Law & Order: The Bathroom Cabinet

The Bathroom Cabinet: Taken Into Custody

How to Beautifully Organize Your Bathroom Cabinet
Is your bathroom cabinet a jam-packed mess, perhaps
overflowing to your sink area, your nightstand, or bureau? My
detailed instructions will show you how obtain and maintain
mastery over that intimate little rectangle. When other aspects of
life are topsy-turvy, it's wonderful to start and end the
day with at least one thing beautiful and under control!
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need

1. up to two hours to gather materials and follow the steps; it may take longer if decision-making is difficult for you
2. a large, flat, protected area to sort on, such as a towel laid on the bed
3. mild cleaning spray and paper towels or rag
4. a waste basket or grocery bags for trash
5. paper and pen
6. containers for back stock--clear bins are nice but not necessary
7. containers for items to set aside--these can be more decorative
8. Throw away anything expired, used up, or spoiled--like old medicine or a broken comb. If you hesitate because you think you may needsomething, then make a shopping list and replace the unworthy stuff.

1 PREPARE
Prepare A flat, protected area and make sure there's a comfortable place to sit. Empty the contents of the cabinet to the protected area. Remove the shelves from the cabinet (if possible) and clean them and the interior. Do not replace shelves yet if removed.
2 GATHER
To the cabinet contents, add any other products that have overflowed to your sink area, nightstand, bureau--but only the visible clutter. Don't get under the sink or into another bathroom. It's OK to leave the rest for now. Apply the same process later, merging as you go.
3 CATEGORIZE
Bring the waste basket, paper and pen, and all the containers to the protected area. Create two major piles out of the products: 1) Health and 2) Beauty. Things like money, gum, and Legos should be put back where they belong, never to return.
4 ELIMINATE
1) Separate the Health pile into sub-categories, such as oral care, pain remedies, feminine products. 2) Do the same with the Beauty pile.
5 BACK STOCK
1) Remove any duplicates. Duplicates are two or more of a product with an identical purpose (not counting make-up or scent). 3) Keep one of whatever, and put any duplicates in the back stock containers. You may want to donate unopened items to a thrift shop or shelter--toiletries are much appreciated! Keep back stock accessible and remember to "shop" from it first in the future.
6 SET ASIDE
1) Of what's left in Health and Beauty, set aside what you seldom use, perhaps once or twice a month. Put these into your (more decorative) containers. Store somewhere that's very handy. If your containers are attractive, by all means place them in the open.
7 MEASURE
1) Take your tallest item, hold it just below the top edge of the cabinet interior, and place the first shelf under it. (If something is really heavy, like a club-size lotion bottle, you may want to keep it on the counter or under the sink.) 2) Take your tallest "fussy" item (something tippy or breakable) and set it on the bottom: place the second shelf over it.
8 REPLACE
Your shelves are placed. Now take a good look at what you have left. Is there enough room in the cabinet to hold all of it without cramming? If not, put more in your back stock or set aside containers. Now you have your essentials. Be artistic with the groupings. That's part of the fun!
9 TO SUM UP
The principle is--the easier to see and grab, the farther away it can be. As you see in the photo, my fussy things are nearer the bottom, my "grab-iest" things nearer the top. Since I'm right handed, I place the very fussiest things to the right. I personally keep most of my health supplies elsewhere...but that's just
me. I just want to look at my princessy stuff!