The selection of organizing supplies and associated paraphernalia come in a variety of irresistible colors, shapes, textures, sizes, and materials. It seems as if there’s something for everyone – eco-friendly, tough and rugged, sleek-n-chic, preppy – you name it! Plus, there’s an added challenge about how to pack and carry favorite organizing tools of the trade from client to client. Here are a few examples of what organizers use:
- canvas gardening bags with pockets
- 10-gallon buckets with utility aprons, tool totes
- plastic or wicker laundry baskets
- plastic tote
- rolling luggage, craft bags, scrapbooking crates
- mobile folding crates, yard cart
- reusable grocery boxes + recycled cardboard boxes
As you might imagine, a bigger challenge, especially for new professional organizers, is knowing what organizing products to use and recommend to their clients. Even experienced professional organizers can become overwhelmed when there are so many options. A few years ago, I asked several colleagues to share their favorite organizing tools. Many of the tools on that list are still among the most loved. But as times change, new and improved products have become available. This year, I asked a few of my colleagues to share their favorite organizing tools of the trade. Here are their choices.
Canada
- Indianna McMechan, Room to Breathe Organizing, Alberta – IKEA Antonius Basket
- Ivanka Siolkowsky, The Tidy Moose, Ontario – Bamboo Expandable Drawer Divider
United States
California
- Cary Prince, CPO®, Cary Prince Organizing – 5-Section Acrylic Collator
- John Trosko, Organizing LA – Hefty 2.5 Gallon Slider Jumbo Storage Bags
- Samantha Pregenzer, Simply Organized – Multi-Purpose Bins
Georgia
- Diane N Quintana, CPO®, DNQ Solutions – Acrylic Desktop File
Massachusetts
- Kathy Vines, CPO®, Clever Girl Organizing – OXO Good Grips® POP Containers
- Wendy Buglio, CPO®, Wendy Buglio Consulting – Cardboard Filing Boxes
Missouri
Janine Adams CPO®, Peace of Mind Organizing – Ryobi Lawn and Leaf bag
New York
- Leslie Josel, Order Out of Chaos – Samsill 5 Subject Spiral Organizer with notepad, clipboard, dividers, and multi-pocket document holder
- Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, Oh, So Organized! – Brother P-Touch Label Maker
- Sharon Lowenheim, CPO®, Organizing Goddess – Post-It Notes
- Tamar Bazin, Tidee Living – Vertical Organizer
North Carolina
- Annette Williams, AbleAnnie Organizing – Super Stacker Containers
- Perri Kersh, Neat Freak – Divided Lazy Susans
Tennessee
- Julie Bestry, CPO®, Best Results Organizing – Tickler File and a basic dishpan (Julie had two favorites and couldn’t decide which was her favorite, so I included both of them here)
Texas
- Ellen Delap, CPO®, Professional-Organizer.Com – Three Tier Small Storage Cart
- Gayle Goddard, CPO®, The Clutter Fairy Houston – iDesign Linus Shallow Drawer Organizers
Washington
- Debbie Rosemont, CPO®, Simply Placed – The 3″ Time Timer
