Most of us love an organized bathroom, but it can easily feel overwhelming and cluttered due to the size and consistent traffic. Often as a result of clutter, it can seem impossible to keep it clean each week with regular maintenance. Lets make this simple with practical tips and tools and take out the daunting part!

Benefits of efficient bathroom organization:

• Improved functionality
• Efficiency getting ready everyday!
• Reduced stress
• Enhanced aesthetics
• Sustainable storage solutions (There is a place for everything!)
• Ease of routine maintenance

5 Best Bathroom Storage Solutions

13 Steps to Decluttering & Organizing you Bathroom

1. Plan for a 2-4 hour timeframe to organize your space. You can also break this up if this amount of time is overwhelming for you. I have a toddler, so I usually get done what I can in an hour or two and bite off another piece of the project the next time she is sleeping.
2. Gather Cleaning supplies: Microfiber cloth & preferred spray cleaner is all you need
3. Assess you current inventory of products and which areas are ‘overflowing’ and creating clutter
4. Remove all items from the counter, drawers, walls and below the sinks (put everything in an area that will not inhibit you from sleeping in your bed if you don’t complete your bathroom in one day)
5. Do a quick wipe down of all spaces with storage and belongings removed
6. Declutter: Make clear piles donate, sell, trash and keep (make clear labels on scratch paper if it helps to keep the piles straight)
7. Evaluate & Measure the size and layout of your bathroom & storage areas
8. Identify your storage needs and priorities now that you have decluttered
9. Make a list of common problem areas (e.g., cluttered countertops, disorganized cabinets)
10. Mark up ‘napkin sketches’ of your bathroom cabinets and drawers with dimensions for organizers
11. Salvage / Buy storage containers ONLY for the items you know require it
12. Place your organizers and input all of your products and belongings in their new homes based on the categories you have after decluttering
13. Label your categories. This can be as specific or broad as you like as long as it’s logical & sustainable for you

*Enjoy the feeling every time you walk in the space and reach for something you need!

*Note from my experience as a seasoned organizer ~

In my opinion and experience, the first 10 steps are the most important! It is so hard to start with the planning stage when there are a million fun organizers and ‘tools’ out there, but I promise you will not regret it!

Plan for what you NEED before you buy what you WANT! Don’t start with buying the ‘cute’ organizers that you saw last weekend. I see you! I was you and I ended up replacing all of the ‘cute’ organizers that I have purchased in the past for realistic solutions that will serve many areas of my house and will have a long lifespan with endless flexibility.

Essential Bathroom Organization Principles

• Declutter regularly: continue to sort and purge items daily / weekly as you see fit to match your goals
• Maximize vertical and hidden spaces
• Keep daily used items at fingertips; less used items can be stored
• Categorize items for easy access
• Label categories

Below is a deep dive into each step if you are interested and a little geeky like me.

