Even if you're decanting all your products and putting them in tidier dispensers, your bathroom won't be organized until you fix up your shelving and other storage spaces. If there's one organizational lesson I can teach you, it's that everything you own needs its own designated place—and if there's another thing I can teach you, it's that one big shelf for everything doesn't quite cut it. Here's how to get that bathroom storage into shape.
Consider more shelves
My bathroom came with three shelves built into the wall, which was nice and all, but I immediately knew I needed more. One became the home of my perfume, another was marked for skincare, and the third stores hair products—but that didn't leave any room for makeup, hair accessories, hair tools, spare towels, lotions, and random items like cotton balls or q-tips. Before unpacking anything when I moved in, I went out and got more shelves.
First, I got a bookshelf, which might seem weird, but only because it was. (I didn't buy it, but I found it discarded in the street and took it home to wash it off. I may not have bought one, but you should if you have room.) Mine looks like this basic one and sits right next to my sink. Look around your space and consider if there is room for any kind of shelving unit. Even a slim storage unit like this is great because it creates a designated shelf for four different categories of items.
How you choose to organize the shelving in the bathroom depends on what you have to organize, of course. Personally, I invested most of my time into getting the right tools to organize my makeup, but I also got dividers to space out my shelving for other uses. A major help has been an under-shelf basket like this one, where I keep headbands and other hair accessories that aren't easily stored in other ways:
These turn any shelf into a double shelf without encroaching too much on the shelf below. I also got a locker shelf to set on top of my shelving unit, extending how much can be stored on the top, too. It's designed to help organize the lockers students use in school, but it has been really helpful for keeping my q-tips, cotton balls, tooth whitening strips, and wet wipes separated. (Yes, I decant all of those and put them in more organized little containers, which then go on or above the locker organizer.)
You may already know the benefits of decanting everything you buy—basically, that putting soaps, snacks, and everything else into sturdier storage boxes makes your home look nicer and keeps your stuff more organized. For the most part, this is helpful in the kitchen, but you know where else dispensers and organizers really shine? The bathroom. Here are some cool ideas for how to dispense and store your bathroom essentials. (And don't forget to check if your city has a refill store where you can bring these dispensers to fill them with products, avoiding purchasing single-use plastics altogether.)
Toothpaste dispensers
What makes toothpaste dispensers so useful is the lack of mess. Regular toothpaste tubes can get crusty, especially if you're someone who isn't great about securing the cap every time. They're also hard to squeeze toward the end, so any device that eliminates that struggle is well worth the investment.
This bad boy has a drawer to store small items, a shelf to store bigger ones, and enclosed toothbrush storage so your brushes aren't exposed to the bathroom air. Here are a few other options:
If all you want is a toothpaste dispenser with no storage, this little wall-mounted one ($8.63) will do the trick.
This wall-mounted dispenser has space for two electric toothbrushes and four regular ones ($9.99).
Shampoo dispensers
You know how it feels strangely luxurious when you're at a nice gym or hotel and the shampoo comes out of a dispenser mounted in the shower? I like to have that experience all the time instead of battling with slippery bottles.
You could also try standard pump bottles if wall-mounting isn't an option. As with the wall-mounted device above, it's better to get clear containers so you can more easily monitor when you need a restock or refill (which is another reason these are better than using the opaque bottles your products come in). Try this four-pack for $9.98.
Soap dispensers
Nothing classes up a bathroom like a nice soap dispenser. Before I started using soap dispensers that matched my decor, I'd buy colorful soap bottles that did—even if I hated the smell. With the introduction of soap dispensers to my very classy and sophisticated life, I can have whatever scent I want and keep my vanity looking fresh. Here's the set I bought for my boyfriend, which basically revolutionized his bathroom by making everything from the garbage can to the toilet brush to, yes, the soap dispenser match:
Of course, you don't need to get all of that. You can find a variety of soap dispensers, like this set of two black pump bottles ($7.99) or even this wall-mounted one that saves you some counter space ($17.89).
