Anyway, we’re super excited to partner with IKEA, one of our favorite places to shop for affordable, good-looking home goods. Organization can get expensive FAST, and I’m not exactly looking to spend the big bucks on those types of purchases. So when I find a source that’s cute AND inexpensive, that’s a WIN-WIN. Here are the products I used for this post: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
And now, on to my tips for organizing your bathroom!
I like to try a lot of different containers when I’m organizing a space. Function is obviously most important, but it certainly doesn’t hurt when they can also be pretty, like these baskets.
Consistent containers in varying sizes are very useful! I like to mix two types of containers in any given space. Here I mixed clear acrylic boxes with wicker baskets. I always buy more than I need; you can always return what you don’t use.
Tip #2. Keep daily use items in sight and random items stored away.
If there is anything that you use once or more every day, try to keep that very accessible. For me, it’s my face spray and oils, my everyday makeup (a lot of days I only use a couple products), and things like cotton balls and bobby pins.
I keep things like my hair blow dryer, full makeup collection, and extra mismatched towels stored away. Nobody needs to see all that all the time. 🙂
For some reason I struggle with this one. But when I force myself to evaluate my items and how they are used, it helps me organize them more efficiently. This is great for scatter-brained people who are always misplacing something!
Tip #4. Keep it simple. Minimize every season!
This is the tip I am most passionate about. In the past year, I got rid of a HUGE amount of makeup and bath and body products that were literally just sitting in my cabinet waiting to expire (or had already expired – yikes!!).
Since having less, I have noticed it’s easier to get ready. I only have a couple nail polish options, a couple lipstick options and a couple blush options. And that’s all I need! I don’t know why I hung on to things in the past – I think it was the guilt of having spent money on it. But that guilt only creates clutter.
Every season throw away everything in your bathroom that you aren’t using! Don’t think, just throw. I promise you will love the feeling of more space, less options (especially when they’re options you don’t even want), and a more organized space.
Tip #5. Create morning and evening rituals.
Lately I have been working on my morning routine. Everyone is different, but I want to be able to get ready in about fifteen minutes every day – so basically lightning speed (not including shower times because anyone who has thick hair knows that adds, like, an hour!). I want to feel ready for the day, cute enough (I’m not worried about looking super done up, but I also don’t want to be embarrassed if I run into a bunch of people I know at the coffee shop), and feel fresh.
Currently I don’t have as many morning rituals as I would like. Besides savoring my morning coffee and scrolling through my Bloglovin’ feed, I feel like I don’t put enough priority on making mornings special and enjoyable.
Some of my morning ritual goals include – laying out an outfit the night before, oil pulling, creating a better, quicker beauty routine (especially for my hair – I tend to be all or nothing and wear messy buns most days!), and doing something to spark creativity and inspiration early in the day.
Evening routines are a little more established in my life. I have been going to bed pretty early, have found some really great skincare products to use every evening and always sleep with my phone on airplane mode. These small changes help me feel more rested and less stressed. I struggled with sleep in the past and these habits have helped to improve that part of my life so much.
I also regularly use this pillow mist and make it at home. It smells so good and is completely natural!
I would love to hear about your organization tips and any habits that have made your day or night routine healthier or happier. You guys are amazing, and I always love to hear what works for you! xx- Elsie
Credits// Author: Elsie Larson. Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
55 Comments
I appreciate these tips!! I kind of do this all day but I start in the morning right when I wake up and write down one thing I’m thankful for (in my ABM planner of course 😉 and just kind of continue through out the day and finish it off at night so it’s like a morning and night routine. I try to write at least five things (sometimes more) and have found that it has really made me so much more positive, it’s easy to get caught up in the routine of life each day so doing this has really helped me appreciate the little things. And it’s fun to look back on all the things I noticed each day.
These tips are absolutely amazing.. and they make me So excited to have my own home. I am SUCH an organization junkie and LOVE finding odd containers and storage bits to use! I LOVE that trolley too.. and YES for being minimal !
Saira
http://www.throughtheglitterglass.wordpress.com
xo
The Raskog utility cart is one of my favorite ikea items. It’s so versatile and can be used in kitchen, bathroom and even a nursery to hold diapers and such. Perfect!
