Day 17: how to organize your bathroom

How to organize your bathroom:

Do you love the look and feel of your bathroom or do you feel like it keeps accumulating more “things”, but not with space?  The bathroom is where you start out your day, so we need it to give us a positive feeling when we walk in. It takes a handful of items each day to get ready, but most times, don’t we just have more than we ever need under our bathroom sink?
Today we will take just a few steps to organize that bathroom so that when you walk in, you have a feeling of peace and not a feeling of stress.

Step 1: Grab a garbage bag (or two!) and a box.
Start with one drawer at a time.  Here is what you are going to do.
Put it in the bag.….  if it is old (makeup has to be used by a certain time to prevent infections), expired (sunscreens) or items that you haven’t used it in over a year (you could do less time, but I’m being generous here).
Put it in the box..… if it belongs somewhere else.
ex: Medicine- goes back to the medicine box (in your kitchen, probably), unless it is something that is used daily.   Another example: nail clippers- I keep mine together with tweezers in a sorted box.  Do this with every drawer and under the cabinets.  This will take you a while, so if you have to come back to it, just do a drawer or two at a time.

Step 2: Organize like items.
I have a few boxes.  I keep all of my hair products in one box.  I keep my perfumes & lotions in another one.  I also keep my plug-in hair things in a box (straightener, curling iron, blow dryer).

Step 4: Make a “daily use” bag.
Think about where you want each item.  If you want all of your make-up in one drawer, move it there.  I keep a small make-up bag in my make-up drawer and it contains my foundation, eye shadow, lipstick, deodorant, and mascara.  I use these items daily.  I can pull them out every morning (I usually lay it out the night before I go to sleep to have it ready when I get up) and I have even had times when I’ve had to run out of the house in a  rush & I will just grab it to take with me.  It’s easy & always ready.

Step 5 : Hide items. 
I keep all of the things that have to be “out” in a little corner that no one will see when they walk in. (Our toothpaste basket for the kids).  I do this because we have child-proof locks on our cabinets in the bathroom, so I need their toothbrushes and toothpaste to be easily accessible to them.

Step 6: Magazines
I love to read a magazine in the tub or while the kids are in the tub, so I keep a stack of magazines in the bathroom.  I keep them in the drawer closest to the bath tub.  I recycle them often (throw out old ones because they are usually too wrinkled from humidity to give to anyone else & I bring new ones upstairs).

Step 6: Clean
I keep disinfectant wipes, window cleaner and paper towels,  toilet cleaner and a toilet scrubber under the bathroom sink (with cabinet locks to keep the kids out).   Every night, before bed, I get out one disinfectant wipes and just do a quick wipe-up of the counters (toothpaste, water spots…).

Step 7: Refills
I keep most of my bathroom refills in our laundry room, but I keep toilet paper refills in every bathroom.  When I buy them (in bulk), we just split them up and store them in the bathroom, under the bathroom sinks.
I also keep hand towels under there, too.  I put about 2-3 hand towels in each bathroom, under the sink (in a folded pile) and when they are wet or need to be washed, I just throw it in the laundry basket and I have a new one right there to put up & ready to be used.

Step 8: Add shelving (if you need it)
We haven’t added shelving to our bathrooms because our cabinets have provided enough space, but this would be a great storage solution!   You could add crates to the wall and hang things on them (see the picture of this in my older post: How to organize a playroom)  or you could do a full shelf or an over-the-toilet storage area.

Step 9: PUT IT BACK!
Our bathroom can easily become the place where we set things on the way to our closet or when we empty our pockets at the end of the day.   Make a point of putting it back.
This is my favorite quote:
DON’T PUT OFF TODAY WHAT YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL NOT WANT TO DO TOMORROW.

Step 10: Make it beautiful
Make your bathroom a place where you want to be!  Do you like the ocean or cottage look (like I do!) – make your bathroom reflect that theme.
My husband and I have added frames to our mirrors in every house that we have been in so far (this one is next) and it makes such a difference!  Hang pretty towels in your bathroom, just for display (don’t use them)- I tell my kids that those ones are “just for looking” since we have our regular towels in there for daily use.
Add your favorite scented soaps.  Do whatever you want to make this your space and make it peaceful, beautiful and relaxing.  Think “spa”

I hope that helped you to get organized in your bathroom!

If you are interested in more, you can join my declutter challenge.  Every single day I will give you tasks to declutter and organize your home.  When you are done with the challenge, your home will be exactly what you want it to be!   The challenge offers help from myself (and a home video tour) and many others that you will meet in our exclusive challenge group.  Find out more here.