Other bathroom decanting options
Don't store your toilet paper in the big plastic monstrosity it came in. Instead, use this sleek storage bin, which is slim enough to fit next to the toilet ($23.99). Menstrual products take up a lot of valuable drawer and cabinet space, too, so this little wall-mounted dispenser is a discreet, useful solution ($12.98). Finally, this pack of little jars is perfect for q-tips, cotton balls, flossers, or other little self-care essentials ($6.90).
Like bags, shoes are tricky to store. By their nature, they come in sets of two, so you have to figure out where you have space for both. Most are pretty rigid, too, and you don't want to squish them. Personally, my ultimate goal in life is to have a big walk-in closet where I can display all my shoes, but in the meantime, I spend a lot of time (and a little money) finding other ways to store my footwear in my small apartment.
Shoe storage ideas
I am a shoe fiend. I'm hardcore. Even though I try my best to adopt a "one in, one out" mentality, I'm much more likely to bring a new pair of shoes home and not get rid of an old one. I have shoes stored in my front closet, boots by my front door, hanging storage on the back of my front door and bathroom door, and even more shoes in a fancy rack in my living room. I don't say this to brag, nor do I say it as a cry for help; I'm simply letting you know I know what I'm talking about here. Learn from my storage triumphs and mistakes.
My system is this: Any shoes that have a high resale value and I think I'll list for sale in the future get stored in their original boxes, which are stacked next to my clothing rack. (That's not space-saving, but it's the truth.) Nice shoes that don't have their original box are stored on this shoe tree, which is a major space saver in my closet—it holds the pairs vertically and rotates 360 degrees so I can easily access shoes in the back without disrupting the rest of the stuff in the closet or making a mess digging around in there.
That is the exact one I have and it has held up well for over six years. It's indispensable to me because of how much space it saves and how well it holds the shoes, maintaining their shape by propping them up from the inside.
For everyday wear or less valuable shoes, I rely on over-the-door racks, but as I'll explain in the next section, I do not use the rigid ones made of metal rods. Instead, I use the fabric kind that feature pockets. These take up less space when the doors they're on are closed and are easy to maintain. I have ones like this:
To store boots, you need to keep the structure and shape at top of mind. The goal should be not allowing the tops to fall over or crease, so even if you're just storing them on the floor of the closet or a shelf, make sure they're always stuffed with newspaper or even out-of-season clothes, for a two-for-one storage solution. (You can also try hanging them.) You only need two things: A hanging chain designed for holding clothing hangers ($9.99 for seven) and a set of clips on hooks ($9.99 for 50). Thread the hooks of the clips through the chain, then use the clips themselves to hold the boot pairs together from the top. Not only will this maintain the boots' shape, but it will save major floor and shelf space, too.
Finally, consider some multifunction storage furniture, as long as you have the space. Try an entryway bench with shelving underneath to store everyday shoes and rain boots.
In my years of being a true shoe hound, I've tried many more storage methods than the ones listed above. I don't recommend acrylic storage boxes, for instance, if your goal is to save space; they actually take up way too much. The most ineffective tool, in my opinion, is one that I see being promoted pretty often online: The rigid over-the-door rack made of metal rods. Simply put, I hate these. First, to make them truly stable, you need to find a way to attach the free-hanging bottom to your door, which could involve screwing it in. Even if you do put holes in your door, which I especially don't advise if you rent your home, that won't keep the shoes in place when you open and close it. I had one of these on my front door for a few years and any time I opened or shut it with even a little vigor, all my shoes popped out onto the floor. These things use plain, horizontal rods to hold the shoes in place; there's nothing else there to help the footwear stay in the rack. Avoid these and use the kind of over-the-door holders that have pockets. But if you must, here's one similar to the one I had ($41.15).
There is an exception to this rule, though. You can mount one of these to the interior side of your closet, filling up space that otherwise goes unused. Since it will remain static there—not ride back and forth on an ever-moving door—the shoes will be safer and you'll get some use out of those few inches of wasted space. Also, add a few motion-activated LED lights to your closet, so when you have to look deep in there (like you will if you mount the shoe rack), you can at least see what you're doing. I have these, which attach to adhesive magnets so they're easy to remove and recharge when necessary (two for $19.96).
