The must-do steps to thoroughly organize your bathroom drawers and cabinets and the best tools to keep them looking tidy.
This week felt like a series of little disasters: a crafting project that went sideways, sleepless nights from a restless baby, delays on our master bathroom finishing touches, and a table that didn’t fit the breakfast nook. On top of that, rain kept me from photographing anything for a while.
Despite all that, I finally tackled a bathroom organization project I’d been postponing for more than a year—and it made a huge difference.
Our freshly painted vanity looks great on the outside, but inside it was a different story—a cluttered mess that only got worse after our baby arrived. If your bathroom drawers and cabinets feel like a black hole, here’s a practical, step-by-step approach I used to tame the chaos, plus the storage pieces that worked best for us.
If you ever need advice on tackling your own bathroom vanity, here’s the key…
(Some affiliate links are included below for convenience. Full disclosure here.)
Supplies Used:
- White wood grain contact paper
- Stackable basket drawer organizers
- Clear drawer organizer set
- Scissors (for cutting contact paper)
- Handheld vacuum
1. Take everything out. EVERYTHING!
Begin by emptying every drawer and cabinet. Don’t just pull out the obvious items—remove everything so you can see exactly what you have. Spread bottles, brushes, tools, and bags across the countertop. This step gives you a clear starting point and helps you decide what to keep, toss, or relocate.
2. Sort and declutter.
Create piles: keep, donate, toss, and relocate. Discard products you haven’t used in six months or more; expired makeup and past-their-prime toiletries should go in the trash. Group items by function—hair care, skincare, dental care, grooming tools, cleaning supplies—so you can visualize how to assign drawers or cabinet space.
3. Clean and vacuum drawers and cabinets.
Once empty, vacuum the interiors to remove hair, dust, and residue. A quick wipe down with a damp cloth will make a noticeable difference, especially if there have been spills or makeup fallout.
4. Line drawers with contact paper.
Remove old, worn liners and clean the surfaces before applying new contact paper. We replaced a stained liner with white wood-grain contact paper to brighten the drawers—this fresh base makes everything look cleaner and helps protect surfaces from future spills.
5. Add vertical storage inside cabinets.
Use stackable baskets or wire drawers to take advantage of vertical space under the sink. These are great for storing hair tools, extra toiletries, and cleaning supplies while keeping essentials easy to reach.
6. Use drawer organizers to create designated spots.
Clear organizers work well for makeup, brushes, and small items. For larger or oddly shaped items, small bins or baskets keep everything contained. Assign each drawer a purpose—shared basics in the top drawer, hair and skin products in the next, grooming tools in another, and extras or travel bags in a bottom drawer.
On my side, hair tools, a makeup bag, and a manicure kit now live in dedicated drawers. Robert’s side holds fewer grooming items, so we moved cleaning supplies under his sink. The top drawer contains shared essentials like toothpaste and floss, making daily routines faster and less frustrating.
Now everything has a home—and finding things is so much quicker. The bottom drawers hold extras and travel toiletry bags we can grab when packing for a trip.
I can breathe again—and mornings are smoother because everything is easy to locate. If your home is also getting a deep clean while the weather keeps you inside, these steps are a great place to start so you can enjoy a tidier bathroom and a less stressful routine.
If you want more organizing ideas, you can browse past projects in my organizing category for inspiration on closets, kitchens, and other spaces.
