Tips for Organizing a Bathroom

Bathrooms, like any room in the house, can accumulate stuff. Lots and lots of it. Why? Because we’re constantly being given little samples, or products we want to use one day, or things we pay lots of money for and then find that they don’t work that well later on. (And yet, we don’t seem to throw them out.)

Having an organized bathroom can mean the difference between getting ready in a neat and efficient way versus taking an extra half hour just to locate things, and then still not feeling good about yourself. If you have to dig through a drawer just to find your lipstick, you may need to organize! Here are some tips for how to do it.

Organizing Goes Hand in Hand with Tossing Out
Have a big garbage bag handy before you begin. Get in the mindset of making your space more user-friendly, not in “keeping stuff.” When you begin sifting through things, having a garbage bag handy will help you more easily decide to toss something away than hang on to it to use “sometime in the future.”

Pull Everything Out of a Drawer or Closet First
The first step in organizing your bathroom is to pull out every single thing from the space. Got a drawer that’s unruly? Drag everything out, place an organizer try in, and begin the new process of placing in only what you need to. Paring down is part of organizing. When you start with a clean slate, you’ll be better able to see what items might logically fit where in terms of space and use.

Evaluate
Items don’t need to be old or worn out to be tossed out. If you don’t use something, you need to decide why you are keeping it. If it’s something you really will use one day, perhaps it belongs in a closet rather than your makeup drawer. Or, perhaps you really don’t need it as much as you think you do. Give thoughtful consideration to the items you intend on keeping.

Plastic Bins and Baskets Go a Long Way
Sometimes the key to organizing is simply having a spot to keep it all. Grab some plastic bins for things like makeup and shampoo. Baskets might hold washcloths and soap. Sort out what you use and where to determine where to keep things. Remember that not everything needs to be put away. A pretty basket on a counter top filled with makeup is still organized and neat.