You can use whatever method you want to declutter your home, but they all require you to find a good way to organize the items you choose to keep when you’re done. KonMari, arguably the most famous decluttering and cleaning technique, even advises you on how to fold your clothes when you’re finished deciding which ones spark joy for you—but this tip from Marie Kondo is too often overlooked in favor of her structured approach to paring down how much you own. Don’t let Kondo down by only following half her advice.
What is file folding?
This technique is one of Kondo’s original, most long-standing tips and comes straight from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Sometimes called “file folding,” this involves folding your clothes in a way that allows you to stand them up vertically in your drawers.
The way you fold each kind of clothing will be different and you can try a few approaches until you figure out how to get each one to look like a triangle or rectangle and stand straight up. Here’s how Kondo recommends doing it on a few kinds of clothing items:
Once you get everything folded so it’s vertical, you can stack it front to back in the drawer. You’ll know you’re doing it right if you can see every item.
Why file folding works
There are a few different benefits to folding your clothes this way. First, storing them vertically and with chunkier folds reduces wrinkles, especially because there are no items on the bottom that are being weighed down by ones on the top.
Second, this allows you to see all your clothes, so you have a better sense of what you’ve got. It’s easy to forget what you already own, buy duplicates, or waste space on things you never wear if you can’t see your stuff, but this prevents all of that.
Finally, you can store more this way than you can just plopping everything on top of each other, especially if you make crisp, small folds. While the ability to store more doesn’t necessarily help you declutter or reduce how much you have, it at least makes the drawers more organized, which prevents clutter and the space getting overwhelming.
Make this easier by picking up a few flat baskets, like this set of four for $15.99, to keep every type of clothing separate and maintain structure even when some items are removed.
TikTok is useful for many things, but for me, learning how other people clean and what they use to do it has been especially valuable. CleanTok is a sensation in its own right, and for the most part, you can find great tips and recommendations there—some recommendations, though, are better than others. Here are some great products TikTok loves, and a few you can skip.
Great TikTok cleaning products
Keep in mind that influencers across all platforms may get commissions or other kickbacks for certain recommendations, which they're supposed to disclose, but don't always. The products below will be from a mix of Target and Amazon, but can be found in a variety of places—and even purchased directly from creators' videos on TikTok Shop.
This product is popular because you can pump the spinner with your feet, not your hands. It keeps clean and dirty water separate, plus the mop head is shaped like a triangle, making it easy to shove into tight spaces and corners.
Next, another all-timer: An electric spin brush. CleanTokkers use these all the time, comparing brands and recommending them for everything from shower cleaning to floor scrubbing. All of the brands seem comparable in price and reviews, so feel free to pick one that's on sale, like this bad boy:
The Scrub Daddy ($7.25) may seem like just a sponge, but with its slots for cleaning utensils, different levels of coarseness, and friendly little face, it's developed a major cult following.
Soap-dispensing brushes, like this one from Scotch-Brite ($6.33), are also popular. They make doing the dishes easier, but can also be used to clean the shower or anything around the house with minimal effort. (The most popular one on the app is the OXO version, but it's $4 more than the Scotch-Brite, and since they do the same thing, go for the cheaper one.)
The Chomp wall cleaner ($39.97) has remained popular on CleanTok for a long time and the videos of the telescopic scrubber blasting through wall grime are very satisfying to watch.
There are a few hacks out there that recommend using certain products, but not only are they unnecessarily expensive in the name of being a "trend," they can be dangerous. For instance, the "overloading" trend asks you to mix a variety of products in your toilet bowl for the pleasing color effects, but overlooks how you may be creating noxious gases that could hurt you or just damaging your pipes.
You also don't need to buy Fabuloso to stick in the back of your toilet tank. While the colored water swirls look nice in a video, they can damage the toilet overall.
