Remodelista: The Organized Home

Natural Cotton Canvas Zippered Pouches

Useful for: Keeping small items, such as medicine and other toiletries, in one tidy place.

Available from: Beckel Canvas Products (beckelcanvas.com), Delfonics (sweetbellausa.com), Amazon (amazon.com), and various sellers on Etsy (etsy.com)

Cotton Canvas Clothespin Bag

Useful for: Introducing a pouch where you need one, whether hanging on a laundry line or draped over a sofa arm (for holding TV remotes).

Available from: Augbunny and other sellers on Amazon (amazon.com)

Canvas Ditty Bag

Useful for: Keeping sailors’ possessions near their bunks—and also for storing bath toys, washcloths, and other bathroom accessories.

Available from: All Hands (allhandsny.com) and Hamilton Marine Supply (hamiltonmarine.com)

Canvas Boat Tote

Useful for: Carrying gear aboard your boat. Also great for keeping all your desktop accessories, laptop and charger included, in one portable bag.

Available from: Steele Canvas (steelecanvas.com)

French Net Market Bags

Useful for: Toting produce and groceries as well as for hanging household items, such as hair dryers.

Available from: Brook Farm General Store (brookfarmgeneralstore.com) and Ecobags (ecobags.com), among other sources

Verso Birch Baskets

Useful for: Household storage of all sorts. Verso baskets come in a range of sizes, making them ideal for filling with everything from apples to blankets. They have leather or felt handles, which are not only prettier than the standard handles but also more durable.

Available from: Verso Design (www.versodesign.fi/en). For similar, American-produced designs made of ash, go to the Peterboro Basket Co. (peterborobasket.com).

Adirondack Baskets

Useful for: Shouldering picnic lunches and hiking gear as well as for hanging in a hall as a place to gather the day’s mail or your baseball cap collection.

Available from: The Birch Store (thebirchstore.com)

The Korbo Classic 80

Useful for: A clothes hamper (which can be purchased with a fitted cotton laundry bag in black or white).

Available from: Finnish Design Shop (finnishdesignshop.com), Design Within Reach (dwr.com), and Scandinavian Design Center (scandinaviandesigncenter.com), among other sources

Wire Gym Baskets

Useful for: Holding your T-shirts, extra rolls of TP, onions and potatoes, and more.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com; left), and Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. (schoolhouseelectric.com; right)

Uashmama Paper Baskets

Useful for: Lightweight storage bins, wastebaskets, and luggable covers for potted plants made of a durable Tyvek-like material.

Available from: Uashmama (shopuashmamausa.com)

Shaker Nesting Boxes

Useful for: Storing sewing things, kitchen ingredients, and any small parts.

Available from: Makié (makieclothier.com), which sells Masashi Ifuji’s finely crafted made-in-Japan version, shown here. Also available from Shaker Workshops (shakerworkshops.com), among other sources.

Italian Powder-Coated Steel Document Boxes

Useful for: Stylishly concealing paperwork and other desktop supplies.

Available from: Sweet Bella (sweetbellausa.com)

Wooden Tissue Box Cover

Useful for: Camouflaging unattractive tissue boxes.

Available from: Various Etsy sellers, including ColoriCrafts (etsy.com/shop/ColoriCrafts), as well as arts and crafts stores, such as Michaels (michaels.com), where it’s sold for crafts projects. Nalata Nalata (nalatanalata.com) offers a refined Japanese version.

Bigso Box of Sweden Office Storage Boxes

Useful for: Handsome and sturdy storage for the desk and beyond. Made of recycled fiberboard.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com)

Wooden In-Out Box

Useful for: Keeping bills to pay in one place. Also works as a tray for tabletop things, such as place mats, cloth napkins, and cutlery.

Available from: Office Supply (officesupply.com) and vintage sellers on Etsy (etsy.com) and elsewhere

Ikea Tjena Series Boxes

Useful for: Labeling and storing letters, photos, files, fabric swatches, children’s artwork, and countless other odds and ends.

