3 Products Professional Organizers Can’t Live Without

To the untrained eye, organization seems like an art, but it’s really more of a science. There are so many things to consider, including the size of the space you’re working with, how much use the items you’re trying to store get, and the products that will actually keep them organized. The latter is incredibly important—and it turns out that every pro organizer has essential products they rely on for both personal and work projects after being put to the test in countless setups. Here, three experts share the one thing they swear by for a neater home.

Turntables

For Joanna Teplin, co-founder of The Home Edit, turntables (also known as also known as lazy Susans) are the ultimate problem-solver. “They handle the issue of storage in corners and hard-to-reach spaces, and keep items visible and easy to access,” she explains. From sauces in the pantry to skincare in the bathroom to medication in the hall closet, they can handle anything that can stand upright.

If you want to take your organization a step further, pick a turntable with removable bins so you can pull out whatever section you need when you need it. Bonus: With the bins, you don’t have to worry about only organizing things that can be stored upright. This expands the possibilities even further, whether you’re trying to store mini snack packs or craft supplies.

Measuring Tape

According to Stefanie Jones, founder of The Realistic Organizer, you can’t be truly organized without a measuring tape—which is exactly why it’s her favorite. “Taking time to measure a space and find products that fit perfectly is a huge part of what keeps an organized space functional and successful,” she insists.

When people are determined to get organized, sometimes they can get ahead of the process and purchase their bins and baskets before taking measurements. This is a major mistake—when you do this, you run the risk of having products that don’t quite fit the spaces they should. You’ll end up either making a lot of pesky exchanges or settling for un-maximized storage.

Make sure to measure the length, width, and height of every drawer, shelf, and cabinet you plan on tackling. This way, you can puzzle together the best combination of products. There are two approaches to this: Use the dimensions for products found online to calculate everything or go in-store and play organizational Tetris. The Container Store, for example, even has a table with measurements on it to help make the latter easier.

Clear Bins

Clear bins are the—ahem—clear winner for Clea Shearer, co-founder of The Home Edit: “They can be used literally anywhere—closet, pantry, playroom, you name it.” This is especially helpful because your organizational needs will change over time and you’ll be able to reuse bins in other spaces.

With transparent bins, you’re able to see exactly what’s in them. Out of sight, out of mind? No such thing with these. If you shop bins from the same line, you’ll be able to create sections by putting smaller bins into larger ones. Plus, you’ll be able to stack them on top of each other.