No joke there is some horror movie coming out and all I could think about in the trailer was them using this lil ikea cart for the bathroom. It was in like every scene of trailer and I just laughed! I want one of these so badly! I have to pick one up so I can organize my bathroom better!! I’m definitely trying to keep it simple!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who notices stuff like that in movies/shows 😉
My bathroom is so messy it is embarassing 🙂
This comment cracked me up!! I want to find this movie! Haha 🙂
Thanks for sharing your tips! http://www.hannamarielei.com
I’ve just started experimenting with a new morning routine this week, and I am LOVING it. I am not a morning person at all, but I’ve started waking up 30 minutes earlier so I can do about 5 sun salutations & a little light stretching. Then I drink some warm lemon water while getting ready. I also made a happy mellow playlist to accompany the whole thing, which makes the morning so much more fun!
I would spend all day walking around in ikea if you let me XD morning/evening routines are the best 🙂 I always do my face washing/moisturizing routine morning and night, and fill out a gratitude journal. My failed new year’s resolution this year was to do yoga each morning… maybe next year/this summer 🙂 pretty bathroom
I also tend to wear my hair in a messy bun most days! I was rocking the messy bun before it was even a thing!!!
We are planning a bathroom renovation and due to that might get rid of some storage. I guess this is an excellent idea to plan my bathroom organizing. Thanks for sharing!
http://www.myhappynook.com
Yes! I have a morning playlist too!! I also have a really slow and happy alarm song that eases me into the day so that i’m not waking so abruptly/harshly – I find this makes me happier. I also take 10 minutes to sit on the top of my stairs in the backyard with my coffee – I close my eyes and practice being mindful, before finishing with at least one thing that i’m grateful for. The last thing, or one of the first thing is to light my oil burner so that I have a lovely scent in the house. I use a different one at night when I get home 🙂
Soooo in love with this – so simple, but so well organized an clean! Implementing immediately!
My bathroom is the place in my house that is in some desperate need of organization! I actually used to have a very organized bathroom…until I moved. My cabinet space shrunk in half and I no longer have any drawers! If there was one place I got redo in my home, it would be the bathroom! One thing that has worked for me is buying under the sink storage containers. I was able to organize a my bottled of product without just sticking it under the sink. My next task is buying shelves and some cute bins to store my everyday makeup in to get it off the counter!
Brittany | thechicette.com
great idea with the containers! currently I am using my burberry perfume box as a small storage in my bathroom for the small things I don’t want to loose =o)
http://dreamofadventures.blogspot.com/
I love seeing what you have chosen to keep after your purge! I too have felt the shame of letting beauty products expire long before I have finished them, it is the worst!!!! This is the reason I stopped wearing makeup completely, I just can’t use it up in time. Now I clean out my beauty products and cabinet every six months, and I do my Mom’s bathroom because she keeps things forever. Just wanted to encourage anyone out there who is doing the same to donate any unused and fresh products to their local women’s shelter before throwing them out. Toiletries can be a huge blessing to women all over who don’t have access to money for self care.
Your bathroom looks so cute!!! I use the same cart to keep gardening supplies on hand, and it is the BEST.
xo Nicole
“I think it was the guilt of having spent money on it. But that guilt only creates clutter.”
THIS. It took me years to realize that stuff was just stuff, and not always an investment. And now I am less likely to engage in retail therapy and have to deal with less clutter.
Of course by bathroom could be more organized. 🙂
I love the idea and tips. Man would I love to do this. My instant thought, with having three active girls under the age of 5, is what a disaster. I invision to towels constantly in a pile on the floor and my containers going missing only to find them in the bath tub or full of mid in the back yard.
I would love too see kid friendly/proof decore ideas. For now will pin this and keep it stored for the future.
I love this little cart! I always see it and I want it for every room of my house. I’m a huge fan of using jars to store things for the bathroom too! When I moved to college, my mom made me a bunch of jars of different sizes for Qtips, bandaids, salves, etc, and painted all of the lids white so they’d go together. Ever since I’ve had a soft spot for them.
I agree with the nighttime routine as well. It’s something I’ve been trying to get better about.
Obsessed with the cart! So cute!
http://www.lanehollaway.com
Your photos don’t reflect that mess you’re talking about, so I don’t believe you haha. No, honestly, thanks for the tips, especially the one with putting away those things you don’t need every day.
https://www.makeandmess.com/
You should read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod!
LOVE THIS! New goals for the weekend… 😉
Awesome! Thanks for the tips!
I was wondering though how you are liking the setup with the trolley?
I know they’re on the shorter side and you need to bend down to even reach the middle layer and it’s not necessarily 100% visible from the top. Is this inconvenient?
Such gorgeous organisation.