Available from: Ikea (ikea.com)

Enamelware Kitchen Bins

Useful for: Storing bread and countless other basics.

Available from: Garden Trading (gardentrading.co.uk) and vintage dealers on Etsy (etsy.com)

Yamazaki Tosca Toolbox

Useful for: Corralling everything from tools to toiletries to spices to craft supplies. It’s made of steel with a wooden handle and comes in two sizes.

Available from: Amazon (amazon.com), Wayfair (wayfair.com), and Unison (unisonhome.com)

Housekeeper’s Galvanized Bucket

Useful for: Downton Abbey–esque portable storage. Fill with under-the-sink essentials in the kitchen or bathroom, cleaning supplies, and gardening gear.

Available from: Labour and Wait (labourandwait.co.uk). Enameled versions with swing handles are sold by Cost Plus World Market (worldmarket.com) and Garden Trading (gardentrading.co.uk).

Serax White Canvas Nesting Bins by Marie Michielssen

Useful for: Shelf organization all over, including closets, playrooms, and laundries.

Available from: Serax (serax.com)

Canvas Bins with Labels

Useful for: Holding hats, gloves, and other accessories and small items on shelves in front halls, closets, and playrooms.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com)

Steele Canvas Truck

Useful for: Corralling laundry as well as toys, blankets and pillows, and garage gear. Made by a family-owned Boston company, Steele Canvas carts come in a range of sizes and are strong enough to carry bricks around construction sites.

Available from: Steele Canvas (steelecanvas.com)

Clips and Closures

Small Metal Clips

Useful for: Creating storage opportunities all over, including for hanging kitchen towels, taming electrical cords, affixing prints to the wall, and consolidating papers.

Available from: Present and Correct (presentandcorrect.com), Labour and Wait (labourandwait.co.uk), and Museum of Useful Things (museumofusefulthings.com)

Ellepi Colored Metal Clips

Useful for: Bundling papers as well as securing electrical cords while introducing a hint of glossy color.

Available from: Sweet Bella (sweetbellausa.com)

Mawa by Reston Lloyd Rubber-Tipped Metal Clip Hangers

Useful for: Hanging handbags, wet bathing suits, and myriad other things.

Available from: Reston Lloyd (restonlloyd.com) and Amazon (amazon.com)

Wooden Clothespins

Useful for: Attaching cards to presents, holding plant stems in place, marking whose cloth napkin and towel is whose (by labeling or color-coding the clothespin itself), and, of course, hanging laundry.

Available from: The Home Depot (homedepot.com) and Staples (staples.com), among other sources. The Container Store (containerstore.com) sells mini versions.

Natural Rubber Ties and Rubber Bands

Useful for: Gathering bundles—of electrical cords, books, and other things. (The tie bands have a tab that holds them in place.)

Available from: Labour and Wait (labourandwait.co.uk)

Closet Accessories

Wooden Hangers

Useful for: Orderly closets and well-maintained clothes. Consider color-coding: white hangers for tops, natural wood for pants.

Available from: Bed Bath & Beyond (bedbathandbeyond.com), the Container Store (containerstore.com), and Ikea (ikea.com), among other sources

Umbra Hitch Accessory Organizer

Useful for: Looping over a closet rod or a hook as a hanger for handbags, totes, and belts.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com) and Umbra (umbra.com)

Zippered Canvas Storage Bag

Useful for: Storing off-season sweaters and other garments as well as blankets.

Available from: Muji (in stores only), the Laundress (thelaundress.com), Fleabags’ Immodest Cotton line (fleabg.com), and Cuddledown (cuddledown.com)

Butler’s Closet Cotton Flannel Shoe Bags

Useful for: Protecting shoes from dust, dirt, and other shoes in closets and suitcases.

Available from: The Butler’s Closet (thebutlerscloset.com)

Drawer and Shelf Organizers

Bisley Five-Drawer Cabinet

Useful for: Corralling office accessories as well as many multipiece household items, including flatware. Bisley has been making steel storage in the UK since 1940.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com) in thirteen colors

Metal Flatware Tray

Useful for: Organizing cutlery so there’s never any guesswork.

