As any professional organizer will tell you, decluttering that junk drawer or bringing order to an out-of-control closet comes down to getting rid of stuff you don’t need and having the right tools. But not all bins are created equal, so when we asked more than a dozen professional organizers the same question — “What’s the one item you tell every client to buy?“— we got a wide range of answers. We’ve organized this post by use case, starting with multipurpose essentials like baskets and ending with a tool for wrangling cords (you can skip ahead with a table of contents above) — with everything from a hardworking lazy Susan to special boxes for sheets so you’ll never misplace another pillowcase.
Hooks, bins, and baskets
“I’m completely hooked on these hooks. They’re not terribly flashy or that elegant looking. But because they’re so unassuming, they blend in well with literally any space. Give me a kitchen cabinet or utility closet, and I’ll give you a hook to hang umbrellas, measuring cups, and more. Each hook holds up to three pounds, which means you can even have your heavy winter coat on one. If I had to guess, I have probably stuck 200-plus hooks on walls as a professional organizer. The trick to making sure they come off cleanly is to wedge a paint spatula scraper between the hook and wall and apply low heat from a hair dryer at the same time. You can never have too many hooks in your home. They’re also renter-friendly, and I like keeping an extra pack on hand for when inspiration strikes.” — Caroline Solomon, content creator
“Command hooks sometimes aren’t super-sturdy. These hold up to 35 pounds each and are much nicer looking, too. They are affordable and easy to install. I’ve seen tennis rackets, a broom and dust pan, mirrors, art, towels, a plant holder, and a mail basket hung on them. They look really good in almost every home.” — Beth Penn of Bneato Organizing
“These are ideal for all sorts of miscellaneous things: packing supplies, party decorations, art paper with watercolors and pencils, mail, masks and hand sanitizer, paper goods, extension cords. You can turn a useless space, like the top shelf of a closet, into a mini-garage. The one caveat is that you should add felt pads to the corners if you’ll be using them in a place with a delicate surface, like a marble tile floor or painted shelves. The ‘low medium’ version is the most versatile, but the bin also comes in a ‘deep medium.’ You can stack two of the small bins on top, too. The largest size is nice for paper towels, yoga equipment, corralling stuffies.” — Diane Lowry of New York at Home
Kitchen and pantry
“I use these bamboo drawer dividers, which are five inches high, in deep kitchen drawers to create sections for cooking utensils, separate Tupperware from the lids, make a kids’ lunch-making station, and keep dish towels in rows. They actually stay in place, unlike some of the other cheaper options. Clients love them — zero complaints. They work really well, go with all décor, and you can take them with you if you move.” — Elsa Elbert, founder of Composed Living
“You know how Linus, the character in the Peanuts cartoons, doesn’t go anywhere without his blanket? I’m like that with the Linus storage bins. Use them in cabinets, in the fridge, under the sink, on closet shelves, in deep drawers. These come in a variety of sizes, but extra-large is super-versatile. At ten inches deep, it fits in even the ridiculously shallow 11-inch cabinets that are the bane of so many New York City kitchens. The clear plastic makes it easy to see what’s inside and easy to clean. The handles make it easy to grab. Other companies have copied this bin, but I still prefer the original.” — Lisa Zaslow of Gotham Organizers
“I don’t know who Susan is, but I thank God for lazy Susan. The thing about lazy Susans — this is to state the obvious — is that they twirl. You don’t have to dig around. You don’t have to pull it out. Anywhere that’s high up, a lazy Susan is great for. If you have a bottle of olive oil, it can go on a lazy Susan. You know how things muck up the bottom of your shelf? This is like a shelf liner that moves. Hot sauces, honey, brown sugar. In a refrigerator for condiments, it’s a game changer. I’ve done sweets and savories on two — jams on one, and mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, and sauerkraut on the other. You can make a coffee station. The lazy Susan really allows you to have stuff within a space that you don’t have to find, because you’re seeing them around a circle.” — Faith Roberson of Organize with Faith
