Ahh, the bathroom—a space you spend a ton of time in, but maybe not so much time organizing because it seems like too big of an undertaking. Sure, a giant bathroom with tons of drawers, cabinets, and other places to hide our toiletries sounds amazing, but that’s not often the reality. However, having a smaller bathroom space doesn’t have mean that all of your personal items need to be left out on the counter, or constantly falling out of over-stuffed cabinets. There are some easy ways to make sure everything can be put away neatly, while still being easily accessible when you’re in a rush.
Start with a toiletry purge
We all have those quarter-full bottles of old shampoo, product we tried and didn’t like, or free samples we scored at a department store but have never touched. If you’re actually looking for one, that’s your sign to get rid of those things ASAP. The simplest way to do this without getting caught up in a cycle of “but will I need this in the future” is to think about whether you’ve used (or even thought about) it in the last three months. If the answer is no, it’s a must go! But remember, tossing doesn’t have to be a wasteful thing. If the bottle is almost empty, rinse out the product and recycle the packaging if you can. If the product is practically full, check in with friends or family to see if they’d be interested in sampling it for themselves. They may just find their new favorite product!
Move non-essentials out of the bathroom to another space
The bathroom can easily become a landing place for items that don’t necessarily belong there. Medicines, lotions, ointments and other like items can be just as functionally placed in other areas of the house – think the kitchen, or a bedroom – especially if those rooms have more space in general. Another easy option is to put a storage bin under the bottom shelf of your linen closet, effectively making a drawer for products that don’t need to live in the bathroom but are nice to have handy nearby.
Get smart about bathroom organization
If you don’t have a medicine cabinet, it may be time to seriously consider one. But we’re not talking about a medicine chest of yester-year. There are so many stylish options that are a far cry from the outdated medicine cabinets of the past. Take this one from West Elm — it’s super sleek, modern and has a ton of space for all of your bathroom belongings.
You’ll also want to think about utilizing and maximizing your bathroom cabinet space. Baskets have become a popular organizational method, but they can sometimes make it difficult to see what you’re actually keeping in there. Multi-level organizers like this one can make everything easy to find, at a glance, and even add a bit of style (just because it’s in your cabinet, doesn’t mean it has full reign to be an eyesore) These types of under-cabinet organizers come in a ton of different configurations and sizes and can really make a difference in your product organization — plus, they make things less hectic when looking for a specific item but are short on time.
Consider solution-based products
Making things easier, simpler, and more conducive to a busy lifestyle is all the rage in product creation these days. If you’re holding out, it may be time to take advantage. Our product, MultiShape, does all that and more by taking several of your personal grooming devices and replacing them with one simple system—a singular base with you-choose attachments for your basic grooming needs. This allows you to get rid of some bulk and keep only the necessities in one convenient pouch.
Let counter organizers become part of your décor
Toothbrush holders, cotton swab jars and Kleenex boxes used to come in outdated matching sets. But thankfully there are a lot of new, modern options to make these functional pieces really work with your décor. Using a simple and sleek set like this one from West Elm gives you the benefit of an organized vanity, all in a polished, cohesive look. In a pinch, these containers can also act as emergency storage when you need to hide your clutter quick.
Sure, cleaning up and organizing your bathroom may not be the most fun thing ever, but taking the steps to make your space cleaner and less cluttered brings you one step closer to making your daily routine more efficient.
