Henry & Higby

home organizing

What to Buy: For Organized Travel

Annie & MichelleComment

Spring Break is right around the corner and, while we are all excited about the prospect of escaping winter in the city for a little bit, one thing that stands in our way - packing. Whether you are packing for the family or just packing for yourself, it’s not the most fun but we have found a few tools and products that will make it a more organized process and perhaps a little more fun.

CATEGORY: Toiletries

Everyone has the drill down of containing liquids in a quart size bag, but for the rest of our toiletries, it is nice to house them in something that is aesthetically a bit more pleasing. Hanging travel bags are a great option as you never know how much counter-top space is going to be available in hotels. The Leatherology Hanging Travel Bag or West Elm Hanging Toiletry Kit offer a hanging option. The Cuyana Travel Case Set provides ample space for all of your travel needs and has a lovely smaller version for your purse. 

CATEGORY: Makeup

We all carry it and can agree it is probably the most important thing to contain. Everyone has experienced that broken eye shadow that conveniently coats all loose items in your purse. Truffle and Paravel have zipper cases that include transparency into the pouch so you can quickly grab what is needed. The Calpak Hardshell Vanity Suitcase is helpful because you never have to worry about your makeup being damaged with the hard casing. 

CATEGORY: Packing Cubes

Our favorite go-to item for organization when it comes time to get the suitcase out. Most packing cubes have a compression feature and excess air can be eliminated. You will actually have room to pack more. They also prevent overpacking. By assigning each cube a category such as one for clothing, one for sleepwear, etc. you cannot add more than what fits in the cube. We love the ones from Paravel and they even make a set just for shoes. They just launched a line of negative nylon that are 100% made from plastic water bottles. Eagle Creek makes fantastic ones because they compress to eliminate excess air and are water repellent. There are several advantages to cube packing.

CATEGORY: Jewelry

Packing jewelry can be hard. There are so many small bits and pieces. We find it best to invest in a case that has separate components for all the different parts. Find a case that has hole cut outs is great to keep earrings intact. We like the Jewelry Binder from Pottery Barn for shorter trips where you only need a few options. The other challenge is keeping long necklaces from tangling, this Mark & Graham case has individual snap and pouches to keep them separated. If you are partial to large chunky pieces such as bangles, the Cuyana Jewelry Case has ample room for all your favorites. 

Happy Organized Travels! 

Check out our other what to buy posts here, here and here.

What to Buy : Organizing Big Toys

OrganizationAnnie & MichelleComment
Henry+%26+Higby+How+to+Organize+Big+Toys

Clockwise from Top Left: Basket Lady | The Home Edit | Serena & Lily | The White Company | West Elm | Ikea | Serena & Lily | Ikea

Little kids come with big toys especially around the holidays and we are often asked how to organize them. Thankfully the years of “big” toys are numbered but that doesn’t make it any easier to contain them. So, outside of throwing them all out – and we aren’t totally opposed to that option (!), we have a few ideas on how to make it a little easier to keep them a little neater in the meantime. 

Happy Organizing!

Open Shelving (Ikea)

Open shelving is a great way to keep larger toys, cars/trucks, etc. off the floor. This option from Ikea is great because it is easy on the eyes and wallet and it is lower to the ground and therefore not as easy to turn tip. 

Enclosed Cabinet (Ikea)

If space allows, the PAX system has a 22” deep cabinet and it comes with hinge and/or sliding doors that make it easier to keep bigger toys out of sight – and maybe even out of mind for at least a little bit. 

Rolling Baskets (Serena & Lily | The Home Edit)

Rolling baskets are great for keeping toys hidden and portable which can be helpful in smaller spaces. From stuffed animals to sports balls, rolling baskets provide the ease to move the toys between different spaces in your home.  

Big Baskets (Serena & Lily | The White Company)

If containing big blocks and other toys are one of your issues, big baskets such as these options are a great option for keeping them contained and neat. Plus there is a lid to keep them completely concealed if you need to store them in shared space such as a living room or kitchen. 

Underbed Storage (Baskets Lady | West Elm)

When in doubt, underbed storage is a great option to maximize underutilized space. This is a wonderful option for children that have anything from a toddler bed or larger and can house items such as board games and dolls.

For more of our favorite organizing products, you can check out more of our favorite products here.