Available from: Restaurant supply stores such as Web Restaurant Store (webrestaurantstore.com)

Design Ideas Mesh Drawer Organizers

Useful for: Injecting order and avoiding unused space. An instant remedy for the unruly junk drawer.

Available from: Design Ideas (designideas.net), Amazon (amazon.com), and the Container Store (containerstore.com)

Natural Cotton Canvas Drawer Liner

Useful for: Creating a clean slate in drawer and cabinet bottoms. This liner is adhesive-free, but it has a nonslip backing. It comes in a roll; trim to fit.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com)

Ikea Variera Pot Lid Organizer

Useful for: Keeping pot lids orderly and in one place. The telescoping design also works for small bags, purses, and other flat items, and it adjusts to fit a range of drawer and shelf sizes.

Available from: Ikea (ikea.com)

Cabinet Shelf Risers

Useful for: Maximizing space in kitchen cabinets, under sinks, and beyond by creating additional shelves.

Available from: Hardware stores and the Container Store (containerstore.com)

Silver Mesh Super Sorter

Useful for: Keeping letters, files, and notebooks in order. Shaped like an outsized toast rack, the sorter also neatly holds other flat, rectangular objects, such as handbags and purses.

Available from: The Container Store (containerstore.com)

Zydeco File Sorter

Useful for: Storing files, mail, and magazines—and also folded button-down shirts. The Zydeco telescopes open and closes compactly.

Available from: Design Ideas (designideas.net)

Hooks and Pegs

Hand-Forged Outsized Iron Nails and Metal Pushpins

Useful for: Hanging clothes, bags, dish towels—anything you want to keep off the floor—as well as for pinning papers to bulletin boards and securing artwork.

Available from: Brook Farm General Store (brookfarmgeneralstore.com) and House of Antique Hardware (houseofantiquehardware.com)

Single Wooden Pegs

Useful for: Instant storage wherever you need it, such as in an entryway, inside a closet, or on a bedroom wall. We imported these from Germany; why aren’t they available everywhere?

Available from: Manufactum (manufactum.com)

S Hooks

Useful for: Looping on any rail or rod to create a hook. We use S hooks all over the house for hanging everything from dish towels to handbags.

Available from: Hardware and building supply stores in a range of sizes, metals, and finishes. The heavy brass example shown here (on far left) is from New York design company Sir/Madam (sirmadam.com).

Scout Regalia Powder-Coated Steel SR Wall Hooks

Useful for: Hanging jackets, baseball caps, and key rings while adding a bit of color. These industrial-chic hooks have a low profile and a strong presence.

Available from: Scout Regalia (scoutregalia.com) in six colors

The Dots from Muuto

Useful for: Introducing playful coat hooks and cabinet pulls that can be arranged in the pattern of your choosing. The Dots come in three sizes and twelve colors in addition to oiled oak (shown) and ash. And they feel great to the touch.

Available from: Muuto (muuto.com) and many retailers. Create a similar look with unfinished cabinet pulls from the Home Depot (homedepot.com).

Stropp Hanging Peg

Useful for: Holding scarves, hand towels, and rolled-up newspapers and magazines.

Available from: By Lassen (bylassen.com). Variations of this design are made by Mathilda Clahr (mathildaclahr.com) and Alice Tacheny (alicetacheny.com), among others.

Kitchen Containers

Glass Jars with Metal Screw Caps

Useful for: Storing herbs and spices in containers that line up like soldiers.

Available from: The small (2-ounce) jars are from art stores, such as Blick (dickblick.com), where they’re sold for mixing and storing paint. The taller (3-ounce) jars are from the Container Store (containerstore.com).

Weck Mold Jars

Useful for: Stackable, airtight storage. Designed in 1900 for preserving foods, Weck jars come in a range of sizes, all with wide mouths that are perfect for leftovers and decanted dry goods.