Finally, don't boil air freshener wicks to make your home smell clean, no matter what TikTok says. It's not clear if it's dangerous, but it is a waste. Just plug them in.
For some people, cleaning and organizing is liberating, relaxing, or even fun. For others, it’s overwhelming—and only gets worse when the aversion to it outweighs the motivation to do it, resulting in bigger and bigger messes that need attention. Some cleaning and decluttering methods are geared toward people in that first category, the ones with the attention span and drive to take on a big project all at once. For everyone else, the methods need some modification. If you struggle with feeling overwhelmed, try micro-decluttering.
What is micro-decluttering?
The term “micro-decluttering” has been trending on cleaning blogs for some time and while the phrase is novel, the idea is pretty well understood: Instead of cleaning all at once, choose small sections to tackle instead.
So, instead of vowing to clean the bathroom in a day, hone in on the medicine cabinet. Instead of cleaning your bedroom, go after the closet or the nightstand. Instead of cleaning the kitchen, consider the fridge or the silverware drawer. Obviously, you’ll get around to all the “micro” spaces within those rooms, but you don’t have to do them all at once. Rather, you can really spiff up a small section, revel in the feeling of accomplishment it brings, see some immediate results, and check in with yourself on whether you have the capacity to do another section quickly.
How to micro-declutter
To micro-declutter, find a system that works for you. You can dedicate one day to small sections of individual rooms, working through each room for about a week, or you can switch from room to room every time you clean. This is like a modified version of the ski-slope method, which calls on you to clean in a zig-zag fashion instead of going straight through a room. The nice thing about micro-decluttering is that it can be more metered out. You can space out your sessions in a way that works for you, decreasing the amount of overwhelming feelings. If it doesn’t feel like too much, try to create a schedule so you’re doing at least one micro section per day and getting a little structure to go with the plan, keeping you on track.
Try taking before and after pictures of the small sections you work on to reinforce the feeling of accomplishment. Being able to see the results will go a long way toward motivating you. As areas start to get cleaner, the whole room will slowly follow suit, giving you even more of a boost. Eventually, you may be able to do bigger sections or more sections all at once.
As with any decluttering attempt, make sure you sort everything into four piles: keep, throw, donate, and sell. Grab a set of stacking boxes to make this easier. Every time you finish a micro section, make sure you address the boxes, moving the things you’re keeping into their proper place, throwing away everything from the trash pile, and getting the rest ready to donate and sell. Don’t let anything hang around and impede your progress. Then, go at your own pace, taking on sections bit by bit until the job is done.
There are a couple of things you need when you’re organizing: a good technique that puts you in the right state of mind and motivates you, and the right organizational tools for the job. Picking out the right containers or shelving for the space you're organizing, though, isn't always easy. But if you're shopping for those items in person at someplace like IKEA or the Container Store, here's a trick to make sure you're buying exactly what you need.
Use the “paper trick” to get the right storage supplies
Watch this video from TikTokker MDDesigns16, who shares organization tips with her 382,000 followers.
In the clip, she takes some large paper (think packing paper, parchment paper, or even wrapping paper) and cuts it to the exact size of the drawer she needs containers for. Then, she takes the paper to the store and arranges holders and spacers on top of it to get the perfect fit.
This is brilliant and simple. Writing down measurements is fine, but it can be harder to visualize your setup and layout once you’re face-to-face with all the container options. Look at the sheer volume of options when you search for “drawer organizer” on Amazon. Why bring math into this when cleaning and organizing is already hard enough? It’s much easier to arrange the options on a piece of paper.
Other uses for the paper trick
Don’t just stop at organizing your drawers, either. This can be used for shelves, cabinets, and cupboards, too. Physically seeing how holders, vessels, and other organizational tools will fit in the allocated space can make this process much simpler and help you avoid having to return items that don’t fit or, worse, waste space by just settling for what you got. You are less likely to use the tools you have if they’re not quite right, so make sure they fit where you need them to fit before you buy them so you can actually get things that will be useful in your organizing journey.
