Most of my life can be summed up in one phrase — “Get it together.” None of us is immune to challenges, are we? We all have bill issues, family problems, health concerns and a host of other stressors perched on our shoulders. I can remember thinking, as a kid, “I can’t wait to be an adult!” Now, I’m constantly wondering where I can turn in my “adult card.”
At least one area of my life is wrapped up neatly and tidily and that’s when it comes to organizing. I am the Marie Kondo OG before we even knew Marie Kondo existed. Give me some totes and bags and organizers and watch me go! This list is packed full of some of my favorite home organization gadgets but my absolute favorites involve lid storage (IYKYK), sleek ways to charge all my gear (read: cord control is paramount), and the cutest way to store cutlery.
Throw In The Sponge
Dish sponges are practically a necessity but where do you put them? In the sink? (They’ll never dry.) In a drawer? (Eww, they’re wet.) This sponge holder attaches to your faucet housing itself, where it lets your sponge dry in preparation for the next use. It also has a handy built-in hook for a brush or dishcloth. Reviewers love the easy installation and at-your-fingers design.
Laundry To Go
Whether you’re heading on a trip and need a dirty laundry bag or you’re headed to the laundromat to do your dirty laundry, this travel laundry bag, which has handles instead of a drawstring, helps get the job done. When not in use, it folds down smaller than a tablet. If you’ve got college kids coming home for the weekends, this bag will be their new BFF.
Don’t Flip Your Lids
Quick: How many of your storage containers are orphaned? You know … the bowl is around but the lid isn’t? These lids are like socks in the dryer; they disappear but no one knows where. This lid organizer keeps them all in the same neighborhood so your containers don’t become obsolete. Five adjustable dividers let you group lids by size.
One Tool To Rule Them All
If you’re limited on kitchen space, multipurpose gadgets are going to be your best friend. This five-in-one tool from Joseph Joseph functions as a slotted spoon, solid spoon, spatula, turner and a cutting tool. It’s heat resistant up to 480 degrees and will really clean up your utensil drawer. Reviewers love how versatile it is and, of course, how cool it looks.
Just Roll For Space
Do you have travel plans? Or, maybe you just want to free up some space at home? These compression bags smash your clothes for a suitcase or blankets, towels or out-of-season clothes at your house into something that’s more manageable. This size includes 12 bags (six medium, six large) with a double-zip design that’s both easy to open and re-seal.
That’s A Wrap
Are boxes like this taking over your kitchen? I have something like six different sizes of baggies and rolls upon rolls of wax paper, foil, cling wrap and parchment paper. This foil organizer expands (and contracts) to give you all the room you need to corral these overbearing paper products. Put it in a cabinet or pantry for instant organization.
Sorry, I Need To Vent
No one ever told me that the machine you use to make laundry simpler is also going to require a bit of work itself. (Or, um, otherwise, you could burn your entire house down.) This dryer vent cleaning kit eliminates build-up lint in your machine, helping it function more efficiently … and also keeping you from, well, burning your house down.
Remove The Gross Stuff
Stubborn mold and mildew are the worst. This remover gel — yep, you guessed it — removes things with not much scrubbing required on your part. The instructions say to apply it, wait a few hours and then wipe it clean. The gel consistency helps with ease of use on tile, silicone caulk, sinks, showers and more. “Worked when nothing else did,” one reviewer said.
Your Electrics Can Slide
I have a plethora of small appliances; some are in cabinets and some are on the counter. Some of them are ridiculously heavy and warrant an extra pair of hands. These appliance sliders work just like they sound, by sticking to the bottom of your appliance and making them easier to use and reposition. These save space and help with heat dissipation, too.
Everything Under The Kitchen Sink
What is it about the space under a sink? They go from orderly to “anything goes” in a matter of seconds. These sliding cabinet baskets keep things orderly but also double your space since they have two tiers. Pull them out to get to what’s in the back. Incorporated hooks give you places to stash brushes, scrubbers, rags and more.
