5 Bathroom Design Secrets for a More Organized 2020

Guest Post

Towels. Cosmetics. Hair products. Toilet tissue.

Shaving products. Cleaning products. Personal items.

The list could go on, but you get the point:

We store a lot of items in our bathrooms. And the smaller your bathroom, the harder it is to keep it organized. Luckily, we have some tips to help get your bathroom in order once and for all. Check out these five bathroom design secrets for a more organized 2020!

1. Declutter

Before you can even think about organizing anything, you have to declutter. And you have to declutter thoroughly. Start by emptying every single item out of the room. Clean every shelf, cabinet, and ledge. The best way to organize a room effectively is to start with a blank slate.

Throw away those empty hair product bottles and tubes of moisturizer. Get rid of old nail polishes that are starting to dry up. Toss out those shaving products, soaps, and cosmetics that you haven’t used in months. Remember, everything that goes on or in your body has an expiration date! Trash what you can, then step back and look at what needs to go back into the bathroom. Now, you’re ready to organize.

 And here’s how to do it …

2. Get a Shower Caddy

Don’t allow shampoo bottles, razors, and body washes to fill every corner of your tub. Instead, get a shower caddy to hang over your showerhead. Look for one with two or three tiers of storage to hold your day-to-day shower essentials. Shower caddies are perfect for storing shampoo and conditioner, face and body wash, soap, and razors. Look for one with hooks on the bottom so you can also hang loofah brushes and bath sponges. If you live with multiple people, buy a tiered shower shelf instead. Corner shower units usually have multiple shelves, so everyone in your apartment can have a shelf of their own.

3. Add Storage Solutions

Now that your shower essentials are where they belong, it’s time to organize towels, toilet tissue, and other items that need to stay dry. A freestanding cabinet with open shelves or glass doors is the perfect place to hold these items. If you don’t have room for a cabinet, invest in an over-the-toilet rack or floating shelves instead.  Laundry hampers are also helpful. That way, you won’t have to hang your dirty towels on the doorknob or over the shower rod to dry. At the very least, attach a few hooks to the back of your door for towels and robes. Rolling carts and towel racks can also be quite helpful. If you don’t have room for them, you may need to invest in an over-the-door organizer or two …

4. Use Door Organizers

When you have a small bathroom, it’s important to utilize every bit of space. And that’s where door organizers come into play. Over-the-door racks with shelves can hold everything from washcloths to cotton balls to extra soap. The bigger the storage system, the easier it will be to find a place for everything and keep everything in its place. If you have a vanity sink with cabinet doors, make use of the backs of those doors as well. You can maximize your cabinet space just by hanging a small over-the-door rack on the inside of each cabinet door. This offers extra space for cleaning products, toilet tissue, soaps, and body washes.

5. Organize Similar Items Together

If you truly want to get organized, you need a system. And that means keeping like items together at all times.

For example:

 Group all of your hair products together. Put them all on one shelf or store them all in the same box. If you have more items than you have room for, move them to your bedroom. Keep all of your medications together. Remember meds expire, so toss old ones that aren’t safe for use anymore. Store all cotton swabs, cotton balls, and makeup applicators together in the same area (it’s best to designate a specific container for each). Apothecary jars, mason jars, and small canisters work great for these items. Put all cleaning products in the same area of the room. Place them in an under-the-sink cabinet or, if you have a pedestal sink, put them in a storage box with a lid. If space is extremely limited, you may want to house them with the rest of your cleaning products under the kitchen sink.

Other Things to Remember

The best interior designers know how to keep clutter at bay. That’s why most of them subscribe to the theory less is more. So if you want your bathroom to be an inspired space, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:

Keep your sink and counters bare, with the exception of daily essentials like your soap dispenser and toothbrush holder.

Store spare toilet paper rolls in neat stacks. You can place them vertically or pile them up on their side. Either way works!

 Fold or roll towels to the same size and width so that they look uniform when you stack them on shelves. If you don’t have enough shelf space, stack them vertically in a basket or woven bin.

 If you have open shelves, hide your smallest items in storage baskets so your shelves don’t look cluttered. Your bathroom will look best if you can hide as many things as possible. Now that you know these design tips and tricks, it’s time to start organizing your bathroom! So, set aside an hour or two this weekend to:       

• Declutter
• Hang a shower caddy
• Add storage solutions such as shelves, baskets, and bins
• Hang over-the-door racks
• Group like items together and assign a designated home for everything

Once you’re done organizing, keep up with it! Sure, it’s nice to have a large, spacious bathroom, but smaller ones are far easier to maintain!