Professional Organizer Megan Golightly Shares Her Top 10 Must-Have Products

If you’re familiar with my work, you know that I’m a big fan of simplicity—my business is GoSimplified, after all. I’m a professional organizer with a lifelong fascination with how our brains work, reinforced by my degree in psychology. I link neuroscience with personal organization to help create homes that function well and create contentment.  

Everyone has that space in their home that desperately needs organizing. I’ve travelled all over the continent to help people and see many of the same challenges—the catch-all closet, overflowing junk drawer, disorganized pantry and homes overrun with stuff that are causing undue stress.

My job is to help people remove the anxiety they might be feeling about their homes by decluttering and setting up systems, or “towns” as I like to call them, to organize their home. So, while you’ll often find me helping clients, like Jillian Harris or Jann Arden, purge and remove things in their home, there are a few products that are a must to bring in. Take it from me—the work is worth it, because with organization, comes freedom and the time to enjoy it.

Ahead of my upcoming appearance at the Vancouver Fall Home Show, here are my top 10 favourite products that can help anyone tackle their next home organization project:

a label maker. I help my clients follow the proverbial saying, “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Once your home is organized with everything in its place, labels increase the chances of it staying this way! Most homes are shared by more than one person and therefore labels are an easy way for everyone to succeed when it comes to knowing where to find things and return items as well.

woven wicker basket bins. We all have things that we aren’t sure where or how to store, like toilet paper in a bathroom with no storage solution. These baskets are perfect for those items! With a closed lid and different sizes, you’ll be able to find lots of ways to utilize these bins. 

handheld cordless vacuum. I use my handheld vacuum more than my regular vacuum. These are perfect for those hard to reach messes and small jobs. It’s also my go-to vacuum for my car while on the go!   

nellie’s laundry soap. If you follow me on social, you know I’m a fan of Nellie’s products. They’re Canadian and eco-friendly. At the top of the list, is Nellie’s laundry soap. As a parent, I’m constantly doing laundry and Nellie’s formula is super concentrated—making it take up less space!—and the tin is refillable which means that I can re-purpose it to store other items.

spice jars. Take away the guessing game of wondering whether or not you have any cumin or fennel seeds by creating a space in your kitchen for spice jars! These popular jars can be labeled either on the top of the jar or the side, depending on where you’re keeping them.  

zipper mesh file bags. Especially if you have kids, you’ll want to take a closer look at these zipper pouches. Perfect for keeping puzzle pieces organized, magnetic tiles, diapers, books, cards, board games pieces and even board games! No more broken, bulky boxes that take up lots of room.

airtight food storage containers. Think about the cupboards that you open up every single day, do they bring you anxiety? It’s all about the containers! Leave the overflow for the back and the stuff you use everyday you bring to the front. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with clear, airtight containers for your dry goods.

storage & pull-out cabinet organizers. Don’t be intimidated to try these! These storage and pull-out cabinet organizers make any deep cupboard much easier to access. They come in a number of different sizes and make cabinet organization so much easier. It takes five minutes to install and all you need is a drill.

cube storage bins. A square storage bin is probably the most popular type of container that I use with my clients. While I always recommend slowing down to do some calculations first to ensure the storage container you’re selecting is the right size for what you need, these are multipurpose, light and fit in many standard spaces.

lazy susan storage tray. A lazy susan can be a game changer in the right space. Turntables on the corner of your desk, your make-up counter or pantry can provide a simple but effective storage solution! Think about your fridge, how many things go bad when they’re at the back of your fridge?

If you would like to hear more from me, please come down to The Sleep Country Main Stage at the Vancouver Fall Home Show happening October 20 to 23 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Presented by Nellie’s, I’ll be speaking on the cost of clutter and why you have a hard time letting go of things on Saturday, October 22 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, October 23 at 12 p.m. I’ll also be appearing at the Nellie’s booth for meet and greets after each of my presentations. Come say hello! For more information, or to buy tickets online, visit vancouverfallhomeshow.com. —Megan Golightly