
Michelle@Alittletipsy says
This is totally a favorite of mine too. My sisters call me for ideas now because they know I have links for just about everything!
Betsy says
My favorite is my Dymo lettering machine. It’s not a really expensive one but works like a charm, and helps things look nice and finished regardless of what I use to put things in! I’m reorganizing my home craft area/ office and they really are helping. Thanks to all the great ideas everyone’s putting on here!
Nina says
I really love my bins w/ the snap on tops…..they stack really nicely! And the Dymo to go with it! Very awesome!
reba says
my fav is my label maker but a close second is the big plastic coffee cans my mom scores for me from work. i use them for everything
Jane says
I love, love, spacebags and (faux) Joy Mangano hangers w/ the little hook on them, especially for hanging strappy tops. I also use black or white dishpans found at the Dollar store. They’re deep and wide enough to hold a lot of stuff and when labeled look nice. I’m cheap,what can I say.
Jennifer says
What I use to organize my kids school work are
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/279656/Pendaflex-PileSmart-Quickview-Jackets-8-1/
I hang these clear packets with a heavy magnetic clip on my fridge. It is perfect for the week long homework packets and forms that need to be filled out and returned. I also keep a pencil in it so it is ready to go when it is homework time. Each child also has a school pencil box with a few markers, glue stick & scissors, a quick grab for more detailed homework projects.
I also use the clear pockets during the holidays for recipes I plan to use. I can arrange and rearrange to have the recipes I am using on the outside, both sides.
Also a great idea for organizing papers you need handy when you are moving!
Laura says
Oh neat, I’ve not seen those jackets before.
katie B says
I love my cosmetic organizer that sits on my bathroom counter. I has compartments for everything and since it is clear, I can see where everything is. I got mine from Bed Bath and Beyond, but I found a pic of it on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Bath-Acrylic-Cosmetics-Organizer/dp/B000KG0658/ref=sr_1_14/178-9628881-0546204?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1264776574&sr=1-14
Laura says
Yep brilliant!!
angie says
Can’t live without the 5 shelf hanging closet organizer from Ikea. My kids have each had one for years, and use it every week. On Sunday afternoon, we look at the weather for the week ahead and fill it with the appropriate outfits, undergarments, etc. We even take into account gym days, special celebrations, etc.
Kim says
I use one of these as well, but I use it in my craft closet. One section houses white tissue paper, another colored tissue paper, the third area has flat folded wrapping paper, a fourth has a basket with all of my package embellishments (NOT ribbon – that’s another story entirely!) and the last section has a basket that holds pens, markers, tape dispenser, extra tape, etc. Love it and can’t live without it.
Tanya says
For organizing my time, I’m loving my new Mom’s Family 2010 Wall Calendar
It has five separate columns next to each date – one that’s titled “Mom” and four that are blank. You can label these with the names of different family members… or you can do like I do and label them “Menu”, “Cleaning”, “Bills”, and “To Do”. The calendar also comes with fun stickers to mark significant dates. I got mine on 50%-off clearance at Kohls. But, as you can see, they’re also available at Amazon.
Sarah says
I’m in LOVE with these…
http://www.target.com/Cubicles-9-Cube-Maple/dp/B0002I265W/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&frombrowse=0&node=1038576&keywords=closetmaid&field_browse=1038576&searchSize=30&id=Cubicles%209%20Cube%20Maple&field_availability=-2&refinementHistory=subjectbin%2Ctarget_com_age%2Ctarget_com_gender-bin%2Ctarget_com_character-bin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchNodeID=1038576&field_launch-date=-1y&searchRank=target104545&searchPage=2&field_keywords=closetmaid
and the inserts…
http://www.target.com/Closetmaid-Pack-Fabric-Drawers-Black/dp/B001UTY4DY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&frombrowse=0&node=1038576&keywords=closetmaid&field_browse=1038576&searchSize=30&id=Closetmaid%20Pack%20Fabric%20Drawers%20Black&field_availability=-2&refinementHistory=subjectbin%2Ctarget_com_age%2Ctarget_com_gender-bin%2Ctarget_com_character-bin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchNodeID=1038576&field_launch-date=-1y&searchRank=target104545&searchPage=1&field_keywords=closetmaid
These organize everything from toys to tools in our house. My girls like them because they come in tons of great colors and they can put their toys away quickly and easily… and I don’t get mad. they slide in easily and hide the cluttery mess very efficiently.
