It is January and we have organizing on our minds. Is home organization one of your New Year’s resolutions? If so we have some simple and cheap Bathroom Storage Ideas for you.
Whether your bathroom is small or large, we have clever organization ideas that will help you stay on a budget.
Without a doubt, nothing makes a small bathroom look smaller than a cluttered countertop. You know when there are bobby pins, combs, toothbrushes and hair product cluttering the counter you just feel anxious, frustrated and a little overwhelmed. Even so, with a few simple storage suggestions you can have a clean and functional bathroom.
Steph has been asking for some help with her master bathroom. It’s not a small bathroom, but she found it’s difficult to keep the bathroom vanity cabinet organized. In fact her hubby, Dan, was just about ready to go out and by another hair trimmer because he couldn’t find it and thought it was lost. However, as we began a makeover of their bathroom cabinet we found the missing trimmer. 😉
Not only will these storage tips make your life run a little smoother, but it can also save you a lot of money. Nothing is worse than replacing an item just because you can’t find it.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see our disclosure for details.
Before... Bathroom Storage Ideas
Notice in the before photos of the 3 drawers that Steph had purchased a few containers to organize. However you can see that it just wasn’t working.
They each have their own side of the cabinet. Steph’s has a lot more hair product and on Dan’s side, items were just put where ever they would fit. Notice there is a large container for hair product but it is too large and the items fall over, as well as it isn’t very sturdy.
Bathroom Storage Ideas
Step 1: Empty out Cabinet
Begin by completely emptying out the cabinet, including all of the drawers.
Use the hose attachment on a vacuum to remove any loose debris. Then take a cloth and wipe out the entire cabinet. We want to start fresh and clean.
Step 2: Sort
Grab boxes or containers to organize the contents from under the counter.
Place like items together. We have dental, first aid, hair care, lotion, hair products and toilet paper groups.
This will give you an idea of how much space is required to store each group of products.
Step 3: Purge
This is the perfect time to toss any expired items, as well as products you just don’t use. There is no sense in hanging on to items that you are not using.
I know this can be a difficult step, especially if you paid a lot of money for it. We get it, but if you are not using it, either donate it or toss it.
Step 4: Analyze the Containers You Have - Will they work?
In our case we did have a few containers that would work. A cosmetic bag turned out to be the perfect storage for claws and hair ties.
The clear boxes are the same ones we used in the kitchen for the “junk drawer” to hold paper clips.
We discovered they were the perfect size to hold bobby pins too. Steph has 2 different colors of bobby pins. We separated them into 2 containers to make it more convenient.
To keep the small containers organized, they were then placed in a basket. This basket is another container that fit perfectly in the space and is a container Steph already had.
Step 5: Take Measurements
To make the cabinet drawers function better. We wanted the organizers to fill the entire space.
We measured the width and depth of the drawers, then we measured the items that we were planning for each drawer. This gave us a good idea of the size and number of containers we were looking for.
Armed with our shopping list we were ready to find the organizing containers that we needed.
Pro Tip: It is best to wait to buy containers after you have the dimensions and number of containers you are looking for.
We found most of our containers at Walmart and Target. There’s no need to spend a lot of money on containers. Of course, we want them to be durable, but most importantly we want them to fit the space and items we are trying to contain.
Step 6: Restocking the Drawers
The top drawer in the vanity cabinet houses the dental care, deodorant, mini trimmer and eye care.
We chose a 3 pack of narrow drawer organizers from Walmart for the front part of the drawer, $.96 for all 3!
There is one container for Steph and one for Dan. They each hold their dental supplies as well as deodorant. The center container holds the mini trimmer as well as a small lidded container for flossers.
The container for the flossers is the same small lidded container that we used for the bobby pins. We found them in the office supply section of Walmart for only $.97.
The container that is in the back of the drawer contains all of their eye care products. For example, contact lenses, contact solution and glasses.
The center drawer is for hair supplies. This drawer has the cosmetic bag filled with hair claws and hair ties along with a compact mirror.
We also found a container that was long enough to store all of the hair brushes and combs. We used this container that we purchased as Walmart. It was a bargain at $5.96 for 2! There is also the basket that holds the containers for bobby pins.
Our goal was to completely fill each drawer so that every inch of space was filled. Then it is less likely for items to shift around and they are more likely to stay in place.
At the front of the drawer we placed a stack of wash cloths vertically. Not only does this hold the hair brush container in place, but it also makes it super easy to grab a wash cloth. 😃
While shopping at the store we had our measurements for the drawers. We already had an idea of what we were going to store in the lower drawer. With this in mind, we were looking for containers to hold first aid supplies as well as cologne.
We found these 4 x 6 card file boxes at Walmart, again in the office supply section. They were the perfect size to fit 2 containers side by side in the drawer.
