Home Organization Tips

Has the tranquility of your long-awaited bath ever been interrupted by children’s toys bobbing in the bubbles or the view of a messy bathroom beyond the rim of your tub? Did you every wonder why your friends’ bathrooms seem so neat, while yours always looks like a ransacked testing lab for beauty products and medicine? If so, you are not alone (trust me, I’ve been there!)- but there are a few quick and easy things you can do to make your time in the bathroom a more pleasant and relaxing experience.

One of the most helpful things I’ve found that cuts down the time of my morning routine is a makeup caddy that sits on my bathroom counter. After years of rummaging through my makeup bag morning after morning, I can now find each piece of makeup quickly, because it stands right in its own place. Makeup caddies don’t only have to be functional; they can also be beautiful. Try looking for a makeup caddy in a bright color that will match your bathroom, or one that looks like a little basket that will add a bit of flair to your space. I also like to put bigger makeup items, like my eye-shadow palate, in a drawer organizer in the top drawer of the bathroom cabinetry. That way, they’re further away from my kids’ reach and I know exactly where they are each morning. I also recommend keeping a makeup bag stocked with your favorite makeup, so that if you ever take a trip or need to touch yourself up, you don’t have to remove your regulars from their new homes (and, in case little fingers do happen to steal your foundation, you’ll always know where another bottle is). It doesn’t take a long time to reorganize your makeup, and the results are instantaneous.

A magazine rack is also a good way to help your bathroom reading stay neat and out of the way. You shouldn’t have to store your reading material in a heap on the floor or on top of the tank (where it probably slides off frequently). Instead, consider a magazine rack to keep your reading material organized and out of the way. If you don’t have room on the floor, or are afraid that your books could get ruined by a toilet flood, an over-the-tank magazine rack is likely the answer to your problems. It may not properly support a hefty bathroom encyclopedia, but it will definitely hold a few copies of Newsweek or People magazine!

A final way to make the bathroom look instantly neater is to install a shower caddy to keep your toys and toiletries organized (and prevent them from toppling over and spilling). I’ve found that corner caddies that are suctioned-on or bolted to the wall are the sturdiest ways to store most shower supplies. If you do try a caddy that hangs from the shower head, make sure not to put too many heavy items on it, or it may damage the shower head. For toys, I prefer to keep a wide-mouthed wire basket suctioned on to the bathtub so that the water drains out quickly and the kids can easily put their own toys away without wrestling with a wet storage bag. The best part of this basket- it can be easily removed to make room for any adult who wants to take a toy-free bath!

Posted on November 26th, 2006 by Sari
Filed under: organizing tips