Our modern lives in the western world are all so busy and everything we do takes time. More and more we are becoming aware of how we can spend our time more efficiently and effectively so we can live the lives we’ve always dreamt of. I don’t know about you, but I hate wasting my time looking for things that have been lost in an abyss of mess. Having an organised house is one of the best ways to make sure your time is well spent.

Unfortunately, due to the compact nature of many bathrooms, storage space is often limited making it difficult to find a place for everything.  This is particularly true in our bathroom as not only is it small in size but it is shared by five of us.  Without the correct storage and organization, it very quickly becomes a place of unnecessary mess and clutter.

Our bathroom vanity is quite small so it is important that we place regularly used items in it. Other items such as first aid items and medicines are kept in our larger bathroom cupboard.

Follow these 5 easy steps to declutter your bathroom vanity.

1. Purge

Take everything out of the cupboard. Begin by throwing out all the things that are no longer needed, out of date or that you simply don’t use (no matter how good your intention is).

• Common items that have piled up in your bathroom cupboard could include:
• Old or expired makeup
• Near empty bottles of shampoo, soap or lotions
• Expired medications
• Lotions, shampoo, styling products that you haven’t used in the last 12 months
• Product samples and those mini shampoo and conditioner bottles you have collected when travelling
• Old toothbrushes
• Rusted razors and old shaving cream cans
• Mouldy, broken or old toys
• Items that belong elsewhere
• Plain old rubbish!

Consider giving extra lotions, bath oils, body wash, or nice smelling hand soaps (that are still usable) as gifts to friends, neighbours, secret santas or your children’s teachers. Alternatively consider donating them to a relevant charity such as Share the Dignity.

2. Sort the remaining items into like piles.

Clear some space and start sorting like items together.

Possible categories for sorting bathroom paraphernalia could include:

• Makeup and accessories
• Nail care items
• Skin care creams and lotions
• Hair brushes, sprays and accessories
• Shaving supplies
• Hair care products
• Hair brushes and accessories
• Feminine Hygiene products
• First aid
• Cleaning

The other option is sorting them by who uses which items eg putting all your partner’s shaving and hair care products together.

If the space allows, aim to have the top of your bathroom vanity clutter free as well. Try decorating it with pretty items so that you are not tempted to start placing items back there. Plus this will make cleaning so much quicker and easiest having a clutter free surface.

3. Clean

With the vanity empty, now is a great time to give the cupboard a good clean before you begin putting items back. Wipe each shelf and drawer out with a clean, damp cloth before returning the contents. Do the same with any storage containers as well.

4. Store and Organize

Have a look at the quantity and size of your piles of like items to start planning the best way to store the items using plastic drawers, baskets and shelves. Save time and money by purchasing these items after you have sorted them into piles so you know exactly what container to buy that will best fit the contains.

Good bathroom vanity storage solutions to consider

• Plastic drawers sets help to keep small like minded items together and labelling the drawers makes finding items much easier.
• Plastic baskets with a handle make it easier to pull item out without the bottles falling over.
• For items you need to use daily, place them in the same container you can easily lift onto the vanity when required for use.

5. Maintain and Celebrate

Now the hard work is over, make an effort to maintain the clean and clutter free space.

• Remove items that you haven’t used in 12 months.
• Resist the urge to store non bathroom items in your new clean vanity.
• Put the items back in the places each and every time you used them.
• Let your family know of the new system so everyone can contribute to keeping it clutter free in the future.

Now it’s time celebrate! There is something super gratifying about knowing you will waste less time looking for lost items in your bathroom vanity each morning and more time doing the things you love, like an extra couple of minutes in bed, in the shower or eating breakfast with your loved ones. Cheers to that!

Michaela Clark from Decluttering You is helping overwhelmed parents deal with the everyday juggle. Her blog is a wealth of knowledge and provides organising and productivity tips to help you get 10% more organised and get back 2 whole hours back in your day.