“If someone has a door and needs more storage, this is the solution. It creates a home for so many items that often go homeless. You can either buy it with a fixed number of baskets or you can customize it. When we use the door rack, we usually will custom-design it according to the client’s needs. First, we measure the height, width, and depth of the door. Then after a lot of purging, sorting, organizing, and getting a sense of how it will be used, we order what we need and cherry-pick the different parts. Typically we go for the mesh baskets in the medium and large sizes — mesh is more aesthetically pleasing, less see-through than the wire, and things won’t fall through it. Even though it hooks over the door, you don’t see it on the other side so it’s no eyesore. We put it in entryways, clothing closets, pantries, and so on. We really try to tailor the rack depending on what’s going inside. Easy is the key. If it’s not easy, then people get lazy, and that’s when disorganization happens.” — Sara Losonci, founder of Shelfie
Closets and clothing
“A custom closet will cost thousands of dollars when done right. The valet rod is one of the most inexpensive things you can add — and the most useful. Most closets won’t have a valet rod; either there’s one shelf with a hanging rod underneath or builder-grade wire shelving. Having the valet rod helps you maintain the cleanliness of your closet. You can use it if you just brought dry-cleaning home and you need somewhere to hang the items before putting them away. If you are laying out your clothes, it’s the perfect display. If you came home from a shopping trip and need a place to hang new clothes, it’s perfect for that. If you are decluttering, you can store what you want to get rid of on the valet rod as you are sorting through. Have you ever had an outfit you’ve worn for a couple of hours, and it’s not quite dirty, but maybe you want to air it out? Insert the valet rod here.” — Naeemah Ford Goldson, owner of Restore Order Professional Organizing
“The Container Store’s velvet hanger is the best hanger I’ve ever used. You can find cheaper brands that look similar, but they break easily. These are strong and clothes don’t slip off of them. Plus you can hang pants or jeans over the bar. It’s not crucial that all hangers be the same and there’s no need to throw away the ones you already have. But if you’re buying new ones, you might as well buy good ones and build up your collection. I buy them in the largest box I can.” — Ann Lightfoot, founding partner at Done & Done Home
“Slim velvet hangers are great for most clothes. But blazers, suit jackets, and coats sit better on a wooden hanger because of the heavier material and thicker shoulders. I prefer a wooden hanger with a bar. It just feels sturdier to me for hanging a jacket than one without a bar.” — Sharon Lowenheim a.k.a. the Organizing Goddess
“I have used thousands of these drawer dividers over the course of my 15-plus years in business, and clients have described them as life-changing — for real! You can have them anywhere in a drawer to instantly create customized sections. I usually use a couple in each drawer for categories of clothing, such as socks and T-shirts. These are spring-loaded, so they expand to the exact depth of a drawer (as long as the drawer is 12 to 18 inches deep) and leave no space wasted. There are also the coordinating separators to further subdivide sections; in an underwear row, you can use one to divide briefs and thongs.” — Natalie Schrier of Cut the Clutter
“I find that most people have two to three sets of sheets per bed. So I like to fill these sheets organizers according to bed — the master bed-sheet sets in one, the guest bed sheets in another. They can be placed together on a shelf in a linen closet, sorted by bedroom, or on their own in a bedroom closet. And with a little window to see what’s inside, it’s so easy to find exactly what you need and know with certainty that it’s a complete set. You don’t have to worry about where the matching pillowcase is, or deal with the hassle of pulling out a twin-size fitted sheet or a king-size flat sheet when what you needed was a queen-size duvet cover.” — Sarit Weiss, founder of Neat & Orderly
Cords and cables
“Oftentimes, cord management is forgotten. But it makes such a difference when it comes to organizing a pantry or cabinet. Every kitchen needs them to contain all the cords that never wind up nicely on their own. I like that these don’t stick to the actual appliance. They simply fit around any cord. You really can’t beat the price, either. Bonus is you can easily rinse the silicone if something splashes or spills onto them.” — Britnee Tanner, home organizer
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