Available from: Weck (weckjars.com), Williams-Sonoma (williams-sonoma.com), and Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. (schoolhouseelectric.com), to name but a few retailers

Canning Jars

Useful for: Storing leftovers as well as batches of tomato sauce and jam.

Available from: Countless sources, including grocery and hardware stores. These are Korken jars from Ikea (ikea.com). For a full pantry organized around canning jars, see Blisshaus (blisshaus.com).

Glass Refrigerator Containers

Useful for: Storing leftovers. Popular since the days of the icebox, these versatile covered containers can also go from oven to table.

Available from: Anchor Hocking (shown in back; oneida.com) and Pyrex (pyrex.com), but only with plastic tops of late. We like the vintage all-glass versions (shown in front) that are plentiful—and affordable—on Etsy (etsy.com) and eBay (ebay.com). Search for “glass refrigerator jars.”

Biscuit Jars

Useful for: Storing flour, sugar, and other decanted pantry goods, including biscuits. Caveat: they’re heavier than plastic—but also nicer looking; good on a counter rather than a high shelf.

Available from: Anchor Hocking (oneida.com)

Tiffins

Useful for: Carrying multicourse lunches to school and work. Also ideal for storing leftovers.

Available from: Indian food markets, Amazon (amazon.com), and Food 52 (food52.com/shop)

Muji White Porcelain Storage Containers

Useful for: Affordable, plastic-free, stackable food storage that’s microwave and dishwasher safe. To keep track of contents, add washi tape labels.

Available from: Muji (muji.com/us), in three sizes

Baum Storage Canisters by Kinto

Useful for: Creating stackable, streamlined storage. The glass is heat resistant and the wooden lid is fitted with a silicone ring for an airtight seal.

Available from: Rakuten Global Market (global.rakuten.com/en) and Amazon (amazon.com)

Lab-Style Cylindrical Glass-Covered Containers

Useful for: Storing cotton balls, favorite earrings, and many other items.

Available from: Makié (makieclothier.com), pictured. Other sources include Muji (muji.com/us), Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. (schoolhouse.com), Dover Street Market (doverstreetmarket.com), and labware vendors (see Scientific/Labware Supply Stores).

Reusable Organic Cotton Mesh Produce Bags

Useful for: Breathable, plastic-free produce storage. Also handy for bringing to the market instead of using plastic bags.

Available from: Simple Ecology (simpleecology.com) and many vendors on Etsy (etsy.com) and Amazon (amazon.com)

Linen Bowl Covers

Useful for: Keeping salads, soups, leftovers, and other bowls of food fresh—and free of flies. Made of double layers of washable linen edged with elastic trim, the covers are a tight-fitting (but not airtight) alternative to disposable wraps.

Available from: Ambatalia (ambatalia.com) and Quitokeeto (quitokeeto.com)

Furoshiki Cloth

Useful for: Wrapping almost anything. Furoshiki is the centuries-old Japanese art of bundling: knot the ends to form a satchel for carrying produce from the market, and to serve as countertop storage. Also good as a gift-wrap alternative.

Available from: Ambatalia (ambatalia.com)

Glass Dispensers

Useful for: Filling with hand soap, dish soap, homemade cleaning solutions, and water.

Available from: Amazon (amazon.com), Bed Bath & Beyond (bedbathandbeyond.com), and Etsy (etsy.com). Metal pour spouts and other inserts are also available for standard glass bottles (new or recycled).

Rails, Racks, and Pegboards

Ikea Ekby Wooden Shelf and Metal Brackets

Useful for: Introducing a shelf wherever you need one. The metal brackets come in black as well as white; prices start at two dollars.

Available from: Ikea (ikea.com)

Block Pegboard

Useful for: Creating workbench-style storage all over the house (see an idea for the closet).

Available from: Block (blockdesign.co.uk)

Shaker Peg Rail

Useful for: Introducing simple storage in every room. The Shakers showed that anything with a loop can (and should) be hung.

Available from: The style shown here is from the Container Store (containerstore.com). Many other sources offer ready-made and custom peg rails, including Peg and Rail (pegandrailusa.com) and NH Woodworking (nhwoodworking.com).