The only downside… the fabric bins don’t last forever. They have cardboard inserts, so they need to be replaced every so often from pulling and bending. the ones I just replaced lasted 3 years, though!
All in all, a great product and perfect for a household with kiddos!
Laura says
Oh I’m a HUGE fan of cubbies as well!
Ayelet says
I use these all the time. I also love the shoe cubbies for the hallway.
I now have these in every room. I use it for hats scarfs mittens as well as projects and the dog even has his own bin.
Krissy says
I bought these fabric drawers for my utility room. I have one high wire shelf. I like these because I can put laundry supplies, ironing supplies, cleaning supplies, trashbags, etc all in seperate “drawers”. Since they come in khaki they match my neutral paint and hide all the clutter but contain like things together. I am also getting my house ready to put on the market so I did this to spruce up the laundry room but I wish I had done it years ago!
Andi says
Wire storage cubes are definitely my current favourite. Picture found here: http://www.organize.com/stwicuwh.html, although I think I bought mine at Wal-mart or Zellers. You can put them together in a number of different configerations and you can also buy sturdy fabric baskets that fit perfectly inside each one. They are really strong and I use mine to hold all sorts of things in my craft room, including stacks of heavy paper, without a problem. One cube also fits several magazine storage boxes and the wire holes are the perfect thing for organizing scissors and other tools (I just slide them down through the holes on top).
Patti says
Hi from a new fan!
I second the Planner Pad as an awesome tool. A professional organizer told me about it three years ago, and this year I sprung to have my 2010 one engraved. Just makes me happy for some reason.
I also love my P-touch label maker, though I lived quite happily without it for 40 years until receiving it for Christmas.
http://www.brother-usa.com/Ptouch/Ptouch_Desktop/
I have a wicker-like laundry basket I got from Goodys that holds everything for my home-based biz and home management. I like that it’s functional and attractive.
I also have an inexplicable thing for mason jars. My husband has an annoyingly sensitive palate and will only eat this pricey salsa. The good thing is it comes in a mason jar so I save them to store bulk spices and other stuff the kiddo doesn’t handle.
For flours, beans, rice etc. I got some plastic containers at Wal-Mart with the attached lid that seals tightly. They’re great.
I would be preaching to the choir to extol the virtues of Ziploc bags!
Nadine says
My absolute favorite organizing product is the clear plastic accessory box from The Container Store. They are under $2 (USD), and I use them to organize everything from crayons to legos to hair bows for my daughter. They are the absolute best. I have a ton of them around my house!
MaryLu says
My very favorite organizer is the fabric pocket system that hangs over the inside of my coat closet door. It has 7 rows of 4 pockets each, enough for all the kids mittens, scarves and hats. Each kid has a row and so do Mom and Dad. Dad’s row contains his outdoor work gloves, and baseball caps. Mine has my extra vacuum filters, (the vacuum also sits in this closet.) and my dress gloves, work gloves.
We love this! We used to have it all in a bin, but wasn’t accessible to each child. Now I’m empowing my children to be organized too.
Laura says
Oh yes those pocket systems are perfect for so many things…girls hair accessories, makeup, polly pockets, barbies, beanie babies, socks, underwear, and the list goes on and on 🙂
Tiffany says
This is probably my favorite organizer too. I have one for office/school supplies hanging inside coat closet door. And inside pantry door is one that has clear pockets that I use for spices. I really love that one because I can find the right spice quickly.
Katie Van Domelen says
I like this planner system from Day Runner:
http://www.dayrunner.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category3_10053_10004_63702_-1_Y_63701_10053_Y
The cool part is that, yea, you could use the whole system if you want. But even if you don’t do the whole thing, the modules are easy to stick into other systems. For example, I use the lifetracker module which is basically a stack of little notebooks, two months worth in each, with one page for each day. I stick that in the side pocket of my portfolio notebook at work and use it to keep a little running to-list and notes page for the day as I attend meetings. My sister uses the fitness and diet one which she can easily clip and hang from a hook in kitchen by the fridge. You get the idea 🙂
I also really like drawer organizers http://www.theunchaotic.com/2010/01/13/tame-unruly-dresser-drawers/ – for EVERY drawer in the house though.
Laura says
I’ll definitely check that planner out, not heard of it before. Cool!
Amanda says
I am a list making/scheduling freak addict. I just ordered a life tracker and can hardly wait for it to get here. There’s a decent chance I’ll decide that I can’t wait and run out to some office supply store and try to buy one tomorrow!