By purchasing 4 containers we were able to fill most of the lower drawer. To keep the containers from sliding to the back of the drawer, we placed a couple pieces of scrap wood to hold them secure.
Notice also that one of the containers is still empty. After organizing this bathroom vanity cabinet we actually had unused space. Amazing! 😃
Step 7: Restocking the Cabinet
Originally, Steph had stored the hair dryer, curling wands and flat irons in the bottom drawer. While they did fit, the cords were always tangled and it was difficult to get them out.
Therefore, our solution was to hang them. To make this work we need some sort of cord wrap We decided to made cord wraps out of velcro. We already had the Velcro and it only took a few minutes to make them and it definitely keeps all of the cords nice and tidy. If you are not up to making some they can be found here.
Not wanting to damage the cabinetry, we decided to use 3M Command Hooks. We chose the 3 lb. hooks, just to make sure that it would easily hold each of the hair tools.
You can see that on the right cabinet door we have hung all of Steph’s hair irons.
Then on the left cabinet door we have hung the hair dryer.
Items that are not used daily are placed in these plastic containers with a locking lid. They are each labeled, which makes it easy to find what we are looking for. These Sterilite containers we found at Sam’s Club. They come in a package of 6 and were left over after organizing the craft room.
For the hair supplies that Steph uses on a daily basis, we found this Multi-purpose bath caddy at Target. It is sturdy and has a carrying handle.
This container is metal, and was the perfect size to hold all of Steph’s hair care products. She stores it front and center of her side of the vanity.
When Steph is doing her hair, she simply places it on the counter and has all her supplies accessible. Then when she is finished it’s simple to place the container back and everything stays nice and tidy.
On Dan’s side of the vanity there are only a couple of his personal items, hair clippers and mouthwash. It is the perfect spot for extra toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
Look how neat and orderly these bathroom cabinets are now! And with the proper storage containers it will be easy to keep it this way.
As we were finishing up with this bathroom cabinet storage makeover, we were surprised at how quickly it all came together.
Then we decided to do a quick storage makeover in the kids bathroom. We were able to clean and organize both bathrooms in an afternoon!
Kids Bathroom Storage
In the kids bathroom we implemented the same hanging storage idea for the hair dryer and hair irons as well.
Using the same 3 lb. 3M Command Hooks, we were able to hang all of the hair tools.
With a teen and a tween in the house they each have lots of hair tools and accessories. In the past, the hair bows and headbands were shoved into drawers or thrown in the cabinet.
To keep the headbands in order we created a holder out of an oatmeal container that we covered with a fun fabric. See the full tutorial here.
To keep the hair bows in order we placed them in a fabric box from Ikea that we already had.
Hopefully, with a plan to keep the headbands and hair bows in order it will be easy to maintain it.
The right side of the kids vanity cabinet holds the toilet paper, wipes and trash can.
We used the same narrow containers that we used for Dan and Steph to store the kids toothpaste and deodorant.
Notice how these containers nicely fill the space. It will be easy to keep this drawer neat and clean.
In the back of the drawer we added one more container to hold the face cleansers and creams.
In the left drawer we placed hair supplies. The flexible 8″ x 10″ container for the brushes and combs is from Walmart. The 2 blue small containers are from Dollar Tree. They keep foam rollers, bun holders, pony tail holders and ribbons nice and neat.
It always amazes me how much more space is available when items are neatly organized in containers
Pro Tip: To keep everything in its place every container is clearly labeled.
We used the Brother PT Label Maker with clear tape for all of the small labels.
For the larger labels we cut Navy Blue vinyl with our Silhouette Machine.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see our disclosure for details.
Alright, are you ready to organize? What organizational strategies are you going to try? Do you have some great storage ideas you would like to share? We would love to hear from you!
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And as always here at Sunny Side Design
WE HOPE TO BRING YOUR HOME TO THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET!
Are you looking for more organizational ideas? Then check out our ideas for the Storage Room.
Do you need ideas for keeping your Craft Room organized, then click here.
Marlene
9 Jan 2021Great ideas. What can you do for a vanity with ONE 2 door vanity? I am so tired of a seek and search mission as our very small bathroom serves 2 grown males and 1 grown women. Have no linen closet so I purchased wall mounted gizmos with u shaped holders to place rolled towels. That helped with folded towels on a rack. More floor space.
Michelle Dickson
23 Jan 2021It sounds like you’ve got a real challenge with your bathroom storage. Placing items in storage containers can really help. Like a caddy for all hair products, that you can quickly grab and get the item you are looking for. There are also cabinet storage container that stack and are actually drawers. You may look into something like that. Think vertical storage. Are there items that can be hung from hooks inside the cabinet or door? I link a couple of possibilities. Good luck! Let us know what choices you make and how it’s working.
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