Bathroom Organization: Small Space, Big Difference

Bathrooms offer very little storage relative to how many items they need to house. Toiletries, medicines, cleaning supplies, towels, and personal care products all compete for limited cabinet and drawer space. Strategic organization can double the effective storage capacity of most bathrooms without adding any furniture.

Begin with a product audit. The average bathroom contains dozens of expired, barely-used, or completely forgotten products lurking in the back of cabinets. Pull everything out and check expiration dates on medicines, sunscreens, and prescription items. Donate or discard anything you don't actually use. What remains will almost certainly fit more neatly than what you started with.

Under the sink is typically the most underutilized bathroom storage area. The plumbing takes up a portion of the space, but the rest is often chaotic. Stackable bins, pull-out drawers designed for under-sink use, and a tension rod from which to hang spray bottles vertically all maximize this often-wasted space.

Drawer dividers make bathroom drawers dramatically more functional. Hair accessories, cosmetics, and personal care items that tumble together in an undivided drawer can be neatly separated into categories with simple dividers or small containers. The key is sizing your organizing containers after you know what you're organizing — measure your drawers and your items before purchasing anything.