Almost everyone owns at least one. It is the tall plastic cart with the little drawers, sometimes on wheels, sold at stores like Walmart and tucked into closets and corners in plenty of homes. According to one professional organizer, it is also the organizing product to hate the most.
The organizer behind the Clutterbug YouTube channel put together a list of 15 common products that never make it into a professional organizer’s home. The credentials are worth noting. Clutterbug says a container store sent over all of its products to try for three years, and that hundreds of clients have been helped to organize their homes along the way. The organizer’s own house is mostly set up with really cheap stuff, because spending a lot of money is not the goal.
The Plastic Drawer Cart
This is the one at the top of the list, and the feelings run strong. Clutterbug says it would be tempting to have a bonfire and burn them all. The complaint is that these carts always become “clutter catchers,” and there are three reasons.
- The drawers do not open wide enough to store anything really useful.
- Put anything even remotely heavy inside and the drawers sag, so you cannot open the one below.
- They are not cleanable, because you cannot easily remove the drawers.
The end result, according to Clutterbug, is a “doom cart” that nobody is totally sure the contents of, shoved into a closet or corner where it adds to the clutter. The better option is plain, cheap shelving with some bins on top. It is affordable, actually useful, and the bins will last forever.
Flimsy Products That Cost More in the Long Run
A running theme in the list is that cheap organizers often cost more over time because they have to be replaced.
Take the honeycomb fabric drawer dividers meant for socks and underwear. Clutterbug admits to having bought them. They rip easily and they collapse. The advice is to save your money and just put your things in the drawer.
Pop-up laundry hampers get the same treatment. They are so flimsy and thin that the handles rip off, and Clutterbug says you will not get even six months out of one. Replacing an organizing system every six months, the argument goes, adds up to far more than buying something good in the first place.
The same math applies to a five dollar item. It only costs five dollars, but next year you have to buy another, and another. For ten dollars, Clutterbug says, you could have gotten a good quality hard plastic or wood version that would have lasted forever.
More Things the Organizer Skips
The list covers a lot of ground. Here are a few more that made the cut.
- Toy boxes. Clutterbug says they should never be an option for kids’ toys because they are mess makers.
- Build-it-yourself cube organizers. The complaint is that they take forever to put together and then fall apart. Wood cube shelving from Closet Maid is mentioned as an affordable alternative that may be about ten dollars cheaper than the cube shelving at Walmart, though the point is that a cheaper option is a waste if it does not work.
- Pre-bought spice racks. Clutterbug calls them a huge waste of space and suggests making your own custom system for flexibility.
- Coat trees. If you do not have a closet in your entryway, do not buy one.
- Fridge bins. They take up so much room in the fridge, and the little drawers in front that drop down often will not stay up.
What the Organizer Does Like
It is not all complaints. Clutterbug names a few products that earn a thumbs up: velvet hangers, which keep clothes from slipping off, a pant clip hanger, and suction hooks.
How to Shop Smarter Before You Buy Another Organizer
Whether or not you agree with every item, the list offers a handy way to think before you buy. A few questions can save a lot of money and closet space.
- Do I already have too much stuff? Organizing products are a poor cure for clutter. Sort and donate first, then see what you actually need to store.
- Will it still work in a year? If it rips, sags or collapses easily, the low price may not be a bargain.
- Can I clean it? Anything that holds crumbs, dust or spills should come apart or wipe down easily.
- Does it fit my actual space? A custom setup you build with simple shelves and bins can beat a pre-bought system with no flexibility.
If you own a drawer cart that has turned into a dumping ground, you do not have to burn it. Empty it out, decide what is truly worth keeping, and think about whether a plain shelf with a few bins would do the job better. For many households, it is a cheap fix that could free up a corner you had forgotten about.
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