Just as a tidy home is a happy one, an organized home is a beautiful one. Ask any professional declutterer and they’ll tell you the same thing; once you get on top of your organization skills, a neat and tidy home will follow suit. They’ll also remind you that, in order to get there, there are some simple organizer buys that you can’t live without.
From food storage containers to over-the-door shoe rack hangers, there’s an organizer gadget or gizmo for virtually everything you own. The endless stream of organizing TikToks and Instagram Reels do a great job of satisfying our cravings for aesthetically-pleasing organization hacks, but how many can you actually trust? How many organizers have you found yourself purchasing only to find they really aren’t all that useful, and instead only contribute to the relentless clutter you’re constantly trying to part with?
To help you to learn how to organize a room with too much stuff, there are some designated buys that are actually worth your money, I asked some organizers to share their favorite options that promise to pair form and function in the best possible way. A clutter-free home has never been easier.
Lilith is an expert at following news and trends across the world of interior design. A strong believer that a tidy home is a happy one, she’s committed to helping readers organize their spaces through sharing practical tips and guides. For this piece she asked professional declutters for their advice on the best organizer buys for a beautifully functional home
How to thoughtfully shop for organizers
Before we jump into the picks of the best organizers, it’s worth pointing out that what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you. As impressionable home lovers, we can easily be swept by the social media hype and the promise of amazing organizer tools fed to us from influencers. Went it comes to finding one for your home, ask yourself why you need it. Purchasing any item should be more of an afterthought, rather than the guiding principle in your organizing efforts.
When it comes to how to organize a living room, or any space, it has to start with your own willpower. ‘I’m something of a minimalist when it comes to organizers because it has been my experience that there is no magical product that can fix someone’s organizing struggles,’ says Lucy Milligan Wahl, founder of professional organizing company, LMW Edits (opens in new tab). ‘Instead, real change comes from going through a complete process of sorting, decluttering, and organizing where the actual organizing products are just the cherry on top.’
We all have different homes, lifestyles and routines, so it’s important to only invest in an organizer if it’s right for you. Think about the areas of your home that become disorganized more quickly than others, and always remember to think about the practicalities involved with introducing another ‘thing’ to that space. Don’t be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options available, either. ‘The best way to narrow it down is by colors and materials that match your existing decor,’ says Lucy. ‘A good organizing product should blend into your space, rather than be the focal point.’
1. Drawer dividers
(Image credit: ND Studios)
We all have ‘the drawer’ – the designated spot in the home for all our miscellaneous chargers, keys, stationery and other gadgets. It might be out of sight, but it certainly isn’t out of mind. To quash that feeling of dread you experience every time you open said drawer, try a draw divider.
‘These are absolutely essential everywhere you use drawers, from closets to bathrooms to kitchens to offices,’ says Lucy. ‘I prefer easily wipeable acrylic for bathrooms, sustainable wood that matches the inside of drawers for kitchens, and fabric covered cardboard for dressers and closets.’
As far as organizers ago, drawer organizers aren’t the most stylish storage idea, but they do make for a more stylish space. ‘They aren’t necessarily an aesthetic star, but they allow you to use the beautiful furniture you already have to even better effect,’ says Lucy.
2. Pegboards
(Image credit: Connie Cutillo/Dainty Little Details)
To keep all those all-important notes and letters floating around your entryway in one place, it’s worth fixing a pegboard to your wall. If you’re fed up with misplacing your keys every day, this might also be the entryway storage solution you didn’t know you needed.
‘Modular wooden pegboards are where form and function come together,’ explains professional organizer, Melissa Gugni (opens in new tab). ‘So many folks are overwhelmed by their entryways and landing areas, and hanging one of these by the door for small bags, keys and other essentials can be a life changer.’
3. Closet shoe racks
(Image credit: James Merrell)
We all long for an organized closet but for most of us, it’s a distant reality. While clothes are easily folded away, the component most likely to give your closet a cluttered appearance is your shoes, but this can easily be overcome with a shoe rack.
‘Shoes shoved in the bottom of wardrobes can almost immediately turn in to a jumbled pile so it’s always a great idea to use some proper shoe storage to keep the pairs together and take care of your favorite shoes,’ says Sue Spencer, a professional home organizer and KonMari consultant at A Life More Organised (opens in new tab).
‘The obvious solution to tidying up the bottom of the wardrobe is with a simple extending shoe rack,’ she adds. ‘This can extend to fit the space and should give you a couple of layers to pop your shoes on and keep them tidy.’ You can also buy a $3 shoe rack from IKEA for individual pairs of shoes if you’re particularly strapped for space.
4. Fridge turntables
(Image credit: IKEA)
When it comes to kitchen organizers, they arguably serve an even more important function than organizers elsewhere in your home. Cluttered fridges or pantry shelves are not only an eyesore, but they inevitably result in duplicate items, smashed jars, and wasted food. That’s where a fridge turntable or a lazy Susan comes in.
It might seem like the retro storage solution that’s come to haunt you from your childhood, but a lazy Susan is the simplest way to keep your pantry shelves organized and avoid jars and containers piling up on top of one another.
Another viral favorite is IKEA’s SNURRAD fridge organizer, a clever piece of kit designed to attach to your fridge shelf. ‘I love the SNURRAD because it takes up minimal space while also allowing you to reach items that usually get lost in the back of the fridge,’ says Jennifer Abernathy, kitchen shopping blogger at Shop with Jenniabs (opens in new tab). A more organized fridge with less food waste? It’s a yes from us.