Top 10 Organizing Products for 2016

In November we asked our organizers to tell us their top organizing tool for 2016 and explain why they recommended it to clients. I have included their picks in my Top 10 for 2016 along with my personal favorites.

1)      While Christmas has passed, this product is worthy of mention and should be on your list to pick up when Christmas decorations come out in October. Our organizer who specializes in Christmas decorating service says this is a must have. At only $2 for a pack of twelve at Walmart, greenery covered twist ties can be used to hang garland on the stairs, hold items on wreaths, attach ornaments on trees, and more.

2)      Sarah, one of our organizers that is extremely handy with tools says, “Truthfully, I have used more ELFA® shelving this year than ever before. To transform small closets, reconfigure underutilized master closets, and give function to entire garages.” The Container Store® has their annual ELFA sale going on now.

3)      Need some cute yet functional storage space for a dorm, toy room, or kid’s area? Try the reversible cube grid found at Bed Bath and Beyond®. These are easy to assemble, no tools required, and can be assembled in many configurations. You can sit them underneath hanging clothes to maximize storage space in a closet.

4)      One of our craftiest organizers, Susan, organizes many craft rooms, and her own craft room is an amazing sight to see. She recommends Bygel Towel Rail from IKEA at a cost of only $2.99. It is economical, but in the work room of a paper crafter it is worth its weight in gold. Susan says, “It is the perfect fit for paper punches, both “whale tail” styles and the sleeker ones that can be clasp closed. When those are left open, they fit just beautifully on the Bygel, no matter what the size of the punch. Punches are heavy, so this is a much more convenient option than storing them in a drawer, where their weight can make the drawer too heavy to pull open smoothly. Your punches are in full view, so the one you want is easy to see and easy to access. Better yet, great little buckets from IKEA can be attached to the Bygel to hold pens and pencils, markers, scissors, rulers, bone folders, and more. Take a look at the Bygel when you want simple, accessible storage for your paper crafting area.”

5)      It you are tired of the clutter under your sinks or in your drawers, the PLUGGIS series at IKEA might be a dream come true for you. Items that are in drawers or under sinks that are not containerized slide around, pile up, and waste space. These low cost containers are clean looking, allow you to reach in, can stack under sinks, or go into drawers to keep items separated. While this series does have other items that are used more for office organization, these containers are perfect for so many spaces.

6)      This year I organized my closet and added an area for hanging jewelry on the wall inside the closet. My bonus idea was to attach a beveled mirror head high to the wall inside my closet for a place to view my jewelry selection. These mirrors have a sticky back but I secured it even more using 3M products. I love my extra mirror space not only for putting on jewelry but seeing if I like my scarf or blouse selection.

7)      All our organizers have their homes inspected prior to coming to work for Get Organized!. It is one way we evaluate their organization skill level. While inspecting the home of one of our organizers, Toni (serving the Tyler, Texas area), we saw a fabulous idea for displaying the family calendar. She painted an entire wall in her kitchen area with chalk board paint and then used colored chalk markers (traditional chalk leaves dust) to color code her events. I really liked that she posted two months at a time so long term plans could be made.

8)      For all the crafters and collectors of small things, this next product is a problem solver. While we could not find the exact item online, we purchased one in December at Target® that included caddy and tray inserts on sale for $9.99 (16.7 quart). The product is from Snapware® and is part of their Smart Store line. It is great for storing items you would like to be portable such as sewing notions, manicure items, first aid, fishing accessories, small toys for trips, and more. I just fell in love with this product and will go get more.

9)      One of our newest organizers, Jennifer, likes the Kallax line at IKEA. This has been a tried and true product for our organizers for years and is worth mentioning again. Jennifer says, “They are so versatile, affordable, and sturdy. You can use them for so many different things: storage, display, books, entertainment center, etc. They can be used in almost any room in your home or even your closets.” This year we have included a Kallax solutions for clients who need two desks in their home for a workstation or a homework area for the kids. It uses a larger Kallax, a glass table top (though you can get other styles), and legs of your choosing. Keep in mind that some configurations of the Kallax must be secured to a wall for safe use.

10)   Big things come in tiny packaging and the Bjarnum hooks from IKEA are no exception. This hook has long been one of my favorites. I personally use them in my master closet but they can be used anywhere. The best feature is the ability of the hook to fold up flush with the wall when not in use. I have placed two hooks in my closet to hang clothing that is not quite ready for the laundry but not totally clean either. For example, if I wear a pair of jeans to dinner, I hang them on the Bjarnum hook and wear the next day. This keeps the clothing off the floor or over a chair.

Enjoy our favorite organizing tools and may your 2016 be purged of clutter and containerized with fun.

Lorraine Brock is a professional organizer, family coach, speaker, and founder and owner of Get Organized! Get Organized! is a professional organizing company in the Dallas, Texas area. Get Organized! specializes in organizing and de-cluttering homes as well as implementing systems in the home for better family management. A popular media guest, Lorraine has appeared on Dallas’ two top morning television shows: Good Morning Texas and Good Day Fox, and has been featured on various radio outlets. She has been hallmarked in many local, regional, and national print and online magazines, such as the Dallas Morning News, The North Texas Kids Magazine, SheKnows.com, and Daily Candy Kids. To get more information about Lorraine, visit www.GetOrganized.ws.  You can connect with Get Organized! on Facebook, follow Get Organized! on Twitter and connect with Lorraine Brock on LinkedIn.