Although unfinished basements don't provide additional living space, they do provide a convenient place to store items you don't use every day—like seasonal decor, tools, and maintenance equipment. Unfortunately, they can also be damp, and prone to flooding and temperature fluctuations. The good news is that there are plenty of helpful products that can help keep your belongings safe, organized, and dry.
Products to help you deal with your basement's temperature and moisture conditions
Indoor thermometer with humidity reading
Use a small indoor thermometer/hydrometer to keep an eye on the temperature and humidity level in your basement. There are plenty available for under $10; for a few dollars more, you can get one with Bluetooth ($12.99) that allows you to monitor the conditions remotely via an app on your phone. That way you'll know whether you need to adjust the temperature, get a dehumidifier, etc.
Ceiling storage shelves
If flooding is a concern—or you're simply running out of room—you may want to look into installing storage shelves that attach to your ceiling, like this 45" x 45" adjustable storage rack ($74.99). These are more commonly used in garages and sheds, but they also come in handy in basements.
Floor mats
Installing some type of water-tolerant floor covering—like indoor/outdoor carpeting ($80.99) or those interlocking foam puzzle pieces ($119.99)—can make your basement storage area feel less damp, and more comfortable to stand on than concrete. If moisture tends to be a problem, periodically check underneath the carpet or foam tiles to ensure the floor is dry.
Products to help you organize and store the stuff in your basement
Plastic bins/totes
Instead of keeping your belongings in cardboard boxes, invest in some durable totes with lids. They come in a variety of colors, sizes, and styles, but in my experience, the lids—more specifically, how securely they attach to the tote—is the make-or-break feature. Some lids firmly snap in place, or have a locking mechanism on the handle, but others never manage to feel secure.
I've tried totes from multiple brands, but keep coming back to the ones in Rubbermaid's Roughneck line—like the ones in this starter pack of 10 totes of varying sizes ($139.49).
Heavy-duty shelving units
Instead of stacking them on the floor, place the totes on shelving to get them up off the ground and make them easier to access. Better yet, get a unit on lockable casters, like this rust-proof and water-resistant one with six adjustable shelves and the capacity to hold up to 2,100 pounds ($99.99).
Enclosed shelf cabinets
Not everything kept in a basement is seasonal—especially in older homes, or others lacking above-ground storage. In situations like those, items typically housed in a pantry, closet, or cabinet—like small kitchen appliances, extra rolls of toilet paper, or cleaning supplies—may end up in the basement. If you don't want to dig through a giant tote every time they need a roll of paper towels, consider a fully enclosed shelf cabinet ($121.97) instead. They provide the protection of plastic storage bins with the accessibility of a cabinet.
Plastic drawers
Lacking linen closets? You may want to invest in a set of plastic drawers ($44.98) to keep your sheets, towels, and tablecloths dry, organized, and easily accessible.
All the best organizational methods call for you to find a place for every item in your home. Yes, "the cabinet" counts, broadly, but even that can be improved upon. Even though you don't seeit all the time, having the insides of your organizational spaces, well, organized will make it easier to access the things you need when you need them. These tools should help.
Tools for organizing kitchen cabinets
Let's start with your kitchen cabinets, where you probably have plates, dishes, cups, and other cooking implements stacked up. First, you need basics. These will help you stack your plates and other dinnerware higher and give you more space overall.
For snacks or smaller items, get a few containers with dividers inside. This will also make it easier to "decant" everything you buy (which is super helpful for staying tidy).
Finally, don't overlook the value of lazy Susans. Turntables are extremely useful inside cabinets and even on your countertops, as they enable you to store items from front to back, but spin everything around so you don't have to dig through products to get what you need in the back. Here are some great ones to use in every room of your home.
Storage solutions for under the sink
In addition to a big old turntable, you have a few options for organizing the chaos that typically unfolds in the cabinet under your sink. That's usually where people keep bigger items like cleaning supplies, so try these tools that are designed to keep those in order.
You can use standard, tiered racks to keep everything in order. This one from Ceetug has an L-shaped design and the top rack is good for sponges and smaller items while the bottom one, which pulls out, works well for bigger bottles.