You’ve Got The Power
I was already out of town before I realized I didn’t have a good power strip solution for my various gadgets. And, of course, the hotel had seemingly two outlets in the entire room. This little guy fits in the palm of your hand but packs a punch, with three USB ports and two regular outlets. Choose from extension cord lengths from five to 15 feet.
Full Steam Ahead
Ironing clothes sucks. You know what doesn’t suck? “Shooting” your clothes with this foldable steamer that’s portable enough to throw in your suitcase when traveling. With a quick 30-second heat-up speed, you can make quick work of wrinkled clothes with this steamer’s powerful output. This unit won’t leak and is safe to use on all types of clothing. Just go ahead and toss that iron, boo.
If The Shoes Fit
I have a slight shoe, ahem, problem? I prefer to call it a collection. To-may-to, to-mah-to. This shoe storage organizer is uniquely shaped to hold 12 pairs of shoes per bag and then slide it right out of sight under your bed. Shopaholic hack: If you hide the shoes you buy under your bed to begin with, your partner won’t know when you bought them.
Pull The Wool Over Your Eyes
Wool dryer balls are one of my favorite Amazon purchases of the past few years because they’re effective and, even better, save me money. Toss these natural fabric softeners in your dryer with your clothes to reduce drying time and static cling. These work for hundreds of washes and don’t have any weird unpronounceable chemicals in them. It’s a total laundry win.
I Rest My Case
The laptop backpack I use for travel looks like I’m about to do all the wiring for a KISS concert. Why do I have so many cords and cables? This electronics organizer puts these necessary connectors in their own space so you can see at a glance what you need and then zip it closed to keep your entire bag neat and tidy.
You Mist Try This One
Listen, I wouldn’t call myself a health nut by any stretch but I do have particularly strong opinions about those chemical cocktails known as oil sprays on the grocery store shelves. This oil mister is just that — oil — with no additional ingredients unless you put them there. You can also use it for a variety of other liquids like soy sauce, water, vinegar and cooking wine.
Screen Time
I’ve written many times about those mesh splatter shields but no more! This silicone splatter screen looks a lot more effective and has myriad uses including as a trivet, a steamer and a colander for draining. Nonstick and easy to clean, it works on pots and pans up to 11 inches in diameter, and honestly, just looks a whole lot more sturdy to work with.
Dishwasher Status Update
How often do you play the “Are they clean or dirty?” game with your dishwasher? This double-sided dishwasher magnet clears up any confusion by boldly proclaiming “clean” or “dirty” (if your dish washer will use it). You don’t even have to worry about whether this will stick to your particular dishwasher. With the included magnets, this handy gadget can go anywhere.
Flatware Storage But Make It Fancy
Those drawer-sized cutlery organizers are so 2022. The move to these compact flatware organizers is on trend and guaranteed to increase your available drawer space. The genius behind these is the stacked design which makes more use of vertical space rather than the traditional trays that take up horizontal space. This comes in a natural bamboo color as well as gray and dusty blue.
Wipe It Away
What’s the worst part of cooking for you? The prep time? The clean-up time? For me, very specifically, it’s wiping down all the surfaces I used (and even some I didn’t) when the clean-up is over. (I really just want to sit down.) These Miracle Wipes make clean-up a breeze on any surface from microwave doors to ceramic ranges.
Scrub-A-Dub-Dub
I don’t know what you’re going to use these silicone scrubber brushes for but if it’s not as adorable as this photo, you may want to reconsider. These brushes come in a three-pack, combining the strength of a dish scrubber with the cleaning power of a kitchen sponge. The non-abrasive surface makes quick work of stuck-on food particles on your pans and dishes.
Shower Power
I hate my shower head. And, because I live in an apartment, I’m not even sure if I can swap it out. But, I’m adding this high-pressure, eight-mode shower head to my cart just in case. This has self-cleaning, anti-clog nozzles, an extra-long hose and enough water pressure to blast grime off your shower walls from across the room. I mean, you wouldn’t do that, but just saying.