We all have those cabinets that hide under our bathroom sink – they are the catchall for lotions, potions and everything in between.  Things hidden behind closed doors that rarely see the light of day.  You might be surprised what is being stored under your sink.  When we get ready in the bathroom, it’s usually trying to do it as quickly as possible, and then our organization and cleanliness goes out the door.  Take some time to explore the great unknown in your bathroom.

 

Mass Exodus

First, pull everything out from underneath the sink.  Everything.  As you extract things, look at the expiration dates on products.  Even makeup has expiration dates.  Old medications, expired vitamins, those old eyeshadow pallets you never reach for – these are all things that should go right into the trash.  If you don’t use it, it doesn’t have a place in your house.  Really be deliberate with this process – you are never going to use the products you are holding on to “just in case” for that one particular moment in time that will never happen.  Just get rid of it.

messy bathroom

Tried and True

Once you’ve gotten rid of all the clutter and the unnecessary, really look at what it takes to keep you going every day.  Examine your morning and evening routine – keep those products all together and think about tossing the rest.  An abundance of hair and makeup products are ones that we usually buy on impulse and then rarely use.  Stick to your tried-and-true products and make a commitment to only buy those in the future.  If you do go out on a limb to try something new and don’t like it, get rid of it or give it away to a friend.  Don’t store it under your sink and hope someday maybe it will work for you.  Keep your personal curated products close, and everything else away.

 

Organize

Once you have your personal collection of wonders, find a way to keep them organized.  Keep all first aid and medicines in one storage container.  Think about how much you use each product, and then create a system where the things that aren’t used as much take a backseat, but your morning and evening routines are front and center.  This is based on personal preferences, but keep things organized and you’ll live a much saner life.

clean cabinet

Stick to the Plan

Now that you have removed all the clutter and have a place for everything, it’s time to maintain.  Every few weeks, go through your storage and clean up and tune up anything that needs help.  You want to maintain all your hard work, so it doesn’t get out of hand again.  Keep an eye on products that are near expiring and vow to use those first.  If you need to do another clean up and organization, keep working at it until you find a system that works perfectly for you.

 

Confront the monster under your sink with these ideas to give yourself freedom from clutter and unnecessary items in your life.