Ayelet says
I love the new jewelry org from tj maxx. I love all the little pockets and use them for everything. they hold crafts and beads.
There are a lot of these on the market but I love how pretty they are and match my room!!!
TwoBloggers says
For Christmas I received a “Triple Sorter Laundry Basket with the Ironing Board Lid” (whoa, that’s a organization mouthful!) from Target. I simply don’t iron enough to warrant my own full sized board. And it is nice to be able to fold clothes on, hold baskets, or just be an extra shelf!
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
Ditto about the Command adhesive hooks. I also like the clear plastic bins at walmart, and baskets. Cheap baskets or pricey ones, doesn’t matter. I’m a basket girl. I have baskets in almost every room.
Dianne Rice says
After trying to create a place for all my notes and reminders (and my keys) for frantic early mornings, I made a free standing fabric-wrapped magnetic board and I LOVE it. It’s so handy…Made some for family members and now it’s turned into a business…I use magnetic hooks on mine for keys and lanyards….
Love your website. I’m a little obsessive about organization as well.
Laura says
I like the idea that they’re free standing for those that might not have wall space. Great!
Jen E says
I love the new filing system accessories by Peter Walsh at Office Max.
http://www.officemax.com/office-supplies/file-folders-accessories/inplace-system-by-peter-walsh
I took the idea of the expanding file folders a bit farth by getting a few colored ones at Odd Lots. I organize one project/organization in each. The [IN] Place system has a desktop file holder that is very sturdy and expands to fit the large folders. When I have a meeting, I grab the self contained folder and run out the door with all the papers I need. I stock each with business cards, a pen and a notepad.
Laura says
I had the chance to try out a few things of his and thought they were pretty functional for sure.
Alison @ Hospitality Haven says
This is by far my favourite organizing product used faithfully in my kitchen: http://alison.blogsome.com/2009/07/03/the-most-amazing-kitchen-tool/
Laura says
Ahhh, the Pampered Chef Turnabout…definitely one of my favorites as well!!
amy says
Ooooh, girl, do not get me started!!! You organizing junkies are getting me hooked!!!
here are some links for two of my new favorites, and one old standby:
I just got the cutest 3 DRAWER PAPER ORGANIZER in the fall for different types of computer paper (white paper, colored paper, and cardstock). It would work for many different paper needs. I had been using magazine files to store the paper, and it would slump over and get bent, and was also collecting dust. I actually got mine at OfficeMax, but I can’t find it on their website anymore. I spent about 15 dollars on mine. Here are some similar ones at the container store:
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/office/paperStorage/drawers?page=1
Okay, here is exhibit B!!! This one is from your friend at Virtually Organized, from the series she did on creating a home office. It sounds simple, but people!!!! binders!!! I think when I graduated from college, I thought I had graduated from binders to files. But files just turn into piles at my house. The binders make sense to me, they are accesible, portable, etcetcetc!!! I have one for my home office, one for coordinating childrens activities, one for each child, one for emails i want to keep, and on and on and on. My favorite is a MEAD ZIPPERED BINDER with DIVIDERS and PLASTIC SHEET PROTECTORS and built in pockets for pens/stamps/whatever by Mead. I can’t find a link online at first glance, but they are everywhere. Here is the link that explains the whole appraoch at Virtually Organized:
http://virtuallyorganized.com/2009/10/the-ultimate-family-command-center-part-2-the-family-resource-binder/
and, b/c i know you want more of this rant LOL, here is my last entry, my old standby, KITCHEN ISLAND. I think we bought ours 10 years ago for $100 at Target thinking that it would probably fall apart in a couple of years and then we would replace it with something nicer, but we needed added storage space at the time and didn’t have a lot to spend. It still looks great!!! and we have used it for everything in almost every room of the house. It has served as regular kitchen storage, but also as a shoe sorter in an entryway, as a household command center for files/bills/etc, as a dog station with leashes and food. I can’t find the exact one that we bought, but here are some similar ones at similar prices at a store I won’t mention:
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=0&ic=48_0&search_query=kitchen+islands&Find.x=0&Find.y=0&Find=Find
you guys are great!!! i also love the ziploc bags and $1 bins; i desperately need a label maker! everybody likes the dymo one the best???
Laura says
So nice, thank you Amy! And yes I like my Dymo! 🙂
Stacy S. says
my current fave is my latest creation!!! I had some old baby wire hangers. out of them i created hanging pony tail, ribbon and whatever organizers.
