Day 23: Bathroom Counters {31 Days of Easy Decluttering}

Welcome back to 31 Days of Easy Decluttering!  If you’ve missed any of the previous posts, there are links to them all here.

Today’s Easy Decluttering Project

Today we’re talking about decluttering bathroom counters.  In many homes, bathroom counters become a “dumping zone” for all kinds of clutter.  Toothbrushing items, hair care products and tools, make-up, towels, bath toys, and magazines/books have probably found their way onto your bathroom counters. And if you’re sharing a bathroom with several family members, the clutter is multiplied.

How do you feel when you walk into a bathroom with cluttered counters?  It happens several times a day.  It’s one of the first things you see in the morning and one of the last things you see before you go to bed at night.  It becomes overwhelming.

On the other hand, how do you feel when you walk into a hotel or resort bathroom?  With very few items on the counters, there’s no tension or anxiety.  It’s relaxing!  And, as a bonus, it’s easier to clean a bathroom when the counter is clutter free 🙂

So, choose a bathroom and declutter those counters today!

Easy Decluttering Steps

Throughout the series, you’ll follow these steps to complete each daily task.  {Don’t forget to take before and after pictures to share too!}

Note: The main purpose of this series is to declutter so don’t get overwhelmed doing too much cleaning.  Once your house is less cluttered it will be easier to clean so you can always come back and do it later!

Also, if you have the time, you can organize the space while you’re doing this step, but don’t get overwhelmed with too much organizing this month.  We’re focused on decluttering!

Purging Tips for Bathroom Counters

Follow the steps listed above, and use these tips as you purge (step #5) your bathroom counters:

• Toss all garbage that is on the counter (empty toothpaste tubes, tissues, etc.)
• Throw out any old make-up – here’s a great place to donate old mascara wands to help save animals!  
• Relocate any items that don’t belong on the counter
• Hopefully you already decluttered your toiletries on day 2 but if you haven’t done that, do it now

The rest of decluttering your counters involves finding other places for as many items as possible.  If you give them a “home” in another part of your bathroom, and train everyone to keep them there, then those items won’t end up on your counters.  

Here are some ideas {you don’t have to do them all – just pick one to start with and that will help clear the clutter from your counters}:

• Use vertical space in the bathroom as much as possible to limit clutter on horizontal surfaces like the counter.  {Click that link for lots of examples like back of door organizers on the bathroom door, closet door, or cabinet doors, mason jars on the wall for containing toothbrushes, cotton swabs, etc., and baskets on walls for towels, toilet paper rolls, tissue boxes, etc.}
• Declutter your bathroom drawers to make space for some of the items from your counter.  Use drawer organizers and dollar store baskets to organize the items and give everything a place.
• Or purge and organize the cabinet under your sink {maximize the vertical space by using stacking bins or plastic drawers}

Pictures and Links to Inspire You

Here are some creative ways to create clutter-free bathroom counters!

• I LOVE this idea of using the back of a cabinet door to contain the family’s toothbrushes, toothpaste, and flossers.  It’s practical, easy-to-use, and so cute!  And it keeps all of that stuff off the counter 🙂

• Use a small shower caddy on the back of a cabinet door to keep hair products.  Keeps it off the counter but it’s still easily accessible when you need it. {You can also use spice racks.}

•  Keep your make-up in small acrylic containers on a magnetic or velcro strip on your medicine cabinet door.  You can also use magnetic locker containers.  It’s easy to see what you need and it’s off the counter.

•  If you’ve got daughters, you’ve likely got hair accessories all over your bathroom counters.  Use a clear back of the door shoe organizer to store all those little items and keep your counters clear.

*Please share from the original source if you choose to share these pictures. If you want to share this post please use the image at the top.

If You’re On A Roll…

You can declutter another bathroom counter.  Or spend some time organizing other areas of the bathroom you just worked on, so you can keep the clutter from returning to your counters.

Note that all the ideas in this post are cheap and simple, so be creative and use your space well to help prevent your counters from becoming cluttered again!

• For more bathroom decluttering and organizing ideas, check out 31 Days of Organizing Tips: Day 15 (Bathrooms).
• Check out my Bathroom Organizing board for more ideas on organizing your bathrooms to combat the clutter.
• You can find more decluttering tips and lots of motivation and inspiration for decluttering on my Decluttering/Purging Tips & Ideas board.
• For DIY organizing ideas, take a peek at my DIY Organizers board (lots of great ideas in here for bathrooms!)
• For cleaning tips, you’ll find a bunch on my Cleaning & Cleaning Supplies board.

Good luck with today’s decluttering project!  I’d love to hear how you did, so please leave a comment and use the hashtag #31DaysEasyDecluttering when you share your pictures.

How many items did you declutter from your bathroom counter today?  How do you organize your bathroom to help keep clutter off the counters? 

If you need help decluttering, contact me for in-person organizing services in the Mississauga area, or virtual organizing services anywhere else.

Happy organizing decluttering!