Bathroom Organization Tips

While organizing doesn’t exactly come naturally to me (I named this site A Beautiful Mess for a reason – I am very messy!), there is almost nothing in the world that feels as good as setting aside an afternoon to organize a space in my home. My favorites are those neglected spaces – the inside of the fridge maybe, or the laundry room or today’s project: our master bathroom. The thing about the master bathroom is it’s one of the first and last rooms you see in a day, so it can kind of set the tone. If it’s messy and hectic, even if it is just a bathroom, it can start things off on the wrong foot, you know?

Anyway, we’re super excited to partner with IKEA, one of our favorite places to shop for affordable, good-looking home goods. Organization can get expensive FAST, and I’m not exactly looking to spend the big bucks on those types of purchases. So when I find a source that’s cute AND inexpensive, that’s a WIN-WIN.  Here are the products I used for this post: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Tip #1. Collect containers.

I like to try a lot of different containers when I’m organizing a space. Function is obviously most important, but it certainly doesn’t hurt when they can also be pretty, like these baskets.

Consistent containers in varying sizes are very useful! I like to mix two types of containers in any given space. Here I mixed clear acrylic boxes with wicker baskets. I always buy more than I need; you can always return what you don’t use.

Tip #2. Keep daily use items in sight and random items stored away.

If there is anything that you use once or more every day, try to keep that very accessible. For me, it’s my face spray and oils, my everyday makeup (a lot of days I only use a couple products), and things like cotton balls and bobby pins.

I keep things like my hair blow dryer, full makeup collection, and extra mismatched towels stored away. Nobody needs to see all that all the time. 🙂

Tip #3. Store like items together.

For some reason I struggle with this one. But when I force myself to evaluate my items and how they are used, it helps me organize them more efficiently. This is great for scatter-brained people who are always misplacing something!

Tip #4. Keep it simple. Minimize every season!

This is the tip I am most passionate about. In the past year, I got rid of a HUGE amount of makeup and bath and body products that were literally just sitting in my cabinet waiting to expire (or had already expired – yikes!!).

Since having less, I have noticed it’s easier to get ready. I only have a couple nail polish options, a couple lipstick options and a couple blush options. And that’s all I need! I don’t know why I hung on to things in the past – I think it was the guilt of having spent money on it. But that guilt only creates clutter.

Every season throw away everything in your bathroom that you aren’t using! Don’t think, just throw. I promise you will love the feeling of more space, less options (especially when they’re options you don’t even want), and a more organized space.

Tip #5. Create morning and evening rituals.

Lately I have been working on my morning routine. Everyone is different, but I want to be able to get ready in about fifteen minutes every day – so basically lightning speed (not including shower times because anyone who has thick hair knows that adds, like, an hour!). I want to feel ready for the day, cute enough (I’m not worried about looking super done up, but I also don’t want to be embarrassed if I run into a bunch of people I know at the coffee shop), and feel fresh.

Currently I don’t have as many morning rituals as I would like. Besides savoring my morning coffee and scrolling through my Bloglovin’ feed, I feel like I don’t put enough priority on making mornings special and enjoyable.

Some of my morning ritual goals include – laying out an outfit the night before, oil pulling, creating a better, quicker beauty routine (especially for my hair – I tend to be all or nothing and wear messy buns most days!), and doing something to spark creativity and inspiration early in the day.

Evening routines are a little more established in my life. I have been going to bed pretty early, have found some really great skincare products to use every evening and always sleep with my phone on airplane mode. These small changes help me feel more rested and less stressed. I struggled with sleep in the past and these habits have helped to improve that part of my life so much.

I also regularly use this pillow mist and make it at home. It smells so good and is completely natural!

I would love to hear about your organization tips and any habits that have made your day or night routine healthier or happier. You guys are amazing, and I always love to hear what works for you! xx- Elsie

Looking for more bathroom organization tips? Be sure to check out our guide for organizing your home (room by room).

Credits// Author: Elsie Larson. Photography: Laura Gummerman.