The Quick and Easy Way to Declutter and Organize Your Bathroom

The Simple Step-by-Step Guide You Need to Reduce Clutter and Organize Your Bathroom.

With its limited space and constant use, it’s no surprise the bathroom can quickly become disorganized and messy. But with just a few simple steps, you can create a clean and orderly bathroom that will work for you.

Do you wish you could get ready for work in the morning without rummaging through a drawer full of cosmetics? Or maybe you’d like to take a shower without tripping over shampoo bottles. Perhaps you’d like to be able to clean the sink and counters without moving a dozen jars and containers.

If you answered yes to any of these or if you just feel your bathroom isn’t as neat and orderly as you wish it could be, then it’s time to get to work decluttering and organizing your bathroom.

The great news is you can create a clutter-free, organized bathroom in minutes. Because of its small size and particular purpose, the bathroom is the easiest room in the house to organize. It’s also, however, one that is quickest to get messy.

That’s why this step-by-step guide can help you declutter, organize, and maintain your bathroom.

5 Simple Steps to a Clutter-Free Bathroom

Since you can’t organize clutter, the first thing you need to do is remove the clutter.

Here are five easy steps to quickly declutter your bathroom so you can organize the room:

1) Create space for sorting.

Pick up any garbage lying about the room and place it in a trash bag. Then clean off the bathroom counter, so you have room to sort things.

2) Gather Containers to use for sorting.

Choose several small baskets or containers to use for sorting your items into these categories:

• Medicine and Vitamins
• Skin Care and Makeup
• Hair Care
• Dental Care
• Nail Care
• First-Aid
• Other
• Give Away or Donate

3) Sort Your Medicine Cabinet

Begin by looking at the medications and vitamins you have in your medicine cabinet. Discard all expired prescriptions, nonprescription drugs, and vitamins. Also, dispose of any medicines you no longer use. However, don’t throw them in the garbage or flush them down the toilet. Instead, place them in a bag and drop them off at a drug collection site near you. If you have a Walgreens or CVS in your community, you can drop your used medications off there.

Once you’ve sorted your medicine cabinet, gather all vitamins and oral medications, and move them to a cool, dry place. Don’t store them in your bathroom, which gets too warm and humid for these products. An ideal place to store them instead is on a shelf in your kitchen pantry. This way, they are near your drinking glasses and water supply.

A spice rack works exceptionally well for keeping your bottles organized and for easy access.

And, if you have small children at home, or grandchildren that visit, always be sure to store your medicines out of their reach.

4) Toiletries and Makeup

The next step in decluttering your bathroom is to tackle the toiletries and makeup. Go through one shelf or drawer at a time, discarding any items you no longer need and placing the things you are keeping into one of the category containers listed in step two.

Next, throw away all used toothbrushes. The American Dental Association recommends you replace your toothbrush at least four times a year and every time you are sick. If you want to keep a couple of old toothbrushes as cleaning tools, immediately place them with your cleaning supplies. However, there’s no reason to keep dozens of old toothbrushes for cleaning. One or two should be enough.

Discard any makeup that is more than a year old. According to dermatologists, makeup can harbor bacteria, which can cause problems ranging from blemishes to infections. In fact, one of the leading causes of eye infections is from using old eye makeup. You should replace your eye makeup every six months and mascara every three months.

Check your nail polishes and make sure they are still good. Trash any nail polishes that are either dried out or too thick to use.

And get rid of any item you no longer use. Why take up valuable storage space on something you don’t use.

Do you have duplicates of items? If you have more of something than you can use before its expiration date, then consider getting rid of the excess. Unopened bottles of shampoo, conditioner, makeup, etc. can be donated to youth centers or women’s shelters. That’s a better use for them than sitting on your bathroom shelves, taking up space.

Tip: Have extra first-aid items? Use these to make miniature first-aid kits for your car or suitcase.

5) Prepare to organize your bathroom

After you have cleared your drawers and shelves of all items, take a moment, and wipe them down to create a clean surface on which to place your newly organized things.

By following these five simple steps, you will quickly clear your bathroom of clutter. Your shelves will be clean. Your items will be grouped into categories, and you’ll be ready to organize everything in a way that best suits your family’s needs.

For more Decluttering tips check out The Best Way to Declutter Your Home Fast When Downsizing.

How to Organize Your Bathroom

Once you’ve eliminated everything that doesn’t belong, you can start organizing what’s left.

Plan Where You Will Store Items in Your Bathroom

Take a few minutes to look over what’s in the baskets you’ve sorted and consider where you’ll place those items in your bathroom.

Determine if everything will fit into the available space you have in your bathroom. If not, then you’ll need to do a little more decluttering or create additional space by adding shelves, baskets, etc.

A common mistake many people make is purchasing a storage container, shelf, cosmetic caddy, or basket before they know if it will work in their space. Don’t run out and buy these storage items until you are sure of what you need.

You will also need to decide what are your most commonly used items, and where is the best place to put these for easy retrieval and use.

Return Items to Their Ideal Location

Once you have a general idea of where everything will go in your bathroom, begin by pulling out one item at a time from your baskets. Start with the things you use most often and place each one in a convenient location nearest to where you’ll use it.

If you happen to have two or more of the same item, place one in its proper place and store the extras in an out of the way area nearby.

Use Containers, Baskets, and Organizers

As you begin to place your bathroom supplies in their spot, you’ll be able to decide what containers you’ll need to keep everything orderly. Perhaps divider trays will work for your cabinet drawers. Or, maybe baskets or organizers will work best for under the sink.

Make notes of what you will need and measure the area, so you get the correct size containers. By doing this, you can find the best products to suit those needs.

But before you run out to buy these containers, basket, and organizers, check around your house first for these items. You may be surprised to find that what you need is already in your home.

Once Your Bathroom is in Order, Keep It That Way!

Once you’ve organized your bathroom in a way that feels comfortable and works for you, it will be easy to keep it organized. The key is to return an item to its designated space every time you use it!

Also, if at all possible, keep your counters clear. Doing so will make cleaning quick and easy since you won’t have to move a dozen bottles, containers, and tubes every time you want to wipe your counters.

And if you make it part of your daily routine, keeping your bathroom neat and orderly will come naturally.