I’m so happy to have Melissa of The Polished Habitat with us today sharing some easy organizing tips to help your mornings go smoother by having a place for everything – yes!
Can anyone relate to the annoyance I feel in the morning when I can’t find what I need to get ready for the day? I used to have a least a couple days each week that I’d be cranky before I even left for work because I wasted time searching for things, or just frustrated that the bathroom was disorganized.
So I’ve become pretty passionate about making all the trouble spots in our house SUSTAINABLY organized. Not just tidied up, because things get un-tidy quickly. But, with real thought and systems that make it easier to keep neat than it would be to let chaos reign. And coming from a girl with a tendency to be a mess, this has made a HUGE difference in our home and life.
Here are a few organizing projects in the bathroom that I’ve done to create a happy start to each day:
1. Hair Product Organization
For hair products, I added a spice rack under my bathroom sink. It gets the bottles off the counter, but I can still grab any of them easily thanks to the tiered design. Having a designated space also provides a built-it limit to the number of products I keep. If the rack is full, something has to go before a new product comes in.
2. Under-Cabinet Organization
While I was working on the fix to the hair products, I organized the rest of the cabinet as well. For things I use every day, like face wash, makeup sponges, and Q-Tips, I added vertical storage on the back of the cabinet door. Attaching IKEA bins with Command Strips makes this is a solution that would even work in a rental!
3. Linen Closet Organization
Plastic storage drawers may be my #1 organizing obsession. Adding one in the linen closet between stacks of towels serves double-duty. It keeps the stacks of bath towels on both sides neat, and holds washcloths and hand towels inside.
4. Bathroom Supplies Organization
Photo boxes are a non-traditional pick for bathroom storage, but they are still perfect for a wide range of items. I use them for things picked up on sale, like extra toothbrushes, razors, etc. There is also a box dedicated to travel/sample size items, which used to be scattered in different drawers. Now when we pack, we grab the “Mini” box and pick out whatever we need. It’s like having our own little store. If you have a Michael’s nearby, they often have the boxes on sale for 6 for $10, making them one of the cheapest organizing solutions available.
5. Jewelry Organization
My newest and possibly favorite “getting ready” solution involves earrings. I found that bead organizers from the craft store are PERFECT for earrings and completely affordable. I used to have a tray for jewelry, and would end up frustrated that no matter what pair of earrings I was looking for, I’d have to dig to find a match. Using round bead organizers means each pair of earrings has it’s own space AND I can quickly see what I have. Instead of buying two organizers, I actually used the top and bottom separately to double the space without doubling the cost.
I implemented each of these ideas over time, and every one of them costs less than $10. I love frugal solutions that make a huge difference in my mornings!
Even though things like disorganized bathrooms are VERY minor in the large scheme of life, don’t underestimate the difference you’ll feel when your space is neat and calm. Dang it, I guess my mom was right during my teenage years.
I hope you found some inspiration that will help make your mornings happy!
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Thanks, Melissa – I can’t wait to put some of these into practice in our home for some happy in our mornings!