Are you all caught up on your home office rearranging and cleaning that you started after reading last week’s fun ideas? I bet you got so inspired by that, you’re just chomping at the bit to get a glimpse of this week’s tips on bathroom organization, right? I know if my bathroom were better arranged, I’d spend less time looting around looking for the right bottle in my slew of moisturizers and hair products on those extra busy days. I can only imagine how much more productive I’d be if I got to the office 15 minutes earlier in the morning, but as of right now, I still have to blame it on my bathroom’s clutter. Darn you, mousse. Why can I never find you when I need you?
In this week’s installment of the home organization series, let’s tackle the disorder and chaos of towels, toothbrushes, tanning lotion, and everything else in your bathroom. Of course, I’ve got plenty of easy fixes for my fellow non-crafty friends, as well as a few advanced ideas. Get those organizing gears turning, my friends. It’s on.
Step 1 – Toss
I know what’s taking up space in my bathroom – all those pesky hair products that Cosmopolitan tells me I MUST have: leave-in conditioner, mousse, hairspray, heat-protecting spray, smoothing crème, shine serum, moisturizing masque, curling gel, straightening pomade. It’s ironic that I have all this nonsense overloading my cupboard when I’m only capable of styling my hair two ways: bland or lifeless. Take a hint from me and get rid of (and quit buying) the stuff that’s not essential to your grooming routine. Guys, how many different scents of Axe spray do you need? Any variety assures me I can smell you from at least 50 yards away, giving me ample time to avoid you. Once you’ve thrown out what you don’t need, go through the stuff you’ve put in the “keep” pile. More than likely, you’ll have a few things that may be out of date. Use the following handy expiration guidelines to be safe:
Cream and gel cleansers – 1 year
Sponges – wash weekly and discard monthly
Perfume or cologne – 2 years
Hairstyling products – 3–5 years
Bar soap – 3 years
Shaving cream – 2 years
Deodorant – 2 years (do we need to have a talk about why it’s taken you over 700 days to knock out a stick of deodorant?)
Acne treatments – 1 year
Body lotion – 2–3 years
Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel – 3 years
Sunscreen – 3 years
Step 2 – Arrange
The only good thing I have to say for my bathroom is that my products are designated by purpose or use and all kept in the same place. Categories you’re likely to have on hand and would benefit from a wee bit of corralling include:
Skincare (moisturizers, creams, acne treatments, etc.)
Remedies for less frequent ailments (allergies, indigestion, insect bites, etc.)
Hair products/Hair accessories (pony tail holders, combs, brushes, etc.)
Makeup (eye shadows, powders, lipsticks, etc.)
Tools (tweezers, razor, cotton balls, etc.)
Electric tools (blow dryer, electric razor, clippers, etc.)
Towels
Step 3 – Organize
What to do with everything now? Heaven forbid we let it sit on the counter! Since we’ve already gotten it grouped, the hardest parts are figuring out what to keep it in, and where to store it. Here are a few ideas to get you going:
For electric tools, try these mind-bendingly good concepts from the craftsters on Pinterest. Have you ever thought about making use of the inside of your cupboard doors? Neither have I, until now. With a bit of Velcro, attach 2- to 4-inch diameter pieces of PVC pipe to hold curling irons, clippers, and razors. For larger items, like hair dryers, try a standing file folder. This is an idea I’m dying to try!
You know what I hate? When my toothbrush falls into the sink. I loathe even more when my toothbrush is lying out on the vanity, prey to my cat that thinks the bathroom sink is a hot tub. It’s a wonder I didn’t search for these storage gems a long time ago! To keep electric toothbrushes secure, mount a broom clip on your medicine cabinet (or somewhere on the wall that frees up needed space on your counter). Genius! What about the regular toothbrush folks? If you’ve got a medicine cabinet, cut notches in the shelves to ensure it’s nice and clean for your next use!
Shelves, shelves, shelves. They can be functional under the sink, yet fashionable if you adorn them with pretty bottles or neatly stacked towels. For around $20, you can pick up a set of small, mountable cubes that look mighty stylish holding an apothecary jar full of Q-Tips, a set of washcloths, or your cologne bottles. If you’re into installing your own shelving but are running out of ideas for space, try the area above your showerhead, door or toilet.
What to do with towels? If you don’t have a linen closet (or use it for other needless junk, like I do), make a pretty display of your bath towels in a basket somewhere you won’t trip over on the floor. If the back of your door is home to a towel rack, why not add extras above and below?
My supply of Q-Tips, bobby pins, blister packets of allergy medication, and body lotions gives me a headache. Why? Because it’s all stuffed in my cabinet below my sink, and often when I reach down to grab something, I inevitably whack my head in the process of milling around. Here are a few ideas to reduce the clutter, many of which I’m going to try (when I manage to conjure up a crafty mood):
Baskets – Keep larger products organized within a cabinet or on the floor next to a pedestal sink.
Hanging organizers – You’ll see a lot of these at home goods stores around the back-to-school season for kids to use in their dorms. With ample pockets for deodorant, shaving cream, medicine bottles, and more, you can simply hang one of these from a towel rack or over a door.
Sliding trays – These are another great option for your larger products. Put these inside your cabinet to prevent the neck pain that’s associated with craning your neck under the sink!
Plastic containers – These are probably the cheapest and easiest route for getting a grip on your bathroom’s mess. Throw bobby pins and ponytail holders into a latch-close plastic pencil box, corral medications in another container with a cover (perhaps consider keeping it on a shelf above the door if you’ve got little ones), stand hair products and lotions into a milk crate-style box, and use a silverware caddy to hold small items like Q-Tips or Band-Aids. In the shower, you can use a plastic bin with a handle to keep all your shampoo, conditioner and body washes. Just be sure it’s slotted with holes to prevent it from filling up with icky water. For makeup, grab a small 3-drawer organizer to store your makeup atop the counter. It’s much easier to find eye makeup, lip glosses, and powders when they’re sorted by category and not tossed in a bag together!
Magnetic strips – attach a magnetic strip that has adhesive backing on the inside of a medicine cabinet or drawer. Now you’ll be able to find those tweezers and nail clippers when you need them!
I get a sense that you’ve got your sleeves rolled up and are ready to dig into a sea of towels, tweezers, and toothbrushes. With these tips, you’ll be sailing to more organized shores in no time. Ahoy mateys! Yeah, not funny, I know.
Looking for additional hands-on projects or bathroom decorating inspiration? Check your local listings for “I Hate My Bath” on cable’s DIY Network or browse TheContainerStore.com for all of your bathroom organization needs.
Next week, we’ll tackle the messiness in your closet! Yeesh, could be tough!
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