Okay, so maybe they won’t completely change your life, but I hear you need a compelling title for folks to open a newsletter and it worked–You’re reading this!
Seriously though, after more than a decade of transforming people’s homes, there are some items that really work, help maintain organization, and simply put a smile on your face when you open a cabinet, drawer, or closet.
Here they are:
#1. on our list is the trusty, slimline hanger. This staple ranks number one for several reasons:
- They give the biggest bang for the buck in terms of transforming a closet
- They maximize closet space
- Their swivel neck ensures clothes hang in the same direction (creating that professional look)
- They boost emotional well-being (hundreds of clients can’t be wrong!)
If you haven’t yet made this small investment, we recommend purchasing black hangers. Other colors look great too but sometimes the manufacturers change the color slightly and if you need to purchase additional hangers in the future they may not match perfectly. Black, however, remains black. Check out these slimline hangers from Amazon!
Pro tip: Buy more shirt hangers (without the bottom bar) than suit hangers. You rarely need the bottom bar and shirt hangers are easier to manipulate.
#2. The Lazy Susan. These joy-of-my-life turntables solve a multitude of kitchen sins.
- They work especially well in corner cabinets where the back of the cabinet becomes a scary nether region of long-forgotten items.
- They keep narrow cabinets organized when used for either spices or bottles of oil and vinegar.
#3. Drawer Organizers. The enemy of the messy drawer and one of our least expensive best friends!
- These little guys help maintain organization in any drawer where like items need corralling.
- With so many sizes to choose from you can tailor-make a drawer specifically for your items
Check out our favorite drawer organizers from The Container Store.
Pro tip: Purchase a pack of museum putty and place a little dot on the bottom corners of each container. This prevents the drawer organizers from sliding around.
#4. Clear Shoeboxes. Yet another cheap but valuable addition to your organizing arsenal.
- For all the little items around the house that need a designated small container.
- Use them to corral batteries, small tools, art supplies, small travel-size toiletries, etc., etc.
- Still using actual shoeboxes? It’s time to upgrade not only for the convenience of visibility but also for the sheer satisfaction
#5. Tension Dividers. These rank last in our top five only because they’re a bit of an investment at around $20 per pack of two. They work wonders at taming the following:
- Kitchen drawers that contain long utensils
- Dresser drawers that house various items such as socks and underwear
- Or even coffee paraphernalia
- Take a look at the pic below. The dividers look custom but they’re simply bamboo tension dividers magically creating order!
Click here for one of our favorite divider and here for our other favorite! Both from The Container Store.
Pro tip: They come in both 2” and 4” height. Use 4” for deep dresser drawers
Happy Organizing!