As anyone living with roommates, kids, pets, or a messy spouse will tell you, organizing your home is one thing, but keeping it that way is another story.
If home organization isn’t a life skill you’ve mastered (no judgment here!), but the thought of a tidy home makes you giddy, hear this: You need a system that will curb the clutter. And the foundation of this system is an arsenal of products that’ll keep your home orderly and functional.
Here are five affordable, valuable products professional organizers swear by that will help you get a handle on every room of your home.
1. Kitchen countertop turntable
For the kitchen countertop that’s become too littered with spices, mail, and who knows what else, you should pick up professional organizer Kristin Gorin’s favorite organizational product: a countertop turntable.
“A 9- or 11-inch turntable (also known as a Lazy Susan) is a fantastic organization tool for kitchens,” says Gorin, co-owner of Get Organized RVA. “These are multifunctional and immediately provide a streamlined look. Use them for oils, vinegars, spices, or even cleaning products under the sink. They’re great to use for hard-to-reach deep spaces, as well as corners for L-shaped cabinetry. Be sure to measure your shelf depth so that you purchase the correct size.”
Grab this acacia wood turntable (Amazon, starting at $14.27), which will look elegant on the kitchen counter, or this two-tier turntable (Amazon, $14.73) for the pantry.
2. Letter box
Clutter tends to gather on the coffee table, especially if you have multiple TV remotes or live with someone who has a penchant for emptying their pockets before lounging on the sofa.
“There’s nothing wrong with simplicity, and we often overlook the basic convenience of a letter box,” says Jennifer Rodriguez of Pro Housekeepers. “The right decorative letter box will not only help keep a space tidy, but will also elevate the decor of your space and function as a discreet place to store any type of item that can fit in it.”
Add this decorative storage box (West Elm, $40) to your coffee table as a clutter catch-all.
3. Desktop electronics organizer
Of all the places you need to stay organized, your home office is probably somewhere at the top of the list. And yet it too often becomes an unusable mess, especially if you’re trying to charge more than one device at once. Enter Rodriguez’s favorite home office organizational tool: the electronics organizer (Etsy, starting at $42).
“An electronics organizer is the ultimate accessory for your home office,” she says. “This box will help keep cables safe and away from kids or pets. It’s also a subtle statement piece for your home—unnoticeable and chic, the perfect combination.”
4. Under-bed soft storage
For most of us, a common pain point of bedroom organization is the closet. No matter how spacious, closets have a tendency to become overfilled and hard to navigate, which is why we love the idea of having separate, dedicated storage bags in a place that’s often unused territory—under the bed.
“The convenience of this under-the-bed fabric storage set (Wayfair, $49.99) is that you can use it for shoes, socks, coats, or any other item that fits,” says Rodriguez. “Maximize the space in your closet by using these to store clothing that’s out of season. Pro tip: Roll your clothes into small, tight burritos to make the most of these cubes.”
5. Under-sink organizer
Much like closets, bathrooms are typically stuffed with products, towels, and extra rolls of toilet paper. Rather than doing the old “shove the cabinet closed quickly and pray nothing falls out” routine, it might be time to invest in some better storage. An under-sink organizer (Amazon, $24.29) allows for a bit more organization in a very tight space.
“Under-sink organizers make use of the height and depth of bathroom cabinets,” says Gorin. “They allow for categorization of items like hair tools, creams and lotions, and bathroom backstock. Make sure to measure the width of your cabinet to get an option that fits next to the plumbing.”
Article originally appeared on Realtor.com.
