Over the last several weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to read the highlights of five of the sessions at this year’s NAPO Conference. Today we wrap up the series, as Clare Kumar describes some of the fabulous products that were on display at the Organizing Expo.

The National Association of Professional Organizers Conference was held in the sublime and sometimes surreal city of New Orleans in April earlier this year.  It has been on my list of cities to visit for some time so I jumped at the chance to attend my third conference both as an attendee and as an exhibitor. Those who attended may recall the bright lights of Washington DC organizer, Scott Roewer, who not only shot great interviews from the expo, but also helped me capture some testimonial footage.

For folks who haven’t attended, the Expo is an opportunity for purveyors of organizing and productivity products and services to demonstrate and discuss their wares with the keenest cross-section of consumers, NAPO members.  The Expo is divided into two categories… those with deeper pockets set up 10X10 or greater booths in the “Corporate” section and those with not so deep pockets man a table or two or three in the “Marketplace”. Note – only those in the Corporate section are eligible for awards. No matter where you spend time at the event, you are sure to come across new and interesting products you and your clients will love.

Here are a few highlights:

Consumer Products

It was fantastic to see Fellowes showcasing their stylish Bankers Box line for Home Organization. I had recently used a few of their pretty yet practical storage boxes in a closet makeover for one of Canada’s national newspapers. Once simply designed in a utilitarian style for the office, patterns and prints make the new lines perfect for any room.

ClosetMaid showcased their latest offering in their professionally installed MasterSuite line – a complete closet system in sumptuous Chocolate Pear finish.

Speaking of organizing ‘maids’ we love, Rubbermaid showcased some of the items I had seen when visiting the Chicago Home and Housewares Show in March.  Take a gander at the All Access Organizers – storage containers which have sides that flip to provide access without moving the box, the Reveal Power Scrubber and the new, compellingly clear Modular Canisters which makes me want to upgrade all of mine. It’s nice to see the All Access Organizers promoted in Canada through a Facebook contest. (ends July 31, 2013).

I first came across Organizables in 2012 in Chicago and loved the simplicity of it. If your child will wear pre-chosen clothes (mine wouldn’t) then this is a great solution to wardrobe plan and make mornings a little simpler.  The bags zip closed making the whole outfit easy to carry from one place to another.

I enjoyed newcomers “What’s that Paint?” with their simple yet effective solution for labelling paint cans. I suggested they make a size suitable for mason jars as it’s often best to transfer paint from the can to a smaller container to reduce the amount of air inside, and to save storage space.

Business Products

Here are a few highlights from the business products showcased at the Expo:

ACCO Brands is a familiar face at the Expo representing their ever-expanding line-up of office products brands including Swingline® and its suite of workplace tools such as the iconic red stapler and the effortless Optima 20 electric stapler. ACCO Brands is also the company behind cutting edge ergonomic devices from Kensington®, a comprehensive collection of Quartet® display boards, notebooks from favourites FiveStar®, Hilroy and many more. I would bet almost every office in North America has an ACCO Brands product.

Staples Better® Removable Ring Binders …they hang like files in a filing cabinet. Robust binders are essential if you are in and out of them often. But what if you want to archive the contents? No need for the space hungry binder, simply remove the rings and file in your filing system.  Available in the US.

Smead Heavyweight Vertical File Folders turned things not quite upside down, but half way there with the introduction of file folders with tabs on the short end, allowing you to file papers in a portrait view instead of the traditional landscape. This is ideal for those who are using backpacks or narrower bags for work and school.

As you can see from the variety of products showcased above, no matter what kind of organizing or productivity consulting you offer, you will be able to boost your knowledge of the latest innovations and wow your clients.  Anyone who has attended an EXPO will likely concur that it’s worth allowing some extra space (and weight) in your suitcase to take home awesome product giveaways. I hope to see you at a future NAPO Expo.