It's easy for the area under the bathroom sink to become cluttered and jumbled. These under the bathroom sink organization ideas will help you to easily and affordably arrange a clean and orderly storage space.
Oh, the bathroom sink cabinet... closed up and out of sight, until you open it and... AH! Clutter and grime! It usually makes me cringe and then I shut the door and forget about it until the next time. Finally, enough is enough and I can't stand it anymore. That baby is getting an overhaul!
As I've tried over time to create more organized spaces in my home, I've learned some of the best ways for how to organize creatively and on a budget. These tips also apply to organizing under the kitchen sink area as well!
Let's get into it!
What to Store Under the Bathroom Sink
You can store whatever you need to store under there. It will really depend on your space. For example, I don't have any drawers in my bathroom and we don't have a linen closet in our house. Because of that, we keep our towels in one of the spare bedroom closets and I keep my hair styling tools in the bottom drawer of my bedroom dresser. We also keep our supply of toilet paper in a bedroom closet because there simply is no room under our bathroom sink, which is the only bathroom storage space we have.
If you have a medicine cabinet, makeup, skincare, tooth care, medicine, etc. are commonly stored in there. If you have a small bathroom closet, towels, extra toilet paper, or other bulky items are often stored there. However, if the under bathroom sink space is all you have (like me!), there are ways to make use of every inch so you can organize what you need to under there.
Under Bathroom Sink Organization: Drawers
If you're lucky enough to have a drawer or two, be grateful (yes, I'm a little bitter, as I don't have any!) and use it well. Because drawers are usually somewhat short, small items are usually stored in them. I've seen drawers organizer like this at the dollar store for much less, so look there. It's really helpful to have a designated place for every item, even if it's a very small item. Drawers organizers can help with that. Here's a creative way to make your own drawer dividers with items you likely already have, if you'd like a cheap DIY solution!
Bathroom Organization Without Drawers
The key when you have a wide-open cabinet space is to imagine how you can use ALL the space (including vertical) and not just crowd the bottom of the cupboard with items. It takes a little bit of forethought, but it's well worth it. Here are some ideas to maximize the space in a bathroom cabinet with no drawers:
Utilize the Wall Space
Command products with removable adhesive strips are your best friend here! There are designs for hanging almost anything! They have spray bottle holders, caddies for razors or toothbrushes, hooks for makeup bags, even hair dryer holders! Decide what you want to store high up on the walls of your cupboard and stick a hook there for it! Sometimes you can get the equivalent of some of these Command products at your dollar store, so be sure to check there first to get it for a fraction of the price!
Utilize the Door Space
You can use the Command hooks and other products listed above on the back of the cabinet door as well. You can also get many types of over-the-door hanging storage. I got my over-the-door basket at the dollar store for a few dollars, but you can buy them online as well. They come in small, medium and large, and some for specific purposes, like this one for your flat iron, hair dryer and brush or this one with two tiers! Things stored here are easy reach, so it's a great place to store your most used items.
Utilize the Vertical Space
Shelves, shelves, shelves! Got my small shelf riser at the dollar store and I bet you could find them there too (here is a shelf riser on amazon). So inexpensive and effective. You can also get this specific under the sink storage shelf that works around the sink pipe, which can be quite tricky to organize around. You can use mesh baskets, wicker baskets, wire baskets or plastic bins to store things on top and under your shelf, or store products directly on or under the shelf. I prefer some type of basket (also super cheap at the dollar store) because if there's something stored at the back, I can just pull out the basket instead of moving everything that's in front of it.
You can also use stacking baskets and stack them as high as you want! Similar ones are also often available at the dollar store.
Another popular hack is to get a tension rod and secure it high in your cupboard, then use it to hang all of your spray bottles. So clever!
Utilize the Bottom of the Cupboard
Store less-used items in the back of the cupboard and often used items near the front. A lazy susan is a handy tool if you have a number of items you want easy access to. This is an easy and great way to make a DIY lazy susan! You can use baskets along the bottom of the cupboard or just place items there directly.
Pedestal Sink Organization
First of all, I'm so sorry. That's just a sad storage situation. If you have nowhere else to store things, this is my only idea for under the pedestal sink storage. But hey, it's clever and looks pretty darn slick.
Bathroom Organization Ideas on a Budget
First, shop your home! I usually have a basket or command hook that could be put to better use. Look around your home to see what you can come up with
As you may have noticed, I definitely love checking the dollar store when I do these types of projects. If I can't find something there, I may buy online, or do without and wait for a sale if it's not super necessary at the moment. These things don't HAVE to be done all in a day!
Another option is to check out your local thrift stores or Facebook Marketplace! People get rid of quality items and you'll only pay a fraction of the original price for them. It can just take a little bit of digging through other things that might not be quite so quality.
Under the Bathroom Sink Organization Steps
Step 1: Remove Everything (Decluttering As You Go)
Always, always, ALWAYS declutter a space before you organize. I guarantee you (well, if you're like me and most people I know) that you've accumulated things that you don't use or have expired. If you want to live intentionally, you want to keep the items that actually have value to you and chuck the rest. It is freeing and so much easier to organize when there's less to organize!
So as you remove every item from under the sink, decide whether it stays or goes and create two piles.
Step 2: Clean Everything
Now that you have everything out and created a clean slate, give that cupboard a nice deep cleaning. There's probably been some cleaning product or makeup spillage or just good old dust collection since you last cleaned it.
There will also be some grime on your items, especially those you don't use often. Give them all a good wipe down while you're at it.
Step 3: Group Related Items
Create groups of related items that you'll want to store together. Examples are medical/first aid supplies, cleaning supplies, beauty products, hair tools and products, lotions and creams, etc.
Step 4: Create a Rough Layout
When you have your groupings, you can roughly plan out where everything will go and also what kind of items you'll need to make the plan work.
Step 5: Take Measurements
Roughly measure how big of a basket you'll need for each grouping (if that's the route you're going), dimensions for a shelf to fit where you want it, or size of over-the-door baskets or hooks. Keep in mind that if you hang anything on the doors, there needs to be space for it inside so the doors can close!
Step 6: Shop (If Needed!)
Head out with your list and dimensions (and a little ruler or measuring tape) and look for the items you planned. Most of the time, I find exactly what I need! If you're not sure if an item will work, make sure you can return the item before you buy it. Most dollar stores don't take returns, so it's up to you whether you're willing to risk a couple of bucks.
I ended up going to two different dollar stores and spending under $10 total for a wire shelf riser, 3 plastic bins, and a nice cloth bag to hold my menstrual products. Everything else I already had in my home!
Step 7: Put It All Together
Put your plan into action!! My favorite part. Organize as planned, make adjustments as needed. Have fun and enjoy a clean, fresh, orderly space every time you open the cupboard door!
What are your under the sink storage ideas? I'd love to hear some of your tips and tricks in the comments!
More Decluttering & Organization
- HOW TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME FAST
- SIMPLE ENTRYWAY CLOSET ORGANIZATION IDEAS
- HOW TO ORGANIZE BABY CLOTHES (+ DECLUTTERING AND STORAGE IDEAS)
- WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE
- SUMMER CAPSULE WARDROBE
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