Taming Toiletries & Other Bathroom Essentials

Bathrooms are natural clutter zones, mostly due to the constant influx and turnover of personal products and

other supplies. Small and numerous as they are, these items are much more manageable if they're stored in an organized fashion. Here are some suggestions for keeping track of your bathroom basics:

TOILETRIES
For general hygiene products, follow the same point of use and frequency of use rules applied to kitchen tools: arrange the everyday stuff right where you use it, near the sink or in upper drawers of a vanity cabinet. Transferring supplies like cotton swabs and makeup sponges to attractive glass containers lets you keep them out in the open without creating a cluttered look (uniform containers are easier on the eye than busy product packaging). Store extra supplies in their packages in one location under the sink or in a nearby closet so you'll know where to go for refills. A matching set of vanity accessories~ soap dish, toothbrush holder, cups, etc.~offers a unified look and helps

minimize visual clutter in shared baths.

Maintain order inside vanity drawers by storing items by category in divided trays or drawer organizers.
This prevents the inevitable migration of small things like hair ties and nail files to the back of the drawer.
Backup supplies of shampoos, lotions, and other bulky items are best kept in plastic bins that you can easily slide in and out of cabinets or closet shelves. Group items by theme so you can readily find what you need.

MAKEUP & MEDICINES
Besides being major sources of bathroom clutter, makeup and medicines have one important thing in common: they don't last forever. It's pretty obvious when old makeup becomes funky or gloppy, while expired medicines may Simply not work like they should. Both call for ruthless periodic culling of the old stuff. To manage the rest, again look to plastic bins, trays, and shelf or drawer organizers, and group like items for easy retrieval. Store frequent-use items close at hand.

Stash everything else out of the way while following an organized plan. If you have young children or babies, it helps to store each child's medicines in one place, along with dosage charts and other care information.

SHOWER & BATH SUPPLIES
Hair products and bath supplies tend to linger long past their prime in most bathrooms, along with travel-size bottles of shampoo, miniature soaps, and mystery gels th at always find a way into luggage at th e end of hotel visits. Either throw this stuff out or force yourself to use it before replacing bottles of your regular products.
Cutting clutter in the bathing area helps keep bathtub ledges and shower shelves clean and mildew free. Tight shower spaces can benefit from a simple wire shower caddy or a b uil t-i n niche.