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Professional organizers swear by these 6 bathroom storage hacks
Clean up your act in the new year with these expert-approved tips, tricks and clever buys for the busiest room in your house.
Of all the rooms in your home, the bathroom probably gets the most action. It's also often one of the smallest, so if you're having trouble organizing it, you're not alone. Though they don't take up a lot of square footage, bathrooms hold a ton of essentials, like cosmetics, toilet paper and towels, making them a challenge. But wouldn't it be great to start the year with a tidy space?
A cluttered bathroom can put a real damper on your morning routine — no wants to wake up to a pile of stuff crashing down on them the second they open the medicine cabinet. That's why we went to the pros and asked them for bathroom organizing ideas that actually work.
Their go-to tricks and products will make the most of every inch, no matter if you have a spa-like bathroom or a half-bath that's barely bigger than a closet. Once you've got your space in order, check out these tips for organizing your kitchen and making your house smell good all the time.
Combat sink clutter
Because it's out in the open, sink clutter can stress you out — even if you don't realize it! Katrina Teeple, founder of Operation Organization, suggests adding 10 minutes to your morning routine to tidy up the bathroom before you leave the house. "Even if you have to come back into the bathroom after making your kids' breakfast to do this, your future self will thank you for it!" she says. "When we let counter clutter creep in around the sink, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the thought of putting it all away. Our brains are designed to tell us, 'I will just do that later!' but later, we will feel even less motivated."
To make it easier on yourself, designate one spot on the counter to corral items you have to leave out, and move everything else to closed storage (more on that below!).
It doesn't get more elegant than marble, and this resin tray easily mimics the real thing with its natural-looking veining. A deep lip helps keep items from toppling over.
Hang hooks, hooks and more hooks
Robyn Reynolds, owner of Organize2Harmonize, says you should keep the amount of towels in your bathroom to a minimum (store extras in your linen closet, if you have one). But for the ones you use daily, make sure you have plenty of hooks. Instead of folding towels on open shelves or storing them in baskets on the floor — both of which create visual clutter — get them up and away, she says. Hooks come in plenty of fun colors and shapes, so you can even turn them into a design statement!
Looking to class up the joint a little? These gold hooks look sleek and expensive — and they don't even require you to drill holes into your wall! Though they're adhesive, they get high marks for sturdiness, according to the nearly 2,000 shoppers who gave them five stars.
The sophisticated colors of these modern hooks would perk up any bathroom. Use a different color for each person in your household to finally put an end to that game of "Whose towel is that?" for good!
Target
For less than $5 a pop, these adorable schoolhouse-style metal hooks do the job, and they look good, too. Install a few on your door to maximize storage.
Be ruthless with empty bottles
The moment you finish a product, recycle it or throw it away so things don't pile up, advises Hannah Goetz, founder of Hannah Goetz Organizing. It's easy to let bottles and tubes collect, especially if there's still a tiny bit of product that you'd rather not waste. If that's the case, snip open the container or use a tiny spatula to help you get every last drop. It can also help to have a recycling bin in the bathroom — some brands make tiny divided trash cans you can use for this.
Spatulas are great in the kitchen for scraping batter from bowls and sauces from jars — but have you ever thought to use them in the bathroom? These silicone tools work the same way but are sized small enough to fit into little tubes and jars. At $5 for two, they're a bargain, especially when you consider you're prolonging the life of your creams and cleansers!
If you've never considered a recycling can for your bathroom, why not? It'll encourage you to divide the paper and plastic from regular trash. At 12.5 inches wide and 10 inches tall, this one is petite enough to fit in a powder room and has a notched design so you can hang two bags next to one another. Win-win!
Utilize all of your cabinet space
"Cabinets under the bathroom sink are the the area that I get the most complaints about," says Goetz. Teeple agrees: "This is one of the most under-utilized spaces in a bathroom. It can turn into a stuffing zone, full of things that get forgotten about," she says.
To help combat this, don't just stash products under your sink in a single layer. If everything is sitting on the bottom of the cabinet, you're losing out on its full height — plus it's harder to know what's all the way in the back. Create tiers with shelving or better yet, stackable drawers. "Measure (twice) around plumbing before selecting a size that works in your space," says Ashley Murphy, NEAT Method co-founder and author of The NEAT Method Organizing Recipe Book. "Stack drawers as needed on either side of pipes and top with an open bin in the same size to accommodate any tall bottles."
Teeple also likes using a turntable — place it on one side of the under-sink pipe and stackable drawers on the other. "They are perfect for storing brushes, travel products and nail care," she says.
"Turn tables are an organizer's best friend," Teeple says. "What's great about these is that they come in a two-pack, are made of durable acrylic and make getting to your items in a cabinet a snap. Just spin and select what you need."
For corralling taller items like hair dryers, curlers and straighteners, Jessica Litman, owner of The Organized Mama Co., likes this bucket-style turntable. "When you are able to store your hair items under the sink, you open up drawer space for your face and skincare products," she says.
The Container Store
A winner from the beloved organizing company The Home Edit, this bin is one of Goetz's favorite under-the-sink solutions. If you can't splurge on custom organizers, "this is the next best thing," she says. It comes with a removable divider, which is handy if you're using it for smaller items like extra toothbrushes and soap.
Neat Method
Murphy likes these simple boxes from her own line for stacking on top of closed drawers under the sink. They range in size from 4" x 4" to 6" x 12", and have rubber feet on the bottom to keep them in place.
Last but not least, consider a clear divided bin, says Leslie Lehr, owner of Leslie Lehr Living. "The multiple compartments offer the ability to organize everything from makeup and skincare products to toiletries and grooming tools, combining functionality and style seamlessly," she says. She uses the divided sections to store items by category to help her clients instantly find what they need. "And the clear plastic design provides a clean look," she says.
Add a cart
Slim rolling carts have soared in popularity over the past few years, and it's no surprise. These skinny storage systems can fit in the tightest spaces (like between the toilet and vanity), move anywhere and often have several tiers, so you can pack them with your go-tos.
Keep the items you need most often at the top, then use the lower shelves for tissues and toilet paper, says Julie Bestry, founder of Best Results Organizing. "If you sandwich the cart between the toilet and shower, you can use the top shelf for shampoo and conditioner."
At less than 5 inches wide, this cart is a true example of good things coming in small packages. Try this minty green for a pop of color (it also comes in pink, which Bestry likes) or stick with a neutral (white, gray or black) to keep it inconspicuous.
Bring dead space back to life
When you don't have a ton of room to work with, you need to look at walls you may have ordinarily left blank as storage opportunities. "Things like over-the-toilet organizers are great for this," says Reynolds.
You can also line a wall with shelves, but in the bathroom, you may not want all your products out in the open. Instead, consider closed wall-mounted cabinets.
The weathered wood finish and curved handles make this unit look elevated, plus it has a mix of open and closed storage. Stash candles and extra bottles on soap on the shelves, and put more utilitarian items behind the doors.
Love a modern look? This solid wood pick gives you lots of extra storage without the visual bulk. Dare we say it looks like something you might see in a spa?
The Shaker style of this cabinet makes it versatile enough to fit in with nearly any style bathroom, and the gray is a nice change of pace from white. You could always swap out the door handles to something more playful or a different finish if your bathroom fixtures are mostly black, say, or brass.