Tiffany Tales – A British Beauty & Lifestyle Blog
I love what you did here especially with those clear containers/organizers.
http://annescribblesanddoodles.blogspot.com
These are all amazing tips! We need to do some spring cleaning in our bathrooms asap!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Elsie,
PLEASE tell me this is not really what your bathroom consists of…. I have a huge mess in my bathroom and don’t know what to do with products i don’t like anymore. do i toss them? donate them? yuck… what about those other hair products like curler wands, blow dryer. straightener? I don’t see those anywhere here…
i was REALLY looking forward to seeing useful tips for a REAL bathroom, not a pretty put together one with Ikea products.
Thanks for the tips!
http://soldenochedecocrochet.blogspot.com.ar/
So lovely, I have also minimalists my bathroom and make up options and it’s so much easier. This year I have started a morning ritual of waking up 20 min earlier, doing 10 min of stretch and strength exercises followed by two glasses of water, it’s a great start to the day and gives my mornings a much needed sense of calm. I read another creative say that she tried choosing outfits the night before but then found that she missed that creative start to her today so perhaps you could flip that around and try it as your creative start 🙂 xxx
LOVE this habit Andrea!! I’m going to try it this week!
xx- Elsie
I love this!!! Really inspiring what these simple changes can do!
xx- Elsie
Oh- great idea!
xx- Elsie
Hahaha! I’m going to keep an eye out for that!
xx- Elsie
That’s a HUGE goal! Love it!
xx- Elsie
Totally! When we renovated we did remove quite a few storage spaces, but honestly we don’t need them! I would rather keep it edited down than have cabinets full of items I don’t use.
xx- Elsie
How nice!! I always play with my phone (scroll instagram) to wake up. haha! Music sounds nice!!
xx- Elsie
Totally! It takes time! We still have quite a few spaces we need to organize due to moving!
xx- Elsie
Haha! Well it’s a process. Right now my closets are kind of messy and I need to work on them. But as soon as I finish them there will be another space that needs attention. :))
xx- Elsie
Thank you for the suggestion!
xx- Elsie
Hey Sita,
This is only a part of my storage. I also have three drawers on our vanity where the rest of our bathroom products are stored. For this nook in my space this cart is probably as large as I could fit so it really works for the space and it’s a lot better than just having a blank wall there, so no I would not call it inconvenient. 🙂 xx- Elsie
Thank you Anne! I love those things! Thinking about using some in my kitchen area as well!
xx- Elsie
Hi Lynn,
So like I said in the post, I keep lots of things store in other places in our bathroom. We have a vanity with three drawers (for things like a flat iron, makeup etc) as well as some items in our closets (like a steamer that is necessary but rarely used).
This post is not meant to be a tour of my entire bathroom as it’s not quite ready to be toured yet. This is my REAL bathroom (although, yes, I obviously cleaned and styled it for this post) and these are real/useful tips.
Thanks for reading! Elsie
Oh! Interesting…. 🙂
xx- Elsie
I own this same cart and I also use it in my bathroom. It holds so much and looks great. The first shelf I use for a makeup counter, the second is for all of my hair tools, and the third is storage for toilet paper, lady products, etc.
One of the best things I ever did was pare down my bathroom stuff massively – a good facial oil, my favourite lotion – and get rid of old stuff, or stuff with ingredients I didn’t like. I wasn’t using them, but I didn’t want them to ‘go to waste’, so they were going to waste just sitting there! And I have to admit, now, if I get a gift of cosmetics that I really won’t use, I donate it. No clutter, no waste!
Great tips! I like this Ikea storage cart better than the one I currently have. A good reason to go shopping for another one. 🙂
As I’m getting ready to move from a 2200 square foot house in a smaller city in Illinois into the heart of Kansas City, I’m kind of terrified about living in about half the space we currently have, so these are really great ideas, especially with the tiny older bathrooms we’ll have. (And, um, feel free to do another version for the kitchen ;))
Have you read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo? I’ve found it super helpful in downsizing and keeping only the items you really need and appreciate. I feel like you’d really like it!
-Molly
http://www.modcircus.com/
I love love love those utility carts. I could have one in every room.
WHERE DID U BUY THE CLEAR CONTAINERS??
Hoping to have a new bathroom suite later on this year and love that little trolley, looks all neat and tidy, great idea.
I’m really liking the bar cart idea. Makes it easy to move where you need it and at the end of the day, have it organized and neat.
http://www.throughmyowneyes.com
This cart is $30 in the US and $70(!!!) in Canada. Even accounting for the exchange rate it’s almost twice the price! So sad.
This is such a cute and clever idea! Do you have any ideas for storing hair dryers and straighteners? I don’t have any shelving or medicine cabinets in my bathroom so these items always end up in a bin on the floor with unruly cords.