The 12 Best Things to Buy at Muji

Muji is a masterclass in thoughtful design at reasonable prices. Everything they make solves a specific problem with zero excess. Walking into one of their stores is an exercise in restraint—you'll want everything, but focusing on their standout categories yields the best return on investment.

The polypropylene storage boxes are Muji's most iconic product for good reason. Modular, stackable, and semi-translucent, they bring order to drawers, closets, and shelves without looking clinical. The half-size and quarter-size options fit inside the larger ones like nesting dolls.

Their gel ink pens at $1.75 each write more smoothly than pens costing five times as much. The 0.5mm tip in black is the go-to, but the full color range makes them ideal for journaling or note-taking. Buy a dozen and scatter them throughout your apartment.

The cotton canvas sneakers at around $30 are Muji's sleeper hit. Clean white, minimal branding, and comfortable enough for all-day wear. They won't last as long as Common Projects, but at one-tenth the price, you can replace them seasonally without guilt.

Muji's skincare line—particularly the Sensitive Skin toning water and moisturizing milk—offers Japanese formulation quality at drugstore prices. Fragrance-free, minimal ingredients, and effective. The pump bottles last months with daily use.

The aromatic diffuser is compact, quiet, and looks like an actual design object rather than a gadget. Pair it with their essential oil blends—the hinoki cypress is particularly good—for a subtle, natural room scent that beats any candle for consistency.

Their travel-sized containers and pouches solve packing better than anything at a drugstore. The silicone tubes don't leak, the clear cases pass TSA without drama, and the snap-button organization pouches keep cables and chargers separated. Stock up before any trip.