Tips From an Organization Expert

Top 3 Tools

MHI: Can you suggest three tools to help us get organized -- in the kitchen, the garage, or the office?

JW: Sliding shelves allow you to use the far reaches of the kitchen cabinets, making it easier to see and retrieve items. And these shelves maximize available space for anything -- pots and pans, dishes and bowls, food and cleaning supplies.

For pantry organizing, some of my favorite tools are OXO Good Grips POP containers. They are airtight, see-through, and stackable, giving a uniform, clean look to the pantry. These containers work just as well in garages, offices, and playrooms for corralling small items like nails and game pieces -- but still keeping them visible.

For any office or home, the one organizing tool I definitely wouldn’t want to be without is a filing cabinet! The only way to avoid piles of paper accumulating around your home is to have a home for your papers.

Finally, I’d recommend a handheld label maker. You can get as many containers, bins, and baskets as you want, but what good are they if you can’t tell what’s inside? Be specific when creating your labels. Instead of “Papers” write “2007 Tax Papers” so you know exactly what is inside each container.