How to Organize a Bathroom and Your Jewelry

Bathrooms are small rooms that hold a lot of stuff, and everyone in the house uses them every day. A few small containers make a huge difference. And while you’re getting ready in the morning, your jewelry should be just as easy to find as your toothbrush.

Here’s how I organize bathrooms and jewelry as a professional organizer.

Step 1: Empty it and check dates

Take everything out of the drawers, cabinets and under the sink. Then check expiration dates on medicine, sunscreen, makeup and skincare. Toss anything expired, set expired medications aside so they can be disposed of safely, and let go of half-used products and samples you’ll never finish.

Be realistic about backups. You don’t need five open bottles of shampoo. Keep the ones in use, plus a few spares stored together.

Step 2: Sort into categories

Group what’s left: hair, makeup, skincare, dental, first aid, medicine, shaving, and backstock. In a shared bathroom, also sort by person, so each person has their own drawer or bin.

Step 3: Contain the drawers

Drawers turn messy because everything slides around. Two things fix it:

• Clear drawer organizer trays come in mixed sizes, so you can fit them together like a puzzle. Give each category its own tray.
• Clear bins (10 x 6 x 5 inches) work for bathroom drawers and for the cabinet above the toilet.

Keep everyday items in the top drawer and less-used items lower down.

Step 4: Organize under the sink

Under the sink is usually the hardest spot because of the pipes. Measure around them before you buy anything. An under-sink organizer adds a second level so you can use the height, and open bins let you pull things out like drawers instead of digging. Keep cleaning supplies and backstock here, upright and visible, not stacked.

Step 5: Use the walls and the door

Wall and door space is easy to forget. A couple of robe hooks give robes and towels a home so they’re not on the floor. A towel bar on the back of the door helps in small bathrooms.

Step 6: Simplify the linen closet

• Keep only what you use. A couple of sheet sets per bed and a few towels per person is plenty for most families.
• Store items by how often you use them. Everyday towels at eye level, guest sheets and beach towels up high.
• Use baskets for washcloths, hand towels and first-aid supplies, with a label on each.

Step 7: Organize your jewelry so you can see it

Jewelry you can’t see is jewelry you don’t wear. The goal is to keep every piece visible and untangled:

• Necklaces: hang longer necklaces on a wall-mounted necklace holder so they never tangle.
• Earrings and rings: jewelry trays fit in a top dresser drawer. Check your drawer dimensions first to make sure they fit inside.
• Bracelets: a bracelet tower on top of the dresser keeps them easy to grab.

Pull out pieces you haven’t worn in a year and decide if they still belong.

Step 8: Keep it up

Once a week, take five minutes to put things back in their trays and toss empties. Check dates again every few months.

Hire a professional organizer in Utah

Orderly Nest Organizing’s professional organizers organize bathrooms, linen closets and jewelry for families across Salt Lake County, Northern Utah County and Southern Davis County, and our decluttering service covers the whole house. Book a free consultation, or browse all of our favorite organizing products.