Kate says
I’d have to say my iPhone is the best and greatest organizational tool. So many things I use on a daily basis are in one, slim, handy device. I have apps for everything (Red Laser – price comparisons, iLicious the Del.icio.us app for bookmarking, Dropbox – for keeping files between all my computers in sync) plus an iPod, and email… and it’s a phone! I use the timer, the camera, the notes section, the voice recorder… plus it works great to get me from place to place (MAP!)… I can go on and on about how my life has changed before and after getting my iPhone. *blush*
Crystal & Co says
Elfa shelving… or the knockoff by Rubbermaid which is much more in my price range.
Michelle says
trash can
Laura says
good one for sure!!
Bethanie says
I’m a teacher, so paper handling is a big issue. My two favorites:
for keeping grading and important papers together to and from home & office:
http://www.staples.com/Pendaflex-PileSmart-Project-Sorter-Letter-Size-Each/product_581832?cmArea=SEARCH
and
for organizing handouts and ongoing projects–I LOVE the colors too:
http://www.pendaflex.com/enUS/Products/Pendaflex__Expanding_Products/Pendaflex__Poly_Expanding_Organizers/Desk_Free__Hanging_Organizer_with_Case.html
Have you all seen the Calloway House catalog? It’s intended for organizing classrooms, but I see it and want it ALL!
Kris says
Tough one! I think mine is the Desk Apprentice from Staples. It is big, and a bit ugly, but it has completely made my paper clutter go away. Each person in the house has a hanging file with their name on it. Other hanging files are for: receipts, bills to pay, things to file, coupons, rebates. In the sides, I have magazines, pens, stamps, etc.
http://www.staples.com/The-Desk-Apprentice-Rotating-Desk-Organizer/product_597003?storeId=10001&jspStoreDir=Staples&cmSearchKeyword=desk+apprentice&fromUrl=home&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&cmArea=SEARCH&ddkey=StaplesSearch
Rachel @ Busy Mommy Media says
I love my white board calendar. I use it to write my menu plan for the week where everyone can see it and I don’t waste stacks of paper that always end up stuck in my kitchen for months when I used to write my menu on paper and stick it to the fridge.
Laura says
I love mine too!!
dj says
Funny, I didn’t think of my white board as an organizing tool but you are right. I guess it is just a natural part of my life. Like Rachel said, it eliminates the paperwork pile up. I love it!! I have small ones on the frig. and a 12″x12″ also on the frig. for my main planning and notes. I saw some special paint that you can make your wall into one. Now, that’s the right size!!
Becky L says
My favorite organizer is a pull out basket on a slider, that I’ve had in my kitchen for years. It keeps peanut butter, oil, back stock on spices and lids for my reheatable containers in it, to name a few. I would like to have another one to put our casserole dishes and lids and pie plates in. The past few years it seems it’s harder to get back up trying to get these items (casserole lids and pie plates- all glass) once on our knees. Hubby and me are over 50 and sometimes the knees just don’t wanna give us “umpf enuf” to get up easily. We actually talked about hubby making at least one or two. I can get the sliders for them at hardware store where I work. I bought this one years ago at Fred Meyer and we both like it. Want to work on a slider for the Tupperware shelves as well. That’s down the road a bit, though. Will post when it happens.
Heather says
Recently I discovered a new use for these stroller hooks. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WB233W?ie=UTF8&tag=celifami-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002WB233W
Now that my kids are older and no longer use a stroller, I’ve found that the hooks work great in the front closet. I put them on the hanging rod for hanging up their backpacks, which are right beside their jackets, and are ready to grab on their way out the door in the morning.
Lori says
I love the Pampered Chef Turnabout for my scrapping tools in my craft room, but baskets (sorry) are still my favorite for everything.
Melissa says
Sounds silly but here it is. I love all the dainty and beautiful soap dishes that are out there. I use them to keep my odds and ends or just worn jewelery in. I have a silver one made of crystals that I bought for less than 10 dollars and just love it!
Jarnette says
I have two…both of equal importance to me (NEXT TO ALL the great bins and baskets that are out there)…
1. Tables on Microsoft Word (I use for making schedules, charts, checklists, everything!)
2. Brother P-touch Label maker http://www.ptouchdirect.com/ptouch/new_pt1280rf.html (for labeling all my small bins, shelves, small clear containers & jars, plastic drawer systems, etc.)
