The bathroom is an area of the house that has to tick many boxes. Whether it’s a small bathroom or a spacious one, we tend to jam pack it with a never-ending list of items. However, there are clear benefits to keeping your bathroom well-organized. Besides, a well-organized bathroom is also easier to maintain and clean.

There are several different reasons why you might need some help organizing your bathroom: Maybe you need to organize a guest bathroom. Perhaps you’re moving into your first apartment and looking for ways to make your bathroom organized right from the start. Or maybe you have a tiny bathroom and you need tips to help you store everything. And maybe you’re just tired of the clutter and want to maximize your bathroom storage space — making sure all of your bathroom essentials are at hand.

Depending on your situation and preferences, you might find one strategy more effective than the other: from following bathroom organization hacks, to adding more functional bathroom furniture, to exploring creative bathroom storage ideas. Some of the factors that may shape your perspective are the available space, the number of household members and their needs and abilities, your bathroom decor style, your budget, and your willingness to put in a bit of extra time and effort.

Bathroom declutter hacks

The bathroom is such a multifunctional space. We end up storing a variety of products and items in there, from makeup and toiletries to cleaning tools and supplies. Inevitably, over time, the bathroom becomes home to things that are either unused, expired or don’t really belong there in the first place.

Decluttering is a great way to inspect each storage area, from bathroom wall cabinet and makeup table to over-the-toilet storage. This way, you ensure that your bathroom organization efforts aren’t wasted on merely moving around the same old mess.

A good way to start is by going through each bathroom storage area and separating all the products into one of the four following categories.

Note: Remember, while you’re moving things around, it’s also a perfect time to dust and clean your bathroom.

What to keep in your bathroom

There’s always a temptation to store as many often-used items in the bathroom as possible, so they’re always at hand. However, not all of the products and supplies used in the bathroom can or should be stored there.

What you shouldn’t store in the bathroom

Medication

Most medication and supplement manufacturers recommend storing their products in a cool dry place, which is as far as it gets from the conditions found in most bathrooms. Thus, ironically, storing medications in a bathroom medicine cabinet is to be avoided, since it may result in reducing their effectiveness or spoiling before the expiration date.

Jewelry

The reason is, again, humidity. It may result in some metals (sterling silver) becoming tarnished. While it may be fine to store a few items you use daily (e.g., earrings) in a small tray on the bathroom counter, make sure to store the rest of your jewelry in a cool, dry place away from the bathroom.

Perfume

Perfume doesn’t take heat very well. If constantly exposed to temperature fluctuations, fragrances may lose their character or sour.

From decluttering to organizing

Once you’ve decided on the items that you intend to keep in your bathroom, think of how you want them to be organized. A rule of thumb is to keep the more frequently used items close by while placing the things you use only occasionally farther away.

Take note of whether you need any additional bathroom furniture or accessories to store the products you’re keeping there. By all means, if you add new items, try to make sure you bring in pieces that fit your bathroom style and your stored products. This should all come together, whether you choose to add a new bathroom stand, wall-mounted vanity, upgrade the pedestal sink storage or over-the-toilet cabinet. That goes double for any extra wall shelves installed or if you get a new bathroom-counter organizer and add a couple of extra towel baskets. See below for a list of some essential bathroom furniture and accessories to help you steer your organizing efforts.

Bathroom furniture

Bathroom storage on wheels

While a stationary cabinet may be too bulky, especially when organizing a tiny bathroom, a rolling cart can be easily moved to suit your needs. Don’t want to invest in a new one? An older piece of furniture, like a bar cart, can be easily repurposed. Keep toiletries up top and arrange spare towels, washcloths, and toilet paper in baskets or containers in the bottom.

Accessories

Magnetic organizers

These can work really well to help you store small, loose items like hair pins, nail clippers and makeup brushes. There are a number of options to consider: dedicated bathroom magnetic organizers, repurposing a magnetic knife rack, or adhesive magnetic strips. The nice thing about magnetic bathroom organizers is that they take little space and work just about anywhere:

• In a medicine cabinet
• In a drawer
• On a wall, or any other surface you can think of

Hair-tool holder

Great for storing your curling iron, blow-drier, straightener and other hot tools. A dedicated hair-tool organizer can be attached on a wall, on the side of your bathroom cabinet, or inside the bathroom sink cabinet.

Hooks

No matter the size of your bathroom, there never seems to be enough storage space in the closet, on the counter, and on shelves. An easy solution is to add hooks to hang towels, robes and the like. These come in a variety of shapes and colors, and a number of no-drill options are available.

Hooks are usually more economical than bars, and if you fancy adding some character to your bathroom, you can experiment with some fun DIY ideas, such as reusing vintage door knobs as bathroom hooks.

Spray-bottle hanger

Stick an adhesive spray bottle hanger on a wall or on the inside of a bathroom floor cabinet, and keep your most-used bathroom cleaners always at hand.

Lazy Susan

Continuing with the bathroom cleaning supplies, place these on a Lazy Susan and keep them in a convenient place like the cabinet.

Wall-outlet shelf

Available in different configurations, these compact bathroom wall shelves allow you to store electronics like razors, electric toothbrushes, speakers, home assistants, etc. This helps reduce the usual tangle of cords and plugs.