My best organizational tools are my daily To Do List (just a notebook with my daily appointments, etc., listed), my toast-rack bill holder (write the date the bill is due on the envelope, pop it in the holder, pay as needed) and my More Time Mom's calendar (huge blocks for writing in and it runs 15 months). I also love my basement freezer, which makes buying in bulk so easy.

A tool? Wow....I will be interested in what folks list here....because for me, what I am lacking is incentive and determination.

Okay, well, this may be a bit radical for some of you out there, but I think my best organizational tool is simply to have less stuff! My husband and I both grew up in homes with pack-rat parents (still are to this day) and we both feel very strongly that owning too much stuff is just not good. So, we clean out and throw out and give away and recycle, etc, etc on a regular, weekly basis. Everything from clothing to toys that are no longer played with. Now, don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of areas that could use some organizing but this idea has really helped so much. Can't wait to hear more...this was a good question apoem!

Interesting question...

First fave tool: My palmtop planner (Palm Z22). I use it for everything from "to do" and shopping lists to reminding me to check the laundry after an hour - the alarm feature gets used a lot to keep me on track and help me to not forget what I've started. So I suppose that would be like a timer, kitchen or otherwise, only mine goes with me everywhere (fits in my pocket) and does all my scheduling and list-keeping too. :-)

Second fave tool: My dishwasher. My kitchen would never be clean or organized without it. I have lived without one (grew up without one, lived for a couple years on my own without one), and it's not something I ever plan to do again - ever. That's how much I hate washing dishes by hand. LOL

Third fave tool: Baskets. I know many people don't like baskets, but they are lifesaving organizing tools for me. I have small shallow baskets for my makeup drawer to corral those items, laundry baskets in the bottom of our closets for sorting clothes as we take them off, baskets for yarn, launch pad baskets for bills, magazine baskets, a basket for the remote controls, a tea basket, and anything else you could think of. They look nice, and I can take an area of total chaos and make it look organized and neat in about 5 minutes with a basket...I have lots of baskets. :-)

I have tons, but I'll mention the latest: the plastic "document case" or "project case"

Iris makes one you can buy at Staples & other stores like that. (plus at Stacks and Stacks)

Sometimes it's too big; I haven't had great luck finding the slimmer ones in a reliable place; i look at funky stationery stores and cheapo 99¢ type places

In my office area of the bedroom, I keep notepads, mailing envelopes, etc., in a rack on a shelf. They used to get so dusty. I now have a row of these cases on that shelf--easy to dust, and tidy looking. (Not particularly attractive--very utilitarian, but I don't mind).

I also lay them flat holding music on top of the piano. Keeps stuff from sliding around, getting dusty, etc.

A skinny one holds recipes in the kitchen, and another holds menus. Corralled, and easy to wipe clean.

Let's see:

Trays of All Sorts and Kinds: To contain tabletop or desktop or dresser-top clutter.

Boxes: Boy!! Those plastic boxes and containers have sure improved over the past ten years!! Couldn't manage with them!

Baskets: Still a popular item around here for corraling and containing so many daily use things!

The computer: Just to learn what new stuff is out there --- and save on gas --- and trips to the stores!

A measuring tape in my purse: Essential item!! Measure, measure, measure -- and don't waste an inch of any possible storage/decorating/living space!!

Just to name a few ............. (LOL!!!!)

File cabinet is my first favorite I would be overcome with disorganized papers without one. Next is probably to-do lists I would not remember much without a good list

By far, my More Time Moms calendar.

Then a dresser we keep in the dining area which holds most of the small items we seem to frequently need.

A niche which is fixed with hooks for all of the kid's coats, backpacks,etc. so they are out of the traffic flow, but not in a jumble in the closets.

Basic filing system for keeping records straight.

Otherwise, I haven't found any one gadget I can't live without or find something similar.

Gloria

If there was one thing I could not live without, it would be laundry hampers. They are essential for me keeping an organized house. I get a hamper and go from room to room removing items that don't belong there, and eventually in the circling through the house, drop the items back off in their right place.

After hampers, it's Sterlite boxes, binders, and the recycle bin. Also, pre-organizing is something I'm working on - which is really just quelling my urge to bring too much stuff into the house.

Everything teacats said. I would have written the exact same items.

There is one more item that I purchased at the dollar store. It is a lid rack that I use for my tupperware-type lids.

My PDA, most definitely. The alarms are a great feature for everything from remembering appointments to doing FlyLady's "you can do anything for 15 minutes" cleaning bits. I even download product manuals so I don't have to keep the ones that came with the item.