Call them the “organizing the organized” tools. =) These tools are what help further keep order after everything has been purged, sorted and containerized…
Blessings to all the fellow list-making, label-making, container using, bringing order into our homes bloggers ~
Kelli says
My favorite is my Lori Greiner SafeKeeper jewelry cabinet. It is so easy to keep all your jewelry organized and it is fun to use, so it “makes” you want to put it away.
You can but them on QVC, but it is much cheaper to buy them on eBay! I have the wall mount one, but the spinning large one is yummy too (if you have a bit more to invest and a lot of jewelry).
Here is a link to them on eBay:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=9&pub=5574668704&toolid=10001&campid=5336525386&customid=&icep_uq=LORI+greiner+JEWELRY.&icep_sellerId=&icep_ex_kw=&icep_sortBy=12&icep_catId=&icep_minPrice=&icep_maxPrice=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg
Kelli
Ally's Corner says
If you asked my husband this question he would meh is wife which is true. But what keeps me organized is my dry erase board that is on my refrigerator. It is great doing the grocery list. When ever I’m out of something I write it down on the dry erase board. When it comes time to do the grocery list I’m not wondering what we are out of. Dry erase boards are also great when going over homework with my girls from spelling words to math.
Leigh Anne says
My trash can 😉
Tiffany says
Agreeing with this. If I don’t keep it, I don’t have to organize it.
Jennifer says
One of the online things I love is Google Calendar. You can have as many calendars as you want and over lay them over each other, you can also share them. I have a family calendar, a school calendar, an activity calendar for each of the kids, and my husbands calendar. My parents live out of state, but can quickly pull up my calendar, compare it to theirs and plan visits. The local family know right where to look for sports schedules. If my husband changes something, I can see it right away. It has defiantly stopped the “when are we….?” questions between family.
The down side is you have to print it monthly. I tape the current month & the next month to my wall calendar instead of transferring all the info. Then I update when the new month starts. I also keep the calendar pages in a report folder in my bag. (until I can have a phone that can access it)
http://www.google.com/calendar/
Sandra @ A day in my madness says
By far, my favorite organizing item (at least for laundry) is my FlipFold board. I don’t know about you, but laundry is my least favorite household chore. I used to get really frustrated folding all our clothes, only to have the girl’s drawers completely toussled by the end of the week from searching for their favorite tops. So now I don’t worry about it, I fold all the clothes as usual and I have a Jr. FlipFold for the girls. They get a kick out of using it! And the best part is that it’s not only for tops, you can use it for jeans, towels, etc. Here’s the link: http://www.flipfold.com/
Tami says
My favorite organizing thing is a silverware holder. We have one bathroom with NO drawers and the kids’ toothbrushes won’t fit into a toothbrush holder. So I put the silverware holder on a shelf and there are 5 compartments – 1 for each of the 4 kids to put their toothbrush and 1 for the toothpaste. Sounds simple but it really cuts down on my stress level when I know we won’t have to search for these when we need them and I don’t have to look at them cluttering up the shelf or getting mixed up with the hairbrushes (YUCK!) on another shelf!
Christine Simiriglia says
I’m addicted to http://www.evernote.com. Its free and has helped me to make my office virtually paperless, and I used it organize my wedding! I also use it to keep track of wines that I like. You can read more here: http://www.organize-more-stress-less.com/home/2010/1/13/remembering-the-name-of-that-wine.html
Lundie says
I’ll have to second the “Google Calendar” as well as the rest of the Google Tools – iGoogle, Gmail, Google Documents, and to go with it, because the Google Tasks isn’t robust enough, I handle my tasking with Remember The Milk (http://rememberthemilk.com)- which has connectors for Google Calendar, iGoogle, and now Google Chrome Beta.
What I love most is that it syncs easily with my phone (a Windows Mobile BlackJack II) and makes my stuff accessible anywhere, anytime!
Adrienne says
I used to use The Planner Pad but it just wasn’t exactly right for me – so I devised my own and posted it on my blog. It may be a help for some of your readers.
Love your blog – it keeps me on track!
http://adriennedepitera.blogspot.com/2009/08/getting-organized.html
DebraC says
Outlook or any similar products like thias works a treat. It’s great for prioritizing tasks and events and meetings reminders.
Heather D says
Our favorite Chinese resturante has fantastic take out contrainers. They are plastic with clear lids…they are the perfect size for leftovers, for small toys and for organizing art supplies…I have a ton of these and I use them for everything.
