I have two rules when it comes to the bathroom, toiletries, and linens.
Revise that. Three.
1) Keep clutter out of sight
2) Leave space
and of course
3) Simplify
On the bath front, I’ve tried to keep things that I need nearby yet tucked away and have implemented new uses for old things to do so.
We have ONE bathroom in this house, so it’s all in one!
This is the medicine cabinet over the toilet. We all must have some ugly things in our medicine cabinets – bandaids, floss, extra toothbrushes, nail polish remover, extra soaps, rubbing alcohol, pain relievers. Don’t see too much of that do you! [Although I’ll admit that we don’t keep a ton of medicines on hand!]
My technique is to put the ugly stuff in the back and cover it up with pretty stuff. You could even use EMPTY pretty bottles!
Also, turn the labels so it looks more real simple.
These sugar bowls weren’t getting much use in our china cabinet, so I moved them upstairs. Inside you’ll find Alieve, aspirin, wart remover (!) and other small things
Same with these mugs that I thought looked cute in here. They have extra soaps and mini toothpastes! They certainly look better than if I had them all just stacked on the shelf.
I also have a cute little chest my grandmother gave me that stores more little things like bandaids, floss (I really do floss every night! It’s addicting!) and nail clippers, an extra toothbrush.
Underneath I have some bath products and extra TP – all contained and out of site (although the bath products are pretty!) I also keep some Method wipes easy to reach for quick sink (and floor!) clean ups when I don’t want to get out the big cleaning supplies stuff.
Since our above-the-sink cabinet is more for daily use and less for storage (and is also not see-through) we have daily things in here – toothbrushes (Matt’s is usually in the black thing) and Matt’s stuff.
Remember to leave space so it feels airy!
I also think when it comes to bathrooms, upgrade the grody stuff if it drives you nuts. Our old toilet brush was pretty gross so I got a new one that matches the green and white theme. It makes me so much happier. I’ll admit that’s not the greenest [ha!] solution, but for $5 it was a nice change.
So where are all my other girly things?
Tucked away.
In a nice box full of organized clutter at the bottom of my closet. Here’s where I put all kinds of makeup samples and travel stuff. I go through this a few times a year and get rid of the near-empty stuff or stuff I realize I’ll never use. I am such a hoarder of hotel shampoos!
We are lucky in this house to have a nice big linen closet!
It holds 2 spare sets of sheets (we have 5 sets total for our master and guest beds and 3 of them are on the beds). I like to fold sheets into a packet with the pillowcases folded lengthwise and wrapped around the flat and fitted sheets like a clamshell. Makes them easier to carry and it looks very neat on the shelf.
For towels, I always put the folded side out (compared to the ends) so it looks more spa-like. I’m not that anal about folding my linens (they are pretty sloppily folded) but I do like them to all be the same way.
Lastly, my cleaning supplies are in a carrying crate (it took me 5 years of adult life to learn this trick from the home magazines!) so I can tote them from room to room. I’m not too happy with my dustbuster situation (wish I could keep it plugged in) but I just take it out to charge once a week or so after using it on the bathroom floor.
I’d love to hear some of your tricks for organization! And anyone with a photo of a super neat linen closet or bathroom – send them to me to post for more inspiration!!
Nice Kath!! I have the same floss as you. 🙂 I love your idea with the sugar bowls and the mugs. Now you’ve motivated me to revamp my bathroom and linen cupboard!
Ooooh, call me crazy, but I just love bathroom organization. Looks like you have a great grasp on it! 🙂
another amazing glimpse into how you manage to keep what you need while keeping it beautiful! love your bathroom.
I like the towels folds on the inside. 😉 Looks beautiful! I just went on a simplifying/organizing binge in my kitchen. It feels so good!
Nice and neat … and airy. That’s my style, I just wish my 5 year old daughter would get on board! 🙂 The tip that I love regarding bed sheets is to fold all of the sheets and them put them INSIDE one of the pillowcases to keep it all contained.
Cute post Kath! Makes me realize I really need to reorganize my bathroom!
Love your tips! I have great space under the sink in my bathroom which allows for hidden storage and organization. And we keep our mini vacuum plugged in in the laundry room. Every home has such different space to utilize – it looks like you are using yours in the best possible way!
I am a teacher in NJ and have a snow day today. Hurray for snow days! After I grade some papers and do my report cards, I am totally tackling my bathroom and linen/storage closet. I desperately need to declutter and organize. You have inspired me! I am loving this simplifying and organizing series. Thanks for all the great ideas!
Kath I love these posts! I am in the process of simplifying everything in our house and it has been lots of fun!
For the bathroom — I have plastic tubs to hold all of my lotions, body wash, razors, makeup, extra toothbrushes, etc. Jason has his cabinet and I have mine — and it works out really well!
