diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ItemModal.vue b/frontend/src/components/ItemModal.vue
index 2be0896..c41c2e7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ItemModal.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ItemModal.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script setup>
 import { ref, watch } from 'vue'
 import { updateItem } from '../api.js'
+import { DONATION_STAGES, OTHER_STAGES, OUTBOUND_STAGES, UNSORTED_STAGES, STAGE_LABELS } from '../stages.js'
 
 const props = defineProps({ item: { type: Object, default: null } })
 const emit = defineEmits(['close', 'saved'])
@@ -11,13 +12,6 @@ const stage = ref('')
 const notes = ref('')
 const followUpDate = ref('')
 
-const DONATION_STAGES = ['new', 'replied', 'pickup_scheduled', 'picked_up', 'logged_in_bookmark']
-const OTHER_STAGES = ['new', 'done']
-const OUTBOUND_STAGES = [
-  'new', 'reviewed', 'outreach_drafted', 'outreach_sent',
-  'replied', 'pickup_scheduled', 'picked_up', 'logged_in_bookmark',
-]
-
 watch(() => props.item, (item) => {
   if (!item) return
   senderId.value = item.sender_id || ''
@@ -31,7 +25,7 @@ function stagesForType() {
   if (props.item?.direction === 'outbound') return OUTBOUND_STAGES
   if (type.value === 'donation') return DONATION_STAGES
   if (type.value === 'other') return OTHER_STAGES
-  return ['new']
+  return UNSORTED_STAGES
 }
 
 watch(type, () => {
@@ -71,7 +65,7 @@ async function save() {
 
       <label>Stage
         <select v-model="stage">
-          <option v-for="s in stagesForType()" :key="s" :value="s">{{ s }}</option>
+          <option v-for="s in stagesForType()" :key="s" :value="s">{{ STAGE_LABELS[s] || s }}</option>
         </select>
       </label>
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/stages.js b/frontend/src/stages.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6017832
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/stages.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+export const DONATION_STAGES = ['new', 'replied', 'pickup_scheduled', 'picked_up', 'logged_in_bookmark']
+export const OTHER_STAGES = ['new', 'done']
+export const OUTBOUND_STAGES = [
+  'new', 'reviewed', 'outreach_drafted', 'outreach_sent',
+  'replied', 'pickup_scheduled', 'picked_up', 'logged_in_bookmark',
+]
+export const UNSORTED_STAGES = ['new']
+
+export const STAGE_LABELS = {
+  new: 'New',
+  replied: 'Replied',
+  pickup_scheduled: 'Pickup Scheduled',
+  picked_up: 'Picked Up',
+  logged_in_bookmark: 'Logged in Bookmark',
+  done: 'Done',
+  reviewed: 'Reviewed',
+  outreach_drafted: 'Outreach Drafted',
+  outreach_sent: 'Outreach Sent',
+}
diff --git a/frontend/tests/stages.spec.js b/frontend/tests/stages.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd14d91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/tests/stages.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  DONATION_STAGES, OTHER_STAGES, OUTBOUND_STAGES, UNSORTED_STAGES, STAGE_LABELS,
+} from '../src/stages.js'
+
+describe('stages.js', () => {
+  it('exports the expected stage lists', () => {
+    expect(DONATION_STAGES).toEqual([
+      'new', 'replied', 'pickup_scheduled', 'picked_up', 'logged_in_bookmark',
+    ])
+    expect(OTHER_STAGES).toEqual(['new', 'done'])
+    expect(OUTBOUND_STAGES).toEqual([
+      'new', 'reviewed', 'outreach_drafted', 'outreach_sent',
+      'replied', 'pickup_scheduled', 'picked_up', 'logged_in_bookmark',
+    ])
+    expect(UNSORTED_STAGES).toEqual(['new'])
+  })
+
+  it('has a human-readable label for every stage across all lists', () => {
+    const allStages = new Set([
+      ...DONATION_STAGES, ...OTHER_STAGES, ...OUTBOUND_STAGES, ...UNSORTED_STAGES,
+    ])
+    for (const stage of allStages) {
+      expect(STAGE_LABELS[stage]).toBeTruthy()
+      expect(STAGE_LABELS[stage]).not.toBe(stage)
+    }
+  })
+})