Erin K. says
I do the same thing with our Chinese take out containers! They used to have the disposable foil containers, and then one day my husband came home with the food and I was overjoyed to see the new plastic ones they were using!! I was immediately devising ways to reuse them and was more excited about that than eating. 🙂
Rachel says
Can I have a list?
Command Hooks
collapsing laundry baskets (for laundry and moving things from floor to floor)
my Thirty-One gifts utility totes (monogrammed to assign a task to each)
http://www.teuxdeux.com for daily tasks
and the Google calendar for appointments and events
Susanne says
I would totally have to say calendars but you said not to be general. But the calendar I love the most is the ones with the great big squares in them so that you have lots of space to write, a couple examples are the Mom’s Organizational Calendar and the Company’s Coming Family Calendar. And paired with the calendar is colored thin tip felt pens, one color for each member of the family. I cannot live without these two things. I also use a calendar for dayhome, a calendar for payment schedules, and a little calendar in my purse.
Pam Smith says
My favorite organizing tools are:
– Laura the Organizing Junkie 🙂 – I glean so much from you!! Thanks!!!
– KITCHEN: Plan to Eat (www.plantoeat.com) – thanks to Laura’s review it has revolutionized our meal planning
– DEN: DVR – I love not having to watch commercials
– BATHROOM: basket for extra toilet paper – we are never out because my DD6 does “toilet paper talley” on Tuesdays as part of her chores and replenishes our stash
– OFFICE: a notebook that holds all of our computer CD’s
– HOMESCHOOL ROOM: I second (or third) the Office Apprentice from Staples
– FRONT FOYER: shoe rack from Target
– KIDS BEDROOMS: my label maker for labeling toy bins
– EVERYDAY USE: my BlackBerry – for the calendar, address book, e-mail, to do list, etc.
Teresia says
I absolutely love love love my magnetic spice jars. They are glass and have big round magnets so they stick really well. I installed a pice of “metal” (DH could tell you exactly what kind of “metal” it is) near the stove as a backsplash, and voila… spices at my fingertips.
Sherri says
The Cozi organization calender/website. It’s simple, efficient, and syncs with Outlook. cozi.com
Sneets says
My favourite article for organizing are the clear see through cosmetic bags. I use them to contain articles in my purse. I love taking them on vacation, as I use them in my backpack for medications and they pass easily through the inspections at the airport. They are only about 5 inches by 7 inches, but they hold al lot! I continually look for them in the stores, hard to find these days though!
Heather says
Laura, This has been a great post. I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s comments, and getting some new ideas. Thanks.
Abby says
I love my small sterilite containers! I put all sorts of toys in there by category. I also use gallon sized ziploc bags to store other small groups of things, like my daughter’s polly pockets and littlest pet shop pieces. I put markers and other art/colage material in them too!
Annemarie says
Since I have 4 children, I need to be organized. My husband made “lockers” similar to ones seen in Pottery Barn catalog. My favorite organizing product, however, is the 4-Pocket Embossed Organizer from Ballard Design. It is attached to the end of the lockers and I am able to keep all of their school papers and library books organized. It is a great item.
Kim says
I am a wrapping paper junkie. I bought a wire bin on wheels many years ago from Container Store. It stands about 3′ tall and I keep wrapping paper rolls in it. I think it was originally designed to hold blue print tubes or something like that. When I need paper I just wheel it out of the closet and pull the roll I need.
Karen says
I use the cheap shower curtain rings to hang all sorts of things. My youngest is a total girl and loves her accessories… I hang all of her scarves, purses, belts and even jewelery on them.
I have a set in every closet, sometimes more. They can be as long or short as you want them.
Teresia says
Karen….
That is such a great idea… why couldn’t I think of that? I am stealing your idea today. 😉
Raven says
My favorite, most versatile pieces are the Akro-bins from the Container Store. http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/stackingBinsBaskets?productId=10011890 Several years ago, I bought approximately 20 of these to organize an not very well planned bathroom storage cabinet; when we moved into our new home three years ago they continued to find perfect homes in dozens of places. I’ve reused them many times to make spaces work better. They work great under the bathroom sinks for beauty supplies, toiletries, and cleaning products since I can arrange them around the pipes; they find homes in my husband’s tool storage since they are easy to reach in and label clearly; and they do duty as craft organizers in the kitchen for the kids.
shris says
Wow, I love organizing stuff. Wish it was already done, but I enjoy the process too.
