Seattle's Child

Your guide to a kid-friendly city

Bathroom basics

 

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simplystashed.com

Bathrooms can get busy, and busy bathrooms are easily overcome by clutter. Besides the bathroom essentials, everyone's got their favorite products and appliances. With a little organization and planning, it's easy to make bathroom space work for everyone's needs.

Here are some of my favorite tools and tips for sane, shareable bathroom space.

 

Got pockets?

One of my favorite tricks for keeping bathroom order is the re-purposed shoe organizer. This cute version by Simply Stashed has pockets of varying sizes to accommodate all your different-sized stuff. Sturdy, see-through plastic makes it easy to access what you want, and easy to put back in the right spot, too. (A win-win for moms!)

 

Stash in secret cubbies.

This requires a bit of handy work, but if you have a few feet of accessible, under-utilized wall space, creating a small cabinet can make a big difference in the bathroom. Create open shelves to showcase niceties such as hand towels and pretty soap, or add a door to keep less savory bathroom necessities out of sight. 

 

Magnetize the medicine cabinet.

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marthastewart.com

Most bathrooms have a medicine cabinet, but they have a knack for attracting clutter. And what's up with the shelves never being quite the right size for your stuff? The solution: a simple sheet of metal, which you can order from Ballard Sheet Metal, and some magnets. Affix the metal sheet inside the back of the cabinet or on the door and use magnetized containers of all shapes and sizes (available at Storables or make your own) to keep track of odds and ends.

Photo credit: www.marthastewart.com

As an alternative, check out StickOnPods from Magnapods. These handy little organizers are designed specifically for cosmetics, nail polish, and tooth brushes and adhere to the inside of your medicine cabinet. Have a medicine cabinet made of wood or plastic? No worries, just order MagnaPods Steel Sheet for Wood and Plastic Cabinets. Genius!

 

Discipline your drawers.

With all of your family's health and beauty gear, bathrooms can attract junk drawers just as easily as the kitchen. A simple (or fancy) drawer organizer is all you need to keep things in check. Places like Storables have lots of options, but even Home Depot or your local hardware store may have a cheap solution that works.

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houzz.com

If you need to take it up a notch and have some handy skills, the sky's the limit on custom storage solutions. This compartmentalized unit is perfect for managing large, unwieldy tools in a deep drawer.

 

Smarten up your shelves.

Tired of having to get on all fours every time you need to hunt for something deep in a dark cabinet? Shelf Genie to the rescue! This Seattle-based company is my go-to for smart, pull-out drawer systems for the bathroom, or anywhere you have the need. With both everyday and occasional supplies within arm's reach, you'll do away with scary, under-the-sink storage for good!

I share a lot of tips with my clients, but sometimes I get great pointers from them, too. So what about you? What great ideas have you implemented, or hope to implement, in your own bathroom? I'd love to know!


Sara Eizen is a Seattle-based interior designer and home organizer with a passion for helping busy families reclaim style and space in their homes on any budget. In a bi-weekly column for Seattle's Child, Sara shares creative, fun, affordable tips and tricks for clearing clutter, sprucing up rooms with minimal effort, creating systems that simplify family life, and much more.

About the Author

Sara Eizen