I’m a Pro Organizer, and These Are the 4 Essential Items I Bring to Every Job

In the years since I founded my own professional organizing business, I have pretty much seen it all — from overstuffed closets to storage rooms with no floor in sight. But without a doubt, there are some tried-and-true supplies that I bring to every job. Below, the essentials I can’t live without that you can use to tackle even the toughest organizing projects.

The first step of any organizing job is to group similar items, but what happens when those piles start to merge? Sorting bins can help keep items separated and contained as you work. Large bins like this one from Target are great for sorting bulkier items like clothes or decor, while smaller bins can be used to sort smaller items like office supplies or kitchen tools.

As you are grouping items into categories, you may forget what you put in each sorting bin. No need to fear! A full stick Post-it note can be placed on the outside of the bin to keep track of its contents. Use a Sharpie to boldly label the Post-it note and you’ll find sorting goes so much faster!

After sorting, it’s time to look through each bin and decide what items you want to keep and what to donate. For this step, I like to use two pop-up leaf bags — one for donations and the other for trash. These sturdy pop-ups will save your back! 

No need to bend down to put trash or donations in a bag on the floor.

In one pop-up leaf bag, I use a clear heavy-duty trash bag with drawstrings for donations, and in the other I use a regular heavy-duty trash bag with drawstrings. The difference in bag color helps you quickly remember what goes to the dumpster versus your local charity. The drawstring makes it easy to pull the bag out of the pop-up and carry it out of your home!

With these four organizing supplies, I promise you can turn any mess into an organized oasis!