Those of us who have disorganized friends and family members can take special joy in the holidays. This is one of our few legitimate opportunities to help them get it together-without appearing naggy.
Thanks to the heap of organizational and storage products available, we can wrap up our concern for unclogging and uncluttering their lives, and disguise the message that we simply can’t stand to look at their mess anymore.
But you can’t do it with mere wire hangers or an assemble-it-yourself, ersatz wood file cabinet that comes in a flat box missing half the instructions. You’ve got to be creative.
If you don’t have time to put the imagination in high gear, simply find the right catalogs and the right stores.
Lillian Vernon
For those on a budget, the Lillian Vernon catalog is a good place to start, and a lot of people already know that. According to Kevin Green, marketing director for Lillian Vernon, organizational products are among the catalog’s strongest categories, representing 5 to 10 percent of sales.
The recent catalog includes a wide assortment of such products. Several ingenious ones: a cordless, wall-mounted fluorescent light (No. 957127, $9.98, batteries not included) to illuminate dark and, therefore, never-used, closet and attic space; an acrylic pet treat box (No. 404827, $12.98) that can be engraved with the pet’s name and is a clever way to cover your favorite pet owner and his pet with a single gift; and a greeting card organizer (No. 723027, $12.98), a floral-patterned laminated board box equipped with tab dividers that’s an attractive filing system for people who stockpile and send a lot of cards. (Lillian Vernon catalog, call 1-804-430-5555.)
Hold Everything
Hold Everything is the gold standard, though, when it comes to catalogs that have a wide assortment of get-it-together products. (There is also a store at 700 N. Michigan Ave.)
Some of the products that we liked best: a water-resistant, nylon gym tote (No. 53-555722, $39), which unfolds for hanging over a shower rod and has a compartmented organizer that lifts out for sink-side use; a house journal (No. 52-724963, $9.95) to record important numbers, warranty records and financial information; wall-mounted birch hat hooks (No. 52-621268, $18 each) that are as pretty as they are functional; and a maple coffee table whose top opens to reveal space for stashing magazines and books (No. 53-647941, $195 in the current catalog); and a whole assortment of cedar hangers ($18 to $22 for a set of three). (Hold Everything, 1-800-421-2264.)
Levenger catalog
The Levenger catalog is a great source for dignified-looking home office and library items-the kind you won’t find in the average office supply or stationery store.
Levenger’s desk organizer and project boxes are particularly attractive.
The project boxes offer lots of compartments, in various configurations, some with drawers. The organizer is the same idea, but with drawers specifically sized to store 3 1/2-inch computer diskettes. The project boxes and the organizer are made of wood, and they come with finished backs. Prices start at $129. (Levenger catalog, 1-800-544-0880.)
Picture these
Picture frames, colorful photo file boxes and photo albums are an idea for people who haven’t gotten around to sorting out snapshots of the kids, the last vacation, or maybe the kids and the vacation and everything before, after and in between.
One really good catalog for photo-related items: Exposures (1-800-222-4947). Along with a wide selection of frames-including the pre-matted variety-this catalog sells embossed leather-covered and wood-covered photo albums (from $44), wall-hung curio cabinets (from about $100) and wall-hung wood and metal display shelves (from $34).
Stores to check out
Stores you may not have thought of that carry affordable organizational products:
– Waccamaw and Pier I Imports, with locations throughout the Chicago area: Great for wicker baskets, wood boxes/caddies/shelves. Waccamaw also stocks a wide assortment of decorative metal tins. Shop sooner rather than later at Pier I-this store often has one-time-only shipments.
– T J Maxx and Marshalls: Good selection of cosmetics bags.
– The Bombay Company: In wood: letter caddies, treasure boxes, plate racks, jewelry wardrobes, magazine racks. In leather: desk accessories and treasure chests.
