Surprising Home Items Pro Organizers Refuse to Buy

From wicker baskets to label makers, these are the storage solutions the pros avoid.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 11:51pm

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Professional organizers share the common home organizing items they avoid, including "pretty" storage solutions that sacrifice function, shelving units without adjustable shelves, niche-purpose organizers, toy bins on a slant, stacked plastic drawers, free-standing coat racks, bed frames with built-in drawers, over-the-toilet shelving units, wooden hangers, and label makers.

Why it matters

As people declutter and organize their homes, it's important to choose storage solutions that are functional, durable, and fit the specific needs of the space. The insights from professional organizers can help consumers avoid wasting money on organizing products that may look nice but ultimately don't serve their purpose well.

The details

According to the professional organizers interviewed, they steer clear of storage solutions that "sacrifice function for form," like tapered bins that waste space, wicker baskets that snag clothes, and heavy or fragile containers. They also avoid shelving units without adjustable shelves, niche-purpose organizers that most people won't use, toy bins on a slant that allow toys to fall out, stacked plastic drawers that break easily, free-standing coat racks that just accumulate more stuff, bed frames with built-in drawers that are limiting, over-the-toilet shelving units that can be awkward, wooden hangers that are bulky, and label makers that aren't always necessary. The experts recommend focusing on basic, adaptable storage like drawers, shelves, and cabinets.

  • The article was published on February 24, 2026.

The players

Laura Kinsella

Founder of Urban Organyze, a professional organizing service.

Julie Stobbe

Professional organizer at Mind Over Clutter.

Maeve Richmond

Founder of the organizing coaching service Maeve's Method.

Rachel Rosenthal

Professional organizer at Rachel and Company.

Jeni Aron

Professional organizer known as the Clutter Cowgirl.

Amelia Meena

Founder and professional organizer at Appleshine.

Marla Kabashima

Interior designer.

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What they’re saying

“When it comes to storage, I avoid solutions that sacrifice function for form. This includes tapered bins that waste precious shelf space, wicker baskets that snag clothes and excessively heavy or super fragile containers.”

— Laura Kinsella, Founder of Urban Organyze

“I stay away from shelving units and cupboards without adjustable shelves. The items people want to store vary in size and height, so the shelves need to be adaptable.”

— Julie Stobbe, Professional organizer at Mind Over Clutter

“If a company went out of their way to create something to fill a niche, I avoid it, as I find that most people never organize that way — we crave basic ways to get organized, like drawers, shelves and cabinets.”

— Maeve Richmond, Founder of Maeve's Method

“These may be cheap, but they just don't last; I always find that they break. They also get dirty very easily, and can be difficult to open.”

— Rachel Rosenthal, Professional organizer at Rachel and Company

“A coat rack is a monster that just keeps growing. Instead, hang just a couple hooks, and store other coats, scarves and hats out of sight.”

— Jeni Aron, The Clutter Cowgirl

The takeaway

By heeding the advice of professional organizers, consumers can avoid wasting money on storage solutions that may look appealing but ultimately fail to meet their organizational needs. The key is to focus on functional, adaptable products that maximize space and simplify the decluttering process, rather than getting caught up in aesthetics alone.