They say that home is where the heart is, but for me, it's also my career. As someone who writes about interior design [1] for a living, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to make my pad as stylish and space-efficient as possible. Needless to say, organising my home [2] is often top of mind. Call me a hoarder — I'd prefer "memories collector," thank you very much — but yes, my home is filled with a lot of . . . well, stuff. (Greeting cards from the ghost of birthdays past, a smattering of spices, and more candles [3] than I can count. I know, Marie Kondo is not too happy with me.) Not only do my organisation essentials keep my space looking its best, but it also makes my day-to-day routine a little easier.
Need some help keeping your home in tip-top shape? I have you covered. Check out my favourite organisational essentials below. I may not follow the KonMari method, but trust me: these picks work.
Rise Up: Made by Design Punched Metal Riser Shelf
Want to make the most of your limited cabinet space? Add this Made by Design Punched Metal Riser Shelf [5] ($8) to your e-cart. This clever design fits nicely in your cabinet, creating a new shelf out of thin air. Since you won't have to precariously stack your glasses on top of each other — there's no way I'm the only one who has done this — you can easily organise your drink ware.
Shoe Storage: Room Essentials 2-Tier Fabric Shoe Rack
Locating the mate to your favourite booties is the fashion equivalent to finding the needle in a haystack. Fortunately, this Room Essentials 2-Tier Fabric Shoe Rack [6] ($10) will organise your footwear collection and make your closet somewhat civilized.
Bonus Baskets: Bullseye's Playground Water Hyacinth Woven Storage Baskets
My fiancé and I share closet space, so we're working with a lot of shoes. We typically place his dress shoes, my heels, and our sneakers on the aforementioned rack. But, as for our flip-flops, slippers, and flats? They belong in these Bullseye's Playground Water Hyacinth Woven Storage Baskets [7] ($10). These baskets are sold as a set of two, so I've picked up a couple and used my extras to stow hats, umbrellas, and winter essentials.
Bon Appétit: Room Essentials Drawer Organiser
Trust me when I say that nobody wants to spend five minute looking for one dinner fork — especially when there's a delicious meal plated and ready to be devoured. My kitchen doesn't have built-in compartments for my utensils, so I picked up this Room Essentials Drawer Organiser [8] ($2). This ultra-affordable item makes it easy to locate spoons, forks, and knives. (Pro tip: I use that horizontal compartment to store chopsticks and charcuterie knives.)
Spicy Storage: Lynk Professional Slide Out Double Spice Rack
As someone who really embraced my inner Julia Child [9] during quarantine, I've amassed a slightly overwhelming selection of spices. And, since shoving them all into my cabinet and hoping for the best was no longer doing it for me, I picked up a proper spice rack. Instead of succumbing to a spinning style — which would make locating my garlic salt considerably more challenging — I opted for this Lynk Professional Slide Out Double Spice Rack [10] ($60). That way, all my spices are ready and raring to go.
Haute Hangers: Made by Design Suit Hangers
OK, I know a set of hangers isn't exactly a new addition to anyone's organisation or storage situation; however, I swear by these Made by Design Suit Hangers [11] ($18). Not only do these uniform hangers keep my closet looking super polished, but they also have a velvety finish that keeps my clothes from slipping and falling onto the floor.
Stay Cool: Whirlpool 25 Bottle 2.7 cu ft Wine Fridge
Between visiting wine country and receiving bottles as hosting gifts, my fiancé and I have a lot of vino. And up until we snagged this Whirlpool 25 Bottle 2.7 cu ft Wine Fridge [12] ($200), we would awkwardly line our bottles along our dining room's perimeter. I love how this storage solution keeps our collection in one place, plus I can even organise each shelf by varietal. Oh, and did I mention this fridge keeps our vino perfectly chilled [13]? I'll toast to that!
Organised Ornaments: Elf Stor Premium Red Christmas Ornament Storage Chest
When my fiancé and I moved in together a few years ago, we decided to pick up a new ornament at every destination we visited. Problem is, we collected a lot of ornaments pretty quickly. Elf Stor's Premium Red Christmas Ornament Storage Chest [14] ($26) makes it easy to keep our mementos safe and organised before and after the most wonderful time of the year.
Durable Drawers: Iris Plastic Storage Drawers
Blame it on the rise of the sweatsuits, but I've really beefed up my loungewear rotation this past year. (So much so that my T-shirts, sweatpants, and pajamas no longer fit my bedroom's dresser.) Fortunately, I store all of my overflow pieces in these Iris Plastic Storage Drawers [15] ($63). To make getting dressed even easier, each drawer is attributed to a specific category. (Think: swimsuits go in one drawer, extra T-shirts in another, and so on.)
Sturdy Shelves: Made by Design 5 Tier Wide Wire Shelf
Another thing I bought far too much of last year? Disinfecting wipes. And multipurpose spray. And, OK, just about every other cleaning item you can think of. To help organise my sanitizing surplus — and take an audit of what we already have — I picked up two of these Made by Design 5 Tier Wide Wire Shelves [16] ($80). The clever, five-tier design offers ample storage space, plus I can easily hang reusable tote bags on the top rung.