Taming the Beast a.k.a. Organizing My Small Apartment Bathroom {Video}

{If you’d rather not read, you can skip to the bottom of the post and watch the video. I won’t judge.}

My apartment’s bathroom was a hot. disastrous. mess. until this weekend. Those of you who know me would not believe the chaos that I lived in for almost a month. Part of me can’t believe I’m sharing this, but cue the before photos…

And even with the jam packed countertop, the cabinets under the sink were nearly 100% empty. *Face palm*

As you can imagine, I had really had it. I went off to the most wonderful place on earth: Target. Literally, I walk into the store with the Red Bull’s Eye and hear a hallelujah chorus immediately. Immediately. 

Anywhooo, I picked up a slew of bins to organize the pants off of my disaster of a bathroom.

Then, I pulled everything out of the vortex and threw it on my living room floor. Because, you know, the first rule of organizing is to move all of your shiz from one room to the next. Yup–that tops the list.

Then, over the course of three hours and a long phone call with my best friend from home, I reassembled my bathroom. This time, it looks like a human lives in it and is actually functional. Like I can blow-dry my hair without knocking 78 items of the floor. I’d say it’s progress.

I put a cute wicker basket on the counter to house my blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron, and brushes. I use those things everyday so people don’t mistake me for a lion, so it was imperative that they were easily accessible. At the same time, I didn’t want them just chillin’ on the counter. So I threw them in a giant bucket. Perfect solution. Then, I wrote “Oh, so pretty” as an inspiration to make myself look presentable each morning when I awake at 7am.

The linen closet was an entirely different story. It was totally unutilized, dysfunctional space. I took everything that was on the counter and in the closet, and sorted it. I came up with four categories: Toothcare, Medicine, Face & Body, Skincare, Lotions & Potions, and Hair Everything. The two lowest baskets contain items I use daily, so they are in lidless containers because ain’t nobody got time for that.

The shelves above the toilet are sweet little glass ones, and I worked to make them look a bit more put together. They still have a ways to go, but they’re better than before. At least my perfume has a place. Perfume is what my heart loves, alongside my family, friends, and the good Lord.

Under the sink, in the first cabinet, I used the two large white plastic bins. The first for Girl Stuff, the second for Cleaning Supplies and other random items.

In the second cabinet under the sink, I put my sheets. This is for a few reasons. 1) Because I hate folding fitted sheets, and this means I can shove them all in a plastic bin; 2) Because they’re easily accessible; and 3) Because I hate folding fitted sheets.

In the drawer above the sheets cabinet, I used a plastic silverware holder to organize my makeup. It. is. perfect. I highly recommend it! Makes my mornings super simple and there’s no chance I’ll use lipstick as eyeshadow or anything of the like.

This is my favorite photo of the space. Not because it tells anything about my bathroom organizational makeover, but because it looks artsy, it showcases a gift from my sweet friend Jess, and it’s scented Spanish Lime.

If you’re still interested in hearing me talk, you can watch my video tour of my freshly organized bathroom below:

Bathroom Organization | Blair Blogs from Blair Menzel on Vimeo.

So that’s my bathroom: organized. Not decorated, but organized. It’s a good start. For both my sanity and yours. Have you ever organized your small bathroom? Comment and tell me how!