Professional Organizer’s Must-Have Supplies

When it comes to organizing the home, having the right tools can make all the difference. Over the many years of professional organizing, our team has hand-picked a selection of fine items that show up for every session. 

With these professional organizing items, you can set yourself up for a successful session of organizing, too.

1. Open Containers

These are NOT permanent storage containers–you’ll want several containers to make your sorting process smooth and efficient.

How they help: The first thing you’ll need is space to put things while you’re sorting. You’ll want to have temporary bins and boxes to contain things before they find a more permanent place. For example, if you’re sorting through your kitchen and run out of time, it will be much easier to pick up the task if your utensils are in one bin, cookie cutters in another, and gadgets in yet another. Make sure these are OPEN containers so it is impossible to shut them away and forget what’s inside.

2. Post-Its and a Bold Sharpie

Why You Need Them: Post-Its allow you to keep your sorted and unsorted piles easy to spot. They will act as your bookmarks to stop for breaks and pick up where you left off. 

If you live with others, even temporary labels can help household members learn new or developing systems.

3. Folders

We highly recommend keeping folders nearby to move any stray papers out of the equation. 

Why You Need Them: Papers are a HUGE source of clutter, and these tools can help you keep them in check. If you have file boxes, we recommend using those boxes to contain papers you’d like to shred. To keep your process quick, you can even have one giant folder that is for you to go through and sort later–with the papers in a book format, it will be that much easier. 

4. Outgoing Bins

Crucial assistance: Think of your outgoing bins as bins that contain things that you’ll take care of as you’re wrapping up your organizing session. You might have a bin for recycling, a bin for trash, one or a couple bins for various donation categories. 

As you wrap up your organizing for the day, save an extra 5-10 minutes to put the recycling and trash out and gather donations somewhere where you will not forget about them.

For example, you can gather donations by the front door, the passenger seat of your car–NOT THE TRUNK ;), or schedule a friend to ride-along with you to make sure those donations get to the right destination!

5. Other Helpful Tools

• Scissors

• Measuring tape

• Rubberbands (or velcro cord wraps)

• Paper clips, binder clips

• Your phone (only if used responsibly)

Purpose: When you’re in the middle of sorting a pile and come across an unopened package, it’s much more efficient to simply open that package and sort the contents then and there than it is to create a whole new pile of “unopened mysteries.” Measuring tapes can help you make a rough draft of where to put things and if they’ll fit so you don’t have to test too many arrangements.

6. Permanent Labels/Label-Maker

It’s no secret that any professional organizer worth their salt has a label maker.

Making permanent labels for your belongings (once they are in a permanent place of storage) is helpful for future you, for roommates, for family, and for anyone else who may need to navigate your home to find or return something. No need to be precious about the look of your labels–you can always make them fancier, but they can be so helpful, so don’t put off installing them once it’s time. For if you aren’t a fan of permanent labels, maybe use post-its for a while until you and whoever else has memorized your stored items, then take them down (or toss them once they lose their cling).

7. A Timer

Why You Need It: A timer helps you stay focused and prevents burnout during organizing sessions. 

Ease into organizing first. 

Commit to a manageable amount of time, like 45 minutes. 

For example: Set your timer for 20, take a five minute break if you’d like, then finish the rest of the 45 minutes. After the organizing is over, don’t forget to allot some time to move outgoing items and make sure nothing’s in the way for your daily routines. 

With these non-negotiable organizing supplies, you’ll be equipped to tackle your tidying projects with confidence and ease. Remember, the right tools don’t just make the job easier—they set the foundation for lasting organization. If you still find yourself struggling to organize your space, bring in a professional to speed up your organizing goals.

We’d love to hear more about those goals and how we can help during a FREE 15-minute call. *Book here*.