October is for Organization

Bathroom organization:  Let's do it.  I have one small bathroom on the main floor of my house, accompanied by a toilet stall in the basement that was listed on the realtor website as a "half bath".

The full bath bears the brunt of all bathroom transactions, and is probably one of my most loved rooms in my house (according to my "prettiness" scale).  What, you don't rate your rooms?  Despite its lovliness, it is small, but we make it work.  There's lots that can be done to keep small spaces organized- you just have to work a bit harder at it!

Tiny, but beautiful.

Let's start under the sink, everyone's favorite space to throw junk.   The space under the sink usually becomes a haven for half used hair products, dusty old razors, and broken hair bands.  Do yourself a favor and STOP DOING THIS.  If you have a small space like mine, you may want to do the following:  Make a list for yourself of the products that you use every single day.  Empty out the cabinet, and then only return the products you use consistently.  Let's take a peek through my cabinet:

1.  Makeup case.  I don't buy a whole lot of makeup, so this is enough space for the things I use on a daily basis.  I have some more makeup in the hall closet, but it's really only stuff I bring out if I'm getting really snazzed up.

2.  Outlet:  When we gutted and redid the bathroom, I requested an outlet under the sink to plug Dave's electric razor into.  I do not like things sitting out on the countertop, and I refused to let the razor sully my clean and simple aesthetic.  Best idea ever.

3.  Tall items, like lotion and hairspray go here.  They get used every day.

4.  Vertical storage:  Use that upward space as much as you can- don't waste it!!

Up above the sink, I have a mirrored medicine cabinet.  Thankfully, the bathroom already had a space hollowed out for a medicine cabinet, so we just replaced it with something prettier.  The new cabinet has a front AND back mirrored door, as well as a mirror on the inside.  Right outside of my bathroom, there is also a full length mirror in the hallway, so I get the benefit of a three way mirror to make sure I'm looking good all the way around before I leave the house....whoo ha!  I've been so spoiled by this that now I just get annoyed when I have to get ready at a hotel or someone else's house.  Such a tough life I lead, to not be able to look at the back of my own head 365 days a year.

Well hello there, nice to see you, self.

Inside of the medicine cabinet, I try to keep things streamlined, as well.  Since I use the mirror on the inside, I don't like to clutter it up with too much stuff.  Just the daily essentials for both Dave and I.  See those small, pretty glass cups?  They hold little things, like tweezers, nail clippers, and makeup brushes.  Never hurts to have pretty organizational pieces in unexpected places!

Yep, that's my yellow retainer case.  What's up, nighttime teeth grinders?

If you have a discerning eye and you're thinking to yourself, "Well, that looks like an awful lot of girl's stuff...where are Dave's toiletries?", then I applaud you.  See that big empty space on the top shelf?  Yep, that's what Dave gets- one solitary shelf.  It's a good thing he only requires deodorant and cologne.  What a man.  (He was also out of town when I took this picture, hence the lack of man things invading my space).

For all other things we need to use, like towels and hair dryers, let's take one (literal) step outside of the bathroom to examine the rest of my storage.  It's not as pretty, but it gets the job done.

One step, wasn't kidding.

Ok, let's go down the list.

1.  Frequently used medicinal pieces.  I'll be more descriptive in my next post about this $1 DIY item.

2. "Extras" Bin.  All duplicate items, like toothpaste, deodorant, cotton balls, and soap go here.  This keeps us from ever really running out of anything.  Be prepared.  For anything.

3.  Medicine Bin.  Ace bandages, cough syrups, etc.  Things we need, but don't use very often.

4. Pictures from our trip to Alaska.  Just thought I'd throw that in there.  Make your wall art personal!!

5. White towels.  While I'm sure you can see that there are some tan towels on the shelf above, I am a big proponent of only buying white towels.  They always look fresh and clean for guests (with a little help from our friend, bleach), and will never show stained/bleached streaks from the soaps/cleaners/facewashes that we use.  Plus, they go with everything!

6. My shelf.  This is where I store my nailpolishes and other various girl things that Dave doesn't need to use.  Plus, it's just my height.  (Wait, was that a short joke?)

7. Cleaning supplies.  I keep the general bathroom cleaners in a shower caddy for easy movement, along with my vast supply of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.  I'm not being paid to promote them, but if they are willing to pony up for my endorsement, I will WILLINGLY give it.  I heart magic erasers.  Big time.

So.  there you have it.  Lots of stuff organized in small spaces.  Once again, I am the champion of the world.

Sorry, I've been watching an Eastbound and Down marathon today, and I think some of Kenny Powers has rubbed off on me, as evidenced by that last sentence.  Please click here.  You'll thank me.


Enjoy the week ahead, everyone!