Products I Like - and Recommend

One of the coolest things about being a professional organizer is that I get to research and try out a lot of exciting products that are designed to make life a bit less chaotic. Some of them are of rather questionable value. I ask myself, "Why would anyone EVER need one of those?" But there are also a tremendous number of items for which the question becomes, "How could anyone EVER get along without one of those?"

Here are some of my current favorites, along with why I like them and links that will let you to learn more about them if you are interested.

FreedomeFiler FreedomFiler
The FreedomFiler self-purging home filing system is marvelous! Most filing systems take too long to use and require constant maintenance. But this system pretty much does the work of managing files for you. After you set it up, you'll never again have to set aside time to clear out and reorganize your files. It's also a great place to keep track of insurance policies and other important papers. And at tax time, you'll wonder how you ever got by using any other system.

Why I like it:
FreedomFiler come with a set of "Quick Start" labels for almost instant set-up. You'll be using it within an hour - or less! In comes with 200 additional pre-printed labels and 400 color-coded labels for personalization. The printed Set-Up Guide is clear, precise and straightforward, making this the best personal filing system on the market.

To learn more about FreedomFiler or to place an order, please click here.

NeatDesk Scanning System
This is a high-speed scanner and digital filing system that lets you easily scan and organize your receipts, business cards and documents. If you ever wanted to "go paperless" this is the product you need sitting on top of your desk. It will accept up to 50 sheets at a time and comes with some great software for categorizing and annotating your scans. You can also scan to a PDF file for distribution or archive purposes.

Why I like it:
Mainly, because it works! You simply feed your documents onto the NeatDesk, press the scan button - and you're done! You can annotate right then if you wish, or do it later when you have more time. It's one of the greatest additions to any office I can recommend.

For more information or to order, go to the NeatDesk website.

Drawer Organizers
An absolute must for all the drawers (and other spaces) in your home and office.

Why I like it:
Regardless of their composition (plastic, metal, wood), drawer organizers provide an instant facelift to the interiors of your cabinet, desk or dresser drawers. Certainly no junk drawer should be without one! I love the warmth and feel of wood so I chose a bamboo ones for my home office. But a plain, no-frills white one will do the trick. Just make sure the one you select has enough compartments of suitable size to hold your items. Sometimes finding a place to store a large pair of scissors can be a problem.

For more information, visit the Container Store and look here or here.

P-Touch Label Maker P-Touch Electronic Label Maker by Brother
One of the "secrets" of successful organizing is to label things - or in my case, EVERYTHING! With this product you can make self-laminating adhesive labels for just about anything. And because it is small, portable and battery-operated, you can take it everywhere. There's no excuse for not putting a label on everything ever again!

Why I like it:
Because I cannot survive without my P-Touch! It is simple to use and provides me the fastest, most efficient way to create labels of all sizes for virtually any home, office, business, school or industrial application. The labels are resistant to water, spills, heat, cold and other harsh environments. The applications for P-Touch labels are virtually infinite. I've used other brands of labelers, and P-Touch my favorite.

P-Touch products are available at office-supply stores. Check out the models at the Brother website.

Game Savers
This product is pure genius! So simple but a fantastic solution to a pretty universal problem. Are your board games lasting longer than the box they came in? They often do! Put that duct tape away and get the practical answer to organizing and storing your favorite games!

Why I like it:
Besides keeping games together and organized — no more missing pieces — Game Savers help children develop valuable organization skills. Clean-up is easy for them, too! I love the consistent size and shape, along with the handy pre-printed labels, which makes storing your board games is a delight, not a struggle.

Check out the different size options available at OBH Enterprises.

Battery Rack
This is another simple product that solves a pretty universal problem. Why not store all of your batteries - in all sizes - in one spot? With a battery rack, you can! It has the added benefit of being able to fit in most cabinet drawers or you can mount it to a workshop wall.

Why I like it:
Nothing clutters up a drawer more than loose batteries. And nothing is more frustrating that looking in 10 different places when you need to find a fresh set of batteries. As an added benefit, the rack comes with a built-in battery tester, so you are certain you are only storing good, fresh batteries and won't be surprised with the "new" ones don't work!

Organize-It is a nice online store that sells this battery rack at a good price.