I love the little sugar holders for your wart remover 🙂 How hilarious. I have little tupperware containers in Jason’s drawer to hold all of our nail clippers (we kept “losing them” so we kept buying more) — now we have 9 clippers! and tons of chapstick — it makes the drawer look so much more organized.
i love stocking up on little bins and drawer dividers from bed bath and beyond! that store is an organizer’s HEAVEN
I never thought to show the towels like that! It adds so much more character to the closet, especially if there isn’t a door and it’s just shelves. Thanks for the ideas! By the way, Alba products rock my world 🙂
this is a great post…i kind of want to go to homegoods tonight and pick up some cute storage containers!
I keep saying that I’m going to get one of those carriers for cleaning supplies. But, I have a feeling that would mean that I actually have to clean. I don’t know if I’m ok with that. I love your storage solutions. Very cute.
I am a hider when it comes to bathroom stuff. I try to keep the linens folded and neat, but it is a losing battle when the kids get in there. So, I figure if it is, at the very least hidden, it is better than being a mess everywhere!
Man…my husband and I only have one bathroom too, and I really need to take your advice here!! I try to simplify things…but I’m a product junky, so it’s hard!!!
I really should save this post because I desperately need to get more organized!
Loving the Home Neat Home series Kath! I’m learning a lot! 🙂
How is that dresser from your grandmother supported? From the photo it looks like it’s floating in mid-air!
It’s on a glass shelf!
Love the mugs as clutter holders/hiders! I have 12+ brightly colored Fiesta mugs that are too small to actually drink from (they have that tiny handle that’s only big enough for one finger)…just may have to re-purpose them all over the house when we move back to the States! Great idea!
our bathrooms look really similar! 🙂 I, too, am big on keeping the ugly hidden and keeping things as open and airy as is possible and practical. Great ideas and great post…thanks for all your hard work!
cathy b.
I really, really need you to come and organize my house! Your skills are impressive 🙂
My dad and I are super hotel sample hoarders…and even take a few from the maid cart if it’s sitting in the hallway unattended. Therefore, we have 392434 of those things. I finally learned to put it in a basket instead of letting it roll freely in the drawer. No one sees my bathroom except me so it’s not as motivating to keep clean!
Why does that not surprise me!?
I am definitely a hotel soap hoarder too. Its insane the amount I have!
Kath, you have inspired me. I went around my house and took pictures of every square inch. I’m going to put the pictures in an album and go through my house bit by bit, organizing, refreshing, tidying, etc. These posts of yours are giving me some really good ideas. Thank you!
Please share the photos!
Very nice! Makes me want to spend the day cleaning out my master bathroom!
Where do you keep your hair dryer, straightener, curling iron, etc. Are you just that naturally beautiful that you don’t have to use those things?!?
Hairdryer is in my closet room – see the previous post. Hair curlers are in back of closet on shelf.
You inspire me to become more organized! I swear… some day I hope to be as organized as you are Kath. I love that you USE everything in your house. Seems so simple, but so many people keep around things that they ‘think they may at some point need to use once’ and it wastes space and makes one’s home cluttered. Nice job! Now I need to go make all my bathrooms look like yours ! lol
please come organize my ugly home.
Love the idea of the sugar bowls. Great way to streamline everything and they are really functional!
I didn’t read all the comments, so this might be a repeat: I like to put all those hotel soaps, shampoos, and lotions that I don’t use in a cute little basket which I place in the guest room. Guests always forget something! I also put in there the toothbrushes from the dentist office (mine is an electric Sonicare) and any other extra toiletries, like disposable razors and the like.
If I ever do end up needing something, I know where to find an extra!
i love that idea 🙂
Me too!
I do this too! My guests always love that 🙂
I do this too! It’s a great way to store those kinds of things “out of site” and it’s been much appreciated by all of our out of town guests.
I’m totally loving this series!
As a very organized and clutter-hating person, this is right up my alley!
Of course I also love your regular posts as well 🙂 I’ve been a reader for quite some time, I’m just not a big commenter!
I love the idea for the cleaning products! I’m always lugging them around in my arms, and dropping cleanser on the stairs, or just end up with duplicates of all cleaning products so we don’t have to move them around. Thanks for the awesome idea.
My bathrooms are just so old, I feel I can’t do much until they are renovated 🙁
Awesome posts! Love this series!!
I need to find a way to organize under my sink. It is looking a little messy!
I love that you’ve simplified everything according to the space. Got to do it for my bathroom as well 😉
You’re tips neeeever cease to amaze me! I’m going to start taking notes 🙂
Love the way your towels like so “spa-like”… I think I’m going to start doing that myself!
“(I really do floss every night! It’s addicting!)”
