Ever wanted your React packing list to feel smarter and more user-friendly? 😎 In this post, we’ll add a simple yet powerful sorting feature that lets users reorder their items by input order, description, or packed status — all with one fun dropdown! 🎒
🧠 The Idea
When building a packing list, it’s easy to lose track of things as your list grows. That’s why sorting is so helpful! We’ll give users three options:
- 📝 Sort by Input Order – items appear in the order you added them
- 🔤 Sort by Description – alphabetical order
- 🎒 Sort by Packed Status – packed items grouped together
It’s a small feature that makes a huge difference in usability and polish. 💎
⚙️ The Logic Behind It
We’ll use a simple React state to handle sorting:
con...Ever wanted your React packing list to feel smarter and more user-friendly? 😎 In this post, we’ll add a simple yet powerful sorting feature that lets users reorder their items by input order, description, or packed status — all with one fun dropdown! 🎒
🧠 The Idea
When building a packing list, it’s easy to lose track of things as your list grows. That’s why sorting is so helpful! We’ll give users three options:
- 📝 Sort by Input Order – items appear in the order you added them
- 🔤 Sort by Description – alphabetical order
- 🎒 Sort by Packed Status – packed items grouped together
It’s a small feature that makes a huge difference in usability and polish. 💎
⚙️ The Logic Behind It
We’ll use a simple React state to handle sorting:
const [sortBy, setSortBy] = useState("input");
Then, based on the user’s choice, we’ll apply a different sorting method:
if (sortBy === "input") sortedItems = items;
if (sortBy === "description") sortedItems = items.slice().sort(...);
if (sortBy === "packed") sortedItems = items.slice().sort(...);
Whenever the user changes the dropdown, the component re-renders and displays the updated order — instantly and smoothly ⚡
🎨 The Sorting Dropdown
Below your list, just add a dropdown for sorting options:
<select>
<option value="input">📝 Sort by Input Order</option>
<option value="description">🔤 Sort by Description</option>
<option value="packed">🎒 Sort by Packed Status</option>
</select>
Now your users can control how they view their list — and it looks great too! ✨
🎉 Final Result
Your packing list app now supports:
- 🧺 Easy sorting
- 🔤 Clean alphabetical order
- 🎒 Grouped packed items
A simple dropdown turns a basic app into a polished experience that feels professional and satisfying to use. 🙌
❤️ Wrap-Up
This sorting feature is proof that small touches can elevate your app’s UX. You don’t always need big frameworks or complex libraries — just thoughtful interaction and clean logic.