Room & Board Spike Multiple Wall Hook

Useful for: Instant hanging power and presence. This powder-coated steel contemporary cousin to the Shaker rail comes in fourteen colors.

Available from: Room & Board (roomandboard.com)

Ikea Grundtal Stainless Steel Rails

Useful for: Suspending over the kitchen counter as a hanging rack for pots, pans, tools, and accessories. The Grundtal is one of Ikea’s cult items that has been artfully used in a range of culinary settings.

Available from: Ikea (ikea.com)

Riess Enamel Hanging Bars

Useful for: Storing metal ladles, skimmers, and other kitchen tools (which Riess of Austria also makes in white enamel). Riess rails can be put to other inventive uses, including as low-profile bathroom hand towel racks.

Available from: Labour and Wait (labourandwait.co.uk) and Objects of Use (objectsofuse.com)

Umbra Adjustable Metal Drapery Brackets and Unfinished Wooden Dowel

Useful for: Hanging inside a cabinet as a dispenser for rolls of garbage bags or paper towels.

Available from: Amazon (amazon.com) and Umbra (umbra.com)

Trays

Corin Mellor Willow Plywood Trays

Useful for: Serving food, assembling tableware, and creating a countertop bar. Corin Mellor’s rimmed design is intended as a “sophisticated version of the familiar canteen tray.”

Available from: David Mellor (davidmellordesign.com)

Fog Linen Trays

Useful for: Introducing a base of orderly pattern to a group of objects. Made of linen and polyester resin, these trays are light and water resistant, and come in three sizes.

Available from: Fog Linen (shop-foglinen.com)

Japanese Enamelware Trays

Useful for: Providing a clean, unobtrusive home for loose items anywhere in the house, both in drawers and cabinets and on view. These trays are at the top of our all-time favorite storage staples list.

Available from: The Good Design Store at Dover Street Market (in stores only)

Artist’s Palette Enamelware Trays

Useful for: Blending paint colors—and, like the more refined Japanese trays in the preceding entry, as anchors for everything from silverware to potted plants. Modeled after trays used by butchers, palette trays are easy to clean and durable (but be warned that they’re prone to rim chips).

Available from: Blick (dickblick.com). You can also find vintage examples by searching for “enamelware medical trays.”

Utility Storage

Manila and Wooden Tags

Useful for: Hanging a label on all sorts of things, such as baskets and bins, key racks, and donations of household goods.

Available from: Staples (staples.com) in classic manila and white, and sold as gift tags at the Container Store (containerstore.com)

Rubber Bucket Made from Recycled Tires

Useful for: Storing rolled-up bath towels and other small objects in an arresting, repurposed design.

Available from: Matsunoya (matsunoya.jp). Find a similar design at Baileys (baileyshome.com) and Viva Terra (vivaterra.com).

Stainless Steel Dock Cleats

Useful for: Hanging on walls and doors as hooks for towels, bathrobes, and marine canvas buckets filled with bath or utility products. Also good for securing Roman shade cords and other household pulleys.

Available from: West Marine (westmarine.com) and Amazon (amazon.com), among other sources

Tension Rods

Useful for: Hanging curtains, creating dividers within drawers, devising instant shoe shelves, and more: spring-loaded and expandable, tension rods can be put to countless DIY uses.

Available from: Amazon (amazon.com), the Home Depot (homedepot.com), and hardware and building supply stores

Niko Power Strip by Most Modest

Useful for: Replacing unsightly multiplug outlets. Extending from a hexagonal wooden base, the 10-foot cord is cloth-covered and kept orderly with a leather clip.

Available from: Most Modest (mostmodest.com)

Nautical Rope Storage Hammock

Useful for: Hanging in the bathroom and filling with bath toys. Storage hammocks have traditionally been used in sailors’ bunks for keeping essentials within easy reach (and allowing them to air-dry).

Available from: Best Made Co. (bestmadeco.com) and marine suppliers such as Defender (defender.com) and West Marine (westmarine.com)