1. Plan for a 2-4 hour timeframe
   • Again, break up this project in small increments if you need to, otherwise I would ‘power it out’ if you have the time and energy!
   • You can put time durations to each activity on this list to project what time you need to allot for each activity and the entire project.
   • Below is a Sample Decluttering Schedule
2. Gather Cleaning supplies: Microfiber cloth & preferred spray cleaner is all you need
   • Don’t get distracted with cleaning on the day you are organizing.
   • Focus on cleaning out the cabinets and drawers you plan to organize.
   • There is no need to buy new supplies for this. Any rag and dish soap / water combo is sufficient!
3. Assess you current inventory of products and which areas are ‘overflowing’ and creating clutter
   • Focus on these few thoughts: ‘do I have easy access to the things I reach for daily or multiple times a day?’ & ‘do I have things stored in my bathroom that have no purpose in that space and are just being stored there?’
   • Knowing what you want to reach for often helps to determine the immediate reach storage solutions
   • Removing any unnecessary items from the bathroom that provide no purpose will help free up space for the things that do!
4. Remove all items from the counter, drawers, walls and below the sinks (put everything in an area that will not inhibit you from sleeping in your bed if you don’t complete your bathroom in one day)
   • I encourage you to place all items in distinct piles in an area that you do not sleep in. I know the bed is a temping place to use but I promise, you will thank me!
   • If you start categories as you remove the items from your bathroom, you won’t have to start over at Step 6 with categorizing.
5. Do a quick wipe down of all spaces with storage and belongings removed
   • Again, focus on the end goal here: an organized bathroom, not a clean one
     • Clean Drawers, under sinks and inside all cabinets
     • Clean off all surfaces including shelves and the counter
   • If you get to the cleaning after you are done with your decluttering and organizing; great!
   • For the ‘clean freaks’: If you want to deep clean your bathroom ahead of time, that would eliminate any anxiety you may have over organizing in a ‘dirty’ bathroom.
   • I just discourage making the ‘to-do’ list so big with additional tasks that you are back to ‘daunting’!
6. Declutter: Make clear piles donate, sell, trash and keep (make clear labels on scratch paper if it helps to keep the piles straight)
   • Here is the fun part!
   • Make your ‘donate, sell, trash, and keep’ piles
   • The keep ‘pile’ is going to be categories (ie: hair ties, hair products, paper products, extra stock of toothpaste & deodorant)
   • You are essentially sorting ‘like terms’ in small piles
7. Evaluate & Measure the size and layout of your bathroom & storage areas
   • This is easiest to do when empty and decluttered, but if you need to order organizers and have them delivered ahead of this project, I would highly suggest doing this as soon as you need to in order to have your supplies in time.
   • I would draw the floor plan(dimensions around the room of each wall including windows and doors
8. Identify your storage needs and priorities now that you have decluttered
   • What do you reach for every day or multiple times a day? these are the items that should be within arms reach (aka the top drawer)
   • For items that are extra stock of paper products, toothpaste or other products, I suggest having pull out plastic organizers under the sink or if you have large cabinets or drawers, I would store them in one that is the furthest from arms reach
   • Your countertop should be clear of clutter with the exception of 5 items total
     • I suggest sticking with only a few items like the following:
       • dry container for cotton balls / pads / cotton swabs
       • Decorative Soap Dispensers & Toothbrush holders
       • Faux plants (you can use real ones if you are fortunate to have natural light in your bathroom!)
9. Make a list of common problem areas (e.g., cluttered countertops, disorganized cabinets)
   • List all categories that create struggles for you to find, keep in the same place or are overflowing in your cabinets
   • Examples of common categories that get overwhelming are:
     • Countertops: hair products, toothbrush and toothpaste, hair supplies, shavers, make-up are the biggest culprits of cluttering countertops and is usually due to the drawers being full of things that don’t belong.
     • Everything needs a ‘home’, so what in your bathroom doesn’t. That is the storage you need to find solutions for
     • Under-sink storage is one of the hardest areas to sustain organization, but is actually very simple and will help organization for the rest of the bathroom if
10. Mark up ‘napkin sketches’ of your bathroom cabinets and drawers with storage / shelving thoughts
    • Sketch the storage solutions you are envisioning with potential dimensions and thoughts you have for creative solutions
    • Create zones for your categories and think of how you can organize those categories in a way that makes sense and makes it more efficient for you.
11. Salvage / Buy storage containers ONLY for the items you know require it
    • I often search my garage and other spaces for things to organize with. By this I mean (for example) a ceramic mug for a toothbrush / toothpaste holder or a tray from the kitchen to house a few items on the counter. I also have organizers that I have discarded from other areas that I continually repurpose.
    • For the main storage & organization I do purchase clears drawer organizers & pull out clear drawers & bins that serve many storage needs
    • Research what you are in search of before you head out to ‘buy’ anything. See if what you are seeking is available and where. It will be most efficient if you know ahead of time what solutions you can find where and have a comprehensive list to follow
    • Think of your timeline here. how much time do you want to use on buying things, when the goal is getting to the end where all of your things are in a new decluttered home!
    • I would discourage using organizers that don’t match the pace in which you need to find or grab something. What do I mean by this? Well, you don’t want something in a closed container that you need to grab quickly. You want to grab it, use it, and put it back.
12. Place your organizers and input all of your products and belongings in their new homes based on the categories you have after decluttering
13. Label your categories. This can be as specific or broad as you like as long as it’s logical & sustainable for you
    • You can get an inexpensive label maker or premade labels on Amazon or get a fancy Cricut for your labeling. Whatever your level of commitment and goals are, that’s what you should do.

Enjoy the feeling every time you walk in the space and reach for something you need!

• This is the BEST PART! I love walking into a room again and again to see the fruits of my organizing labor!!!
• This is where you get to enjoy the benefits I mentioned early in this article; efficiency in getting ready, serenity, ease of maintenance & that simple thrill every single time you walk in the room.

Sample Decluttering Schedule:

Organizing Bathroom Cabinets and Drawers

• Pull-Out Drawers and Bins: I use the Home Edit clear pullout drawers. You can get them at Container Store or Walmart has great sets that I personally use. There are of course other versions of these, but I have found these have the perfect inserts to further subdivide the pullout drawers. These are so versatile!
• Drawer Organizers: Segregating small items like toiletries and makeup in clear drawer inserts is an easy way to transform your drawer with everyday items
• Shelf Risers and Baskets: Creating additional levels of storage in small spaces especially can be key to storing all the things!
• Shower Caddies and Baskets: Keeping shower essentials organized
• Under-Sink Storage: Utilizing the space with shelves or hanging baskets

Optimizing Bathroom Countertops & Utilizing Vertical Storage

• Trays and Baskets: Keeping frequently used items tidy and accessible
  • Baskets are a simple and decorative way to house hand towels, wash clothes and other larger dry items
• Vertical Storage Solutions: Wall-mounted shelves and hooks
  • Floating shelves are still alive and well! They can suit so many styles and spaces that I can’t say enough about them. There are other styles of shelving as well, however create a little more visual clutter than floating shelves
• Decluttering Tips: Minimizing countertop items to reduce visual clutter
  • Again, all I would suggest having on your counter is your immediate use items like hand soap, some cotton balls / swabs, and a small plant & candle on a decorative tray
• Towel Racks and Hooks: Towel hooks that are in practical locations can eliminate towels on the floor or hanging over the shower door or rod

Creating a Maintenance Plan

• Establish a regular cleaning and organizing routine – I suggest breaking up cleaning into either rooms or tasks throughout the week, so you don’t spend every weekend cleaning
• Continue to do ‘inventory checks’ and seasonal decluttering for sustainable organization
• Encourage family members to maintain the organization system

DIY and Budget-Friendly Organization Ideas

• Repurposing Household Items: Using jars, cans, trays and boxes for storage
• Affordable Storage Solutions: You can find cost-effective organizers and accessories at
  Homegoods, Target, TJ Maxx, Ross and other discount stores. Walmart sells my
  favorite set of clear organizers by Home Edit. Any clear and multipurpose
  organizers that will be versatile in organizing many different rooms is what I
  like to invest in.
• Creative DIY Projects: Customize storage solutions to fit your needs. Everyone will have unique storage challenges and you can be creative in how you reflect your style with your organizers, shelving, artwork, plants or trinkets