Girl after my own heart! I love to floss – and sometimes feel I’m the only person on earth who does. 🙂
I have loved these “Home Neat Home” posts…they give such great ideas! I would love to see other readers solutions and pictures for some of their organizational ideas…especially if they have kids or a different set up. Thanks!!
One of my favorite tips I got from my sister, I can never fold sheets so they look nice and neat, especially the fitted ones. So I fold my sheets and then I place them inside one of the matching pillow cases and fold it over to close. This keeps the fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillow cases all together neatly and looks better on the shelf.
That is how I do it. We have 5 beds, all assorted sizes, so that keeps me sane to just pull one case out of the closet with everything inside. Especially if I need to change a sick kid’s bed at 3 am!
What a great tip!! My linen closet is next on the list for reorganization and I was really trying to think of how to organize the sheets. Thanks!
These are really my favorite posts ever.
I am the opposite with towels. I must fold them JUST SO or the closet looks messy to me.
We maximized our linen closet space my hanging little wire baskets on a wall that was previously not used for anything. We each have two for our daily toiletries and such. Then I hung an old school coat hook on the inside left side of the closet and my hairdryer sits there out of the way and not taking up space. Extra stuff (like duplicates and travel shampoos etc) are in little tupperware bins under the sink for easy access. Bathroom cleaning supplies are in a bucket in the closet. The only things on the counter are our toothbrushes (in a pretty cup), hand soap and a candle.
Now… if only you’d teach us how to keep our bathroom clean! Showers are my nemesis!
I’m the same way with cleaning the shower – for some reason it seems overwhelming. I’d rather clean ANYTHING but the shower!
Me too!!!
I am the same way. But, I started to clean while I am taking a shower (or right before, then I shower myself). I close the curtain clean it up and don’t have to worry about getting wet or making a big mess. It really saves time too.
*getting my clothes wet
Your house is like a hotel to me! I always say I wish I lived in a hotel because it’s so neat and organized and it’s like you do (but comfier)!
I never thought of adding another medicine cabinet over the toilet. What a great idea!
So cute! I love the cleaning tote idea 🙂 In my old house, the linen closet was wayy across the house in one of the bedrooms! Old houses are sometimes built so weird. Does this end your Home Neat Home saga? or is there more?!! More, please 😉
There is lots more!!
Switching to the Diva Cup took a lot of the girly product clutter out of my bathroom. It’s a much greener solution, and honestly works SO much better than the other stuff!
WOW there are so many great organization takeaways from this post! My favorites were the sheet packets and carrying case for the cleaning supplies. Why didn’t I ever think of that? 🙂
LOL @ hiding the wart remover!
My biggest trick is stackable storage – whether it be containers or shelves. Bed, Bath, and Beyond was my best friend when I moved into my place – did you know their coupons never really expire?!
Love this…I should probably implement allll of this. Now.
It’s much greener not to keep your dustbuster plugged in!
I also put extra hotel shampoos, etc. in guest bathrooms. One bathroom for you?! Couldn’t do it. I love drawer organizers for hair ties, headbands, bobby pins, and agree to keep counters clean! I have a similar organizer for chunky jewelry too.
Everything organized and neat and tidy is the way to go. I always put my “not fun” items in baskets and hidden away.
I just wanted to say that I am LOVING these Home Neat Home posts! You and Matt really have a gorgeous space and it’s so nice to learn your tips and tricks. I can’t believe you guys only have one bathroom, though – crazy! I guess that’s just one less thing to clean/worry about, right? 🙂
Hi Kath! Thank you for sharing your organizational tips and tricks with us. I love home tours! I have been looking for a wire basket with a carrying handle just like the one sitting on your glass tiered shelf. Where did you buy it?
I have no idea where it came from – I’ve had it since my freshman year of college. Sorry!
I bought some recently from Bed Bath and Beyond. They don’t rust so you can keep them in the bathroom.
I have some baskets much like that one. I got them at Target about 2 years ago.
Cute bath post, lots of great tips here. Your bathroom is gorgeous, great idea for the clutter box, I have one under my sink for random clutter.
Great ideas, Kath. I’m not great about bathroom organization (I’ve got cleaning supplies in a box in the under sink cabinet…at least they’re contained!) but it definitely helps to buy cabinets/cute boxes/baskets. I have a cute storage cabinet and keep my towels rolled on the top shelf and toilet paper stacked on the bottom. It’s out of sight but looks organized even when the doors are open!
please come do this to my house.
Having glass cabinets would definitely e a motivator to keep them clean. I have solid wood ones and it’s a totaly mess behind them!
This is completely off topic, but I just had a Great Harvest sandwich
for lunch and of course I thought of you!
I am jealous.
Your house is SO neat! I have to admit, I’m having cleanliness envy! All of your posts are making me want to do a major purge this weekend!