1) Magnetic aluminum spice containers with shaker holes (you can find them at Bed Bath and Beyond, but they’re available cheaper online). They’re stuck to the fridge now on the side nearest the stove. They have windows so you can see how much stuff is in each, and I’ve labeled them with their names. Everyone who sees them loves them.
2) Command hooks and cable clips. I have them on the underside of my Legare Furniture desk (very cool, too) to handle all the cables for three different headsets, mouse, keyboard, a PC, a laptop, a KVM, and two MP3 players and several other gadgets. I have them in my daughter’s room for costume jewelry and dress-up clothes as wall art. I have them in my son’s room for backpacks, superman capes, hats. I have them in my bedroom for bathrobes and “it’s cold in here” jackets. I have them along the stairs for the kids’ jackets and coats, and on the front of the wardrobe and inside door of the wardrobe for the big people coats. I have the little paper clips on my desk to hold up the latest kid photos and in the dining room to hold the latest kid art. I used a big bunch of hooks in the entryway to hold coats for the kids’ birthday party guests (then took them down the same day). I have them on the mantle for christmas stockings. I have a big one on the side of the overhead bin over my desk to hang my purse on, and a small one near it to hold the cell phone charging cable so I don’t have to remove the phone from the purse to charge it.
3) File boxes and hanging folders. I have a box and folders in my kitchen for the recipes I print from allrecipes.com. I have another box and folders on my desk for active files like bills to pay, etc. I have a big box with folders under my Legare desk for reference files–stuff to read, gift ideas for later, etc. And of course I have my big file cabinet for all the financial files, warranties and manuals, tax records, etc.
4) IKEA bags. We have several. One stores kites and strings. One is used every Tuesday for the CSA veg we pick up. One is used for regular groceries. One has been used in the past to help the kids clean their stuff up out of the living room and schlep it back to their bedrooms. Just toss the stuff in the IKEA bag, drag the thing back to the bedrooms, and put the stuff away. Saves trips. Doesn’t necessarily have to be an IKEA bag, but they’re huge and very strong.
5) DIYPlanner.com. I’ve been a member over there for a few years now, and every time I have an idea, somebody else either appreciates it or contributes to it. If I have a question, someone else has an opinion. Here lately I’ve gone back to a minimal approach (a la weekdate.com) but I’ve morphed through many different iterations with help from others there, or sharing my ideas there.
6) Circa/rollabind. Circa is a Levenger product (www.levenger.com, impeccable service but spendy), Rollabind is sold by Rollabind.com (buyer beware, but cheaper). I have a number of different notebooks in my house that are bound with this method, and I keep all my notebook parts for later re-use. 3-ring binders are cool for some stuff, but when you want to make a lean, strong 3×5 card notebook, Circa/rolla is awesome. Very versatile, infinitely reusable and reconfigurable, very helpful for folks who are still flip-flopping planner sizes, formats, and organization as the stuff is repositionable.
7) Levenger’s shirt pocket briefcase, with a few blank 3×5’s in my back pocket. Also a Pilot G-2 mini pen in my front pocket. My memory is terrible, this is my ‘temporary holding’ for anything from the next dentist appointment to stuff to add to the shopping list, to coupons for the shopping trip, etc. Love this. If I lost it I’d buy another immediately. They also sell ones with a teeny pen included, but I like gel ink better than ballpoint so I use a G2.
8) A good pen and paper I love. Right now I like Office Max’s TUL line for ordinary writing, both for gel pens and pencils. They’re inexpensive and they write well. I know lots of folks who love fountain pens or other special pens–the point is to have one you really love using. If it’s cheap enough, have spares in your desk in case one goes wandering–but DON’T let anyone borrow it. 🙂 The paper is just as important if you care about the feel or experience of writing. I have a simple teeny ringbound notebook for scratch notes–those temporary things that go in the trash when you’re done with whatever it was. My planner is printed on extra super white, extra smooth and heavy paper–because I love brightest white. Other people like gray or blue or linen or whatever works with fountain pen ink. I used to keep neon colored 3x5s around (when I was using a SHE-based 3×5 card system) because I loved the colors. Love your paper, love your pens. Throw out all those crappy ballpoints, or keep them in your pen cup for people who want to borrow something to write with. Keep the best stuff for yourself. 🙂
Anyway, those are my best bits. Maybe it’ll give someone else a leg up.
shris