BATHROOMS, The small room with much to organize

When we think of the bathroom we think medicine cabinets full of medications and band-aids and under the sink full of curling irons and blow dryers.  Let's think again!

Bathrooms are a small space so the organization of them is so very important. First we well look at ways to maximize our space and where to add storage solutions.  In a bathroom adding storage is a bonus, so think about adding an over the toilet shelving unit, shelves on the wall, a small shelving unit/cabinet in a corner and adding a shelf above the door adds space for the overflow of toilet paper, towels, tissues etc.

Hooks on the back of the door, either over the door hooks so no holes are made in the door or right to the door.  You can hang towels and robes easily and out of the way. Hooks on the wall can be used too; for hanging towels, jewelry, blow dryer and other necessities.

Under the sink, I always encourage folks to invest in a system that is on wheels and can slide out like a drawer or use wire/plastic shelving to create 2 levels and then use baskets/bins to sort items. When sorting items put like with like; shampoo with shampoo, brushes with brushes, makeup with makeup etc.  If your bathroom is used by several family members and space is extremely limited create a basket/bin for each member and have them keep it in their rooms or in the linen cupboard. 

Depending on how you have the cabinet under the sink set up you may find you have dead space on the inside of the cupboard and will have room to add to it and close it. If so you can attach your curling irons, blow dryer and straightener to them, with specifically made solutions or hooks or use pvc tubing. If you do not have the space use a basket/bin to house them under the sink or use a drawer.

 

Medicine cabinets are always seen as somewhere to house all your medications whether you are taking them still or not.  Think of your medicine cabinet as a place to house the items you use daily. This will allow more space in it and you can house the other items in other areas like the linen cupboard, in the kitchen or bedroom. House items like tooth paste, deodorant, perfume, cologne, neti-pot, face cream and cleansers etc. A great tip is to add a magnet strip on the inside door of your medicine cabinet to house bobby pins and metal barrettes, you can also add a strong round magnet on the hinge hardware on the inside and attach your tweezers to it, easy to find and put away!



Speaking of magnets it is easy to create your own makeup board, use a metal tray or baking sheet spray paint it to match bathroom or glue fabric to it and then add strong magnets to the bottom of your makeup cases and voila you can attach them to the board to hold them.  Add a little cup or box to house your brushes and mascaras. You can hang this on the bathroom wall or have it leaning up against the wall on the counter top.

When it comes to the tub try to keep as little as possible along the tub as it just adds to clutter and a place for dust and dirt to live.  You can use specific systems to store your shampoos, soaps and razors and this will keep it off the tub corners. If the family is using their own baskets of goodies they just bring it in use it dry off items and put back and take to their rooms/linen cupboard.

           

I hope this was informative and will inpsire you to create the most beautiful, clutter free and functional bathroom you can, you deserve it.

How to Organize Your Clothes!

Clothes, clothes and more clothes!  How to keep them organized? Here are a few simple tips to keep things neat and tidy. The bonus of organizing your clothes is how simple it becomes to create outfits and to keep only what is worn.

First tip is to put all your hangers the wrong way.  When you wear something put it back with the hanger the right way, after the seasons are done say 2 at a time, spring and summer - fall and winter, donate all the clothes on the backward hangers; you are not wearing them and someone else will!

Take all your off season clothing, and store them away in a air tight bin and label it.  Store in basement, garage, attic or where ever you have space for items not being used for some time.














 Another great thing to do is store baby clothes by sizes, this way when you have another child you can bring out the right containers to set up the nursery, or if a good friend needs clothes you can find the right sizes to give to her when needed :)

When organizing your closets that hold your clothing always put like items with like - t-shirts with t-shirts, skirts with skirts, sweaters with sweaters - as this will make it easy to find what you are looking for and easier to create an outfit.  Next step is to colour order each section from light to dark. or what ever order works for you ;)  When it comes to the jacket closet store by length of coat and colour order them. This will help to see your jackets better and will be easier to find the right one.

I think we all need to remind ourselves that we usually only wear a low percentage of what is in our closets, so be generous and donate all you are not wearing and will never wear!  We usually make outfits from the same items through out the month without realizing it. Save money by not purchasing new clothes but look at your wardrobe and see what other combinations you can create.  See below for great examples.

When getting dressed keep a list of items you need to add to your wardrobe, a white shirt, brown belt, white capri pants  etc.  When you go clothes shopping bring the list so you are buying what you need not what looks good on the rack.  When you see something off your list ask, does this match my wardrobes colour scheme? What outfits can I make with it from the clothes I already have? Is it in my budget?

When buying clothes think higher end for the finishing touches ie. jackets, pants and skirts.  You can get away with a lower end t-shirt or tank top if worn under a jacket or sweater.

As women we tend to have 3 sizes of clothing.  Keep ONLY the size you are in the closet, store and label the others.  You can keep a couple of sweats for around the house one size up for those bloated days ;)

Hope this was helpful, I know it was a great reminder for me.  I have more clothes to donate and feel better about how less cluttered my closet is.

What tips do you have about clothing please share with our readers!!