I mentioned in my last posting about using the bin method that I used this way of organizing in multiples areas of my home. Basically, if there is a closet you will typically find bins.
Besides being used in the pantry, my next favorite area for using bins is the bathroom. You can find stacks of well utilized bins in my bathroom closet aka linen closet. I like how bins keep the closet shelves looking nice and clean. It is a great way to store extra bathroom products. We shop at Costco, so I often buy things in bulk packages. Rather than having these items get lost is drawers I put them in labeled bins so I know exactly where to find more product when I run out of my current supply. It saves money and keeps the closet looking nice and neat.
I place the small shoe box bins on the top shelf because there is the most space for stacking on the top shelf. Under the shoe box bins on the next shelf down, I have three colored open top, woven bins for some things that contain taller liquid products that I wouldn’t want laying down in a bin. These bins are: nail care (polish, polish remover, nail files, clippers, etc), children’s medicine, and cold medicine.
Several people asked me what my pantry bins were labeled, so I thought I would share what the bathroom ones were so that you can easily copy this process. I like to think in terms of categories/sections at the grocery store or Target. Here are the shoe box bins for our bathroom:
- Cotton Balls
- Jewelery Cleaners (liquid cleaners and cleaning cloths)
- Curling Irons
- Q-tips
- Nail Kits
- Shaving Supplies (shavers, gel, and replacement shaver heads)
- Feminine Products
- Tanning Supplies (for me it’s spray tan and sun block)
- Bars of Soap
- Teeth Care (extra toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, and whitening products)
- Extra Deodorant
Another benefit of having supplies ready and knowing where they are located is for friends and family who visit. Every time we have guests there is always something that they need, whether it is a shaver, soap, or toothpaste. I have these items in a basket in the guest room too, but I always have the back up supplies in my bathroom.
I use only four of the medium sized bins in this closet. These bins hold the following:
- First Aid
- Medications (prescription meds are actually in a locked box)
- Vitamins and Current Med
- Travel Size Products (these are great for refilling the guest room basket and for vacations).
I also have a humidifier on the shelf next to these bins. I always take it apart after use so that we don’t have mold issues. I only made that mistake once and the cost to replace was a lesson in itself.
Above is a photo of the entire closet, as much of it as I could get. I didn’t make any extra effort to re-fold sheets or towels before I took these photos. This is my closet, as is. One easy way to make towels look neatly stacked is to have them all facing the same direction. I place them so the fold faces outward. Honestly, I try not to do things that create more work, so I don’t refold or reposition towels to make them look nice and neat. Rather, I simply fold and place them in a stack this way while doing the laundry. Easy, peasy. I try to do the same with my sheets and pillow cases.
The bottom shelf is a laundry basket for our dirty clothes (no hampers in our house, as I have seen those develop mildew in the past). I also keep extra diapers, wipes, and the kids’ pajamas on the bottom shelf. It is much easier to get them ready for bed downstairs, rather than having to fetch the pjs from upstairs every night.
I like organized closets and rooms because it makes my life easier. It is more about function than anything else. I can find things easily when I need them. If you look inside any of the bins you won’t find the items all nicely arranged. All that is important to me is that the items are in the correct home (aka bin).