Oh d-d-d-deeaarrr even though I would LOVE to be that organized, I feel like I’m subconsciously just waiting to do that when someday I get married~like within 1.5 years or somethin’ 😛
What a truly beautiful and organized bathroom. I really like it! Thanks for sharing so many great ideas : ) I’ll be implementing them throughout my house as your series continues.
Happy day : )
Did you change the font/size of your banner? Or whatever it is called? 🙂
Yup
Aaannnddd, I used to be organized and then I had kids, haha!
Love this series, so inspiring! Not only is your house so organized it is so clean. i would love to see a post in this series about what cleaning products/schedule you use to keep your house looking so fresh.
I’ve had several requests for that but I am not the best at cleaning! I still haven’t found something that works. Perhaps I could compile a list of KERF reader cleaning tips and post them all together??
That works too! I would love to see what everyone is using, especially green cleaning tips!
I store the sheet sets in one of their pillow cases. That way you can just grab the whole thing and haul it to the bedroom.
Great idea to clean the bathroom floor with the dustbuster. Mine is stored downstairs and it get it out for quick cleanups but always haul the broom and dustpan up to the bathrooms. This would be so much easier.
I love the idea of using old bowls and such as storage in the bathroom! I have some plastic crate like things that typically stack on each other for storage, but I have one on each shelf of our linen closet (that doubles as bathroom storage because it’s in the bathroom) for little odds and ends like band-aids and whatnot.
Awesome oragnization posts! I am holding on to too many clothes/shoes. This weekend I’m going to purge some!
Any tips for getting your husband excited about organization of his things? LOL
Thank you so much for all your wonderful ideas on being organised, come the day you start a family, it will make life soooooo much easier. It is just as easy to put things away as you do, than to be unorganised, it really is time saving in the long run (I am a Nanny for 4 kids under 6 !!!!)
If you fold sheets top to bottom, then fold across into quarters, you end up with a quarter of the width, so at a glance you can tell what size the sheet is,then just fold the length to fit on the depth of your shelf.
When you work in a house that has baby cot, single, king single, double, queen and king it is not good to be hauling out sheets to see what size they are.
Keep it coming, I need all the help I can get……Thank you
Another linen closet tip – we have 3 different size beds in our house so I have a shelf for each size in my linen closet. All twin size sheets and blankets on one shelf, etc.
First-time commenting, although I’ve been reading for almost a year. I really like this series you’re doing! I especially like the idea of just using a dustbuster or the method wipes for a quick, easy clean-up. I usually do a “major” cleanup after 2 weeks because I’ve shed so much hair on my bathroom floor or it’s gotten too dusty/gross in the bathroom. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for your comment Carol!
Wish I was as organized and simple as you! Sadly my incessant shopping purchases throw my organization and tidiness off. I do have a good eye for decorating and appearance, though 🙂
You should send this post to Real Simple!
Wow!
I feel so embarrassed about the state of my bedroom while reading this series of yours. Wanna come organise my life? 😛
I love the idea of the chest in the bathroom. I need to do some baby proofing soon and my medicine drawer is at floor level in a beautiful bookshelf. A chest on a higher shelf will look fabulous. I also like how you fold your extra sheets. I think I need a sugar bowl for my hai elastics.
Your home neat home posts have great ideas. Thanks so much for sharing!
Great suggestions! Can you explain how exactly you fold the sheets? Fitted sheets are the worst!
I fold them all sloppily and then stuff them into a neatly folded pillowcase packet.
Hi:
I love the top cabinet with the crystal knobs. Where did you buy it?
Thanks
It’s from my grandmother’s collection
THIS IS GREAT STUFF!!!
I love these posts. When I read it, it feels like a task that is doable coming from someone real, instead of reading them from magazines. I’m more inspired from real examples like yours, rather than reading them from professionally organized/staged closets.
I know I have too much stuff. Reading your organization series really confirms that life is better lived when it’s simple, lol!
Do you want to do swap clothes for nut butters? I have a lot of new and unworn stuff. Ha ha j/k
Hi, this is the first time I’ve visited your blog and already I loooove it! I love organization and your cabinet makes me swoon! lol Here is the link to the organizational post from my little blog, with a pic of our linen closet! http://fruitveggietales.blogspot.com/2011/01/cleaning-tips-tricks-and-schedule-part_05.html
🙂
ok, I’m getting up from this computer right now and making my bathroom pretty like Kath’s! You”re a total inspiration Kath!
I agree. That is my same philosophy.
Well done…such a good idea to declutter.
I love this series Kath! I’ve always admired your organization and neat, simple living. Any ideas for home office papers, supplies? We’re in the midst of overhauling our ‘office’ and after trips to Staples and Office Max, I’m not any better off.
Thanks!
Coming soon!