Toys strewn across the floor. Dressers overflowing with unfolded clothes. Cluttered kitchen drawers. That's where professional organizer Collette Shine comes to the rescue.
"A good general tip is to start with the very common areas of your space, the place that you are all the time," said Shine.
Consumer Reports ShopSmart consulted with professionals like Shine to find the latest tidying tools.
Ever search frantically through a kitchen drawer trying to find the right utensil? The DrawerDecor system for $26 holds your utensils in place so they don't slip.
"It comes in one size, but you cut that size down to fit any size kitchen drawer," said Sue Perry, deputy editor, Consumer Reports ShopSmart Magazine.
When traveling, do you end up throwing all your gadgets into your suitcase? Try the Grid-It instead, a case that organizes your phones, cameras and cords. It comes in different sizes, ranging from $10 to $50.
Would you like to banish messy dresser drawers? Then consider the cool clothing filers from Pliio for $50.
"You fold the item over that card and then you tuck it into a little box that the Pliio system comes with," said Perry. "So all your T-shirts are all lined up in a row, and you can pull it out without messing up the whole pile."
Tired of stepping over tiny toys? With the Lay-n-Go play mat for $65, you pull a drawstring and everything's in a tidy pouch.
Just a few handy items like these can go a long way to getting your clutter under control.
ShopSmart also asked couples, Who's the messiest? Thirty-nine percent of men say they are. The number was lower for women, but still sizable at 26 percent.
And what are the two out-of-place things that drive people the craziest? Bills and keys.
