My Favorite Products from the NAPO2015 Conference

After a week of hosting family for a visit, then a week at NAPO2015 in Los Angeles, and then a week of trying to get my life back to normal, I’m finally able to start sharing all the good stuff I saw and learned about at the Vendor Expo!  Here are my Top 10 Vendors and Products/Services I wanted to share with you all!  

 

 

 

 

Here they are, in, really, no particular order: 

  

 

                                               

 

1) If you’re a fan of the T-Shirt Fold-n-file method (one of my most popular posts, by the way!), but still wish you were better at it or wanted your shirts to look even better, you must check out Pliio.  These devices help to fold and hold your shirts (whether in a drawer or on a shelf) in great shape!

 

2) ShelfScouter was there to talk about their web and mobile system that allows us to manage our pantry, our shopping list, and even execute some online shopping, all from one view point.  I know you know what it’s like to go shopping, see something and say, “Hmmm… do I have any of this at home?  I’m not sure. I should probably by this, just in case.”   ShelfScouter will help you look quickly and confidently at what you have, so you can make the smart decision!  There’s a free version, but the premium version has some exciting functionality, like reminding you when your inventory on certain products may be low, or reviewing you purchase history by date, or developing custom reminders. If grocery shopping is a BIG thing in your life, you’ll want to scout this one out. (See what I did there?)

 

 

 

 

3) The Wrap-IT gift Wrap holder was the winner in this year’s Organizer’s Choice Awards for Best Resdiential Product.  I love this product, and have one in my own home. (Only caveat: These don’t hold those big honkin’ fat and long rolls from Costco… but that’s probably more than you need to store year round anyway, right?) I love that all my items are organized, protected, and easy to find.  Check them out through my affiliate link, I think they’re running a 20% off your first order special right now! 

 

 

 

4) Not for all of us out there, but if you’re living in an urban setting with a much smaller storage space for your extensive wardrobe, the concept of the “off-site closet” that Garde Robe offers may be an interesting solution to your problems.  Have an online catalog of your clothes, stored in a well-protected offsite location and, within a couple of days, have your desired pieces delivered to you.  High end clients, like people who travel regularly, people with multiple homes, people who need to maintain a very formal wardrobe for events, might all enjoy having some support in this space. There are storage locations in a few cities around the world, but you don’t have to live in one of those cities to be a client. 

 

 

 

5) The Time Timer.  Oh, a favorite last year, and still a favorite!  I own a clock timer myself, but I don’t use it nearly as much as I use the phone or iPad app!  I use this with clients, but I actually use it more for managing my OWN time than my clients’. Even when I meet with people socially and they know I’m in a tight window for time, they get it that I use this app to help us subtly keep track of time without constantly checking the time and doing the math.   It’s a great tool for homes with children, (No more “5 more minutes!” over and over again, where you’re the one responsible for checking the time and being the enforcer), and for people with ADHD, where your relationship with time isn’t always an awesome one.  “I think this should only take 10 minutes” suddenly takes 20, and this tool can help you see what 10 really looks like.

 

 

 

6) Thinking about letting go of some of your higher end items, like designer purses, shoes, jewelry and accessories, but don’t know how to go about it?  Cash In My Bag was there to share their system and service. For a specific list of designers, they’ll purchase items from you. You submit your info on what you have, the condition, etc. and they’ll provide a quote, for which you can be paid, if you accept their offer.  Oh, by the way, it’s a nice place to SHOP for all those designer names, too… second hand, vetted and authenticated, great shape. I’m not a high-end bag lady m’self, but I know plenty of you out there are, and are trying to find a way to get some value out of them, after you’ve already gotten YOUR value out of them.

 

 

 

7) ClosetMaid’s premium laminate adjustable storage pieces I discovered last year, but this year, they have a woodgrain-like look to them. It really helps continue to make their products less “inside the closet and laundry room” and more “living and family room” furniture every day!  The adjustable nature takes the cube functionality and allows you to tailor it to larger or smaller items…  something most cube storage solutions could never dream of giving you! Their Suite Symphony system and ShelfTrack systems are great way to do a plan and design a fully customized system inside your closets or storage areas, and their new Natural Gray or the Espresso color is a great way to get past the all-white look of so many other systems out there. 

 

 

 

8) Monkey Bar Storage had a great display, and continues to remind me of all the versatility and functionality that a great utility-wall storage system can bring so many homes.  Garages and basements are the easy areas that come to mind, from sports equipment to lawn and yard tools to workbenches and tools to out-of-the-way (like above your head!) storage systems.  These can either be dealer designed and installed, or you can DIY, purchasing through their own site, or through big box hardware stores or Amazon. 

 

 

 

                                              

9) Another functional storage and shelving option was the Origami Rack product line.  This is a super durable metal rack system and products comes fully assembled, and hinge open into place.  Now… you might think “Ooh, it folds up, so I can store it easily”, and, while that is true, I think the benefit of the folding is that you really need no skills to assemble this, and it’s up in a breeze.  If these interest you, let me know… I came home with a great product catalog I’ve been perusing through, with organizer-friendly pricing. 

 

 

 

10) NEET Products was there to show us all about their cable organizers, whether for organizing large entertaining systems or for a better cover for your earbuds.  As a company and a product line, they’re still a bit young so not all of their products are out and available yet, but it was exciting to see where they are planning to go with this ever-growing need in the house!  (They really kept telling me all about how it is good for protecting wires from kitties, and kitties from wires… )

 

 

 

BONUS: Finally, this one wasn’t a product or service, but it was very cool:  TARGET was there, with people from their product design and development team, to talk to professional organizers about what we’d LOVE to see designed for products that our clients need in their homes! How awesome was it that they came to US to get all of our ideas and input, to help them develop better-informed product lines to help with organization in the future?  Very cool, Target.  Very cool.

 

 

 

 

So, what do you think?

Can you imagine making a change in the productivity of your home or office with any of these items?

 

 

(author’s note: all photos were copied from the original manufacturer’s website and marketing resources pages,

with the exception of the Time Timer, taken by me)