New Year’s Resolutions – Get Organized – Bathrooms

Now that the clutter is cleared from most rooms in our home it is time to really start tackling getting organized.  We have decided the best way to start doing this is to start in the bathrooms.  These are smaller rooms so we can complete the task faster and actually have 2 rooms in the house clean and organized in no time.  They are also rooms that are used every day and have a lot of stuff packed into a small space.  The hope is that once we see how great it is to have a fantastically organized space to get ready in each morning it will keep the motivation going to get the entire house organized.  Use our tips to take back control of your bathrooms and make the most of the space you have.

1.)    Let’s start by clearing out space in the medicine cabinet.  By getting rid of things that are not needed and organizing things that are, we can create more space to get clutter off the countertops and make everything neat and easy to find.

• First remove everything from the cabinet.  Once it is empty use this time to wipe it down, disinfect it and get everything super clean.
• Next, look through all you have and throw out anything you do not use, need, or medications that have expired.
• Now really take a look at all you have, do you really use all these things on a daily basis?  If not set it aside (and again if you don’t use it at all, toss it).
• Now take a look at some of the clutter on the countertop.  Take some of the items you use every day off the top and organize them into the medicine cabinet.
• Now it is time to start putting things back in.  Adjust the shelving to accommodate taller items; the shelves do not need to be evenly spaced.  Adjust as needed to make the best use of the space for the items you have.
• Group like items together.  Make a space for the toothbrushes and toothpaste, a section for makeup, medicines, and first aid items.  Leave a small space between each grouping and it will clearly define each space.  This will make it easy to see what you are looking for each time you open the medicine cabinet door.
• Lastly, add a magnetic strip to the back of the door to keep all your hair pins and barrettes under control.

2.)    Now it’s time to clean out the cabinet.  We will apply the same rules of the medicine cabinet to the drawers and under the sink areas.  Empty it all out and get rid of all the things you no longer need or use and then clean it well before putting anything back in.

• If you use a drawer to store all your makeup get an organizer so everything has a place.  You no longer need to just throw everything in the drawer and have it move around every time you open and close the drawer.  You can get an organizer with separate compartments for this purpose or even silverware organizers for the kitchen can be used for this purpose.  Use it to group like make-up items together.
• Under the sink storage should only be for items you need under the sink.  If you do not have a linen closet then keep it clear for towels and extra toilet paper.  If you have the luxury of being able to store those items in a linen closet then use the under sink area for bathroom cleaners, toilet paper, styling tools, etc.  Get a basket to place under the sink to neatly hold the blow dryer, curling iron, and hair straightener to keep those items neat and contained and away from any cleaners.  Get another basket to hold things like larger bottles of mouth wash and lotions that do not fit in the medicine cabinet.
• Take things like cotton balls, Q-tips, and extra toilet paper out from under the cabinet to save space.  These extra items can be stored in a linen closet, hall closet, or a basket in your clothes closet.  Save the space for things you need in the bathroom.

3.)    About now is when the countertops should be looking pretty empty.  Now that we have organized all the clutter from the countertops into the medicine cabinet, drawers, and under the sink the bathroom may be looking a little bare.  That is perfectly fine.  Who wants to clean off a ton of clutter every time you clean your bathroom countertops?  A clear countertop is much better.  You now have space to work with.

• We will however add a few things to the top, but make them decorative as well to add some personality to the space.  Remember those cotton balls and Q-tips we told you to store out of the bathroom?  Well you are not going to want to walk to another closet every day when you need these items.  That is why we put these in decorative glass containers.  This adds a decorative element to the space and the glass containers allow us to see when supplies are getting low for these items.

We hope these simple tips can help you to quickly and easily get your bathrooms organized and under control.  Once everything is neat and in its place then you can start looking at the décor.  Hmmm… maybe some new paint? A few decorative elements?  What have we started!? 🙂