Lazy Susans aren't just for the dinner table—they're actually secret organizational cheat codes. You can use them for so much more than arranging side dishes, spices, or condiments. When placed all around your home, in every room, they'll make it easier to grab items from the back of shelves, stack things on top of one another, and generally revolutionize your cleaning and storage habits.
Here are different styles to consider, depending on what you;ll be using them for.
Using Lazy Susans in the kitchen
The most obvious (and traditional) place for one of these turntables is the kitchen. I use basic, single-level lazy Susans all over mine, to organize everything from my shelves, to my pantry, to my fridge. Mine look like this:
I especially like using these in the fridge, where they help me grab condiments and foods from the back without having to reach around (and knock over) everything stacked in front. Others, like this one from Heshecein ($29.71), actually pull out along a track, in addition to turning 360 degrees, so you can completely pull them out of cupboards or the fridge for even easier access.
You can also use an extra-large one to organize all the cleaning supplies you keep under the sink, as I'm sure you know the pain of bending over to reach deep into a cabinet for a certain kind of cleaner, only to knock over every bottle of Pine Sol and can of Lysol in the process. Try this 16" version from OXO Good Grips ($19.95).
Using Lazy Susans in the bathroom
I have a set of the plain turntables shown above for my bathroom too, and I use them to store my skincare products, and some of my makeup. (I have a lot of skincare and makeup, so I've had to work hard to organize it all.) I also use a two-tiered turntable for things like serums and moisturizers, which come in small bottles that are better stored on top of each other to save on shelf space. I like this one:
There are also some classy-looking models you can get specifically for organizing your beauty products for easy counter access, like this gold and white rotating tray ($11.69).
Using Lazy Susans in the bedroom and living room
Consider using turntables for storage in your living spaces too. Some have compartments that make them great for not only kitchen utensils or makeup brushes, but frequently-used household items like remotes and charging cables. They can be stored out in the open or in a cabinet. This one would be perfect for remotes:
Others, like the one below, look nice enough to display on a table. Try putting a cup of pens, small utensils or garnishes, knick-knacks, or anything you use often into one of these:
Once you get in the habit of stacking things on a Lazy Susan, they become pretty indispensable for staying organized. I even have one for my tea set. I never use my tea set—I don't drink tea—but you better believe it is pleasingly displayed and easily accessible, in case I ever wake up and decide to become a tea-drinking kind of person.
It’s not always easy to figure out how to tackle your cleaning, decluttering, and organizing around the house. In fact, it’s hard. But it should be simple—or SIMPLE, rather. If you want a straightforward, rigid method for tidying up, the SIMPLE method could be the one for you.
What is the SIMPLE method?
I found out about this one from Real Simple, where pro organizer Kathy Jenkins laid out her easy steps to clean up a space. The goal of following SIMPLE is to act quickly and decisively instead of spending too much time overthinking the task at hand. There are six steps that make up the acronym:
Sort like with like
Identify what you want to keep
Make a home for it
Put it in containers
Label everything
Establish a routine
There are some similarities here with other methods, especially the Organizational Triangle, which calls for putting items with similar items and making sure they all have a designated spot; and the Peter Walsh method, which asks you to create piles for what you’ll keep and get rid of. While plenty of other methods, like Core 4, also require you to store your possessions in designated containers, SIMPLE is unique for two reasons: First, labeling is key here. Having a bunch of storage containers isn’t helpful if you don’t know what’s in them and have no system for managing them, so even using basic labels, like these customizable chalkboard-style ones, is beneficial—especially if you’re not a naturally organized person. That leads to the second reason SIMPLE is novel and helpful, which is that the final step is to establish a routine. Decluttering is a huge first step, but it’s just that: A first step. If you don’t stick with your organizing, you run the risk of accumulating more mess and having to declutter all over again eventually. Establishing a routine—like committing to doing a quick run-through of the first five steps every month or so—helps you stay on top of the junk and keep your home in order until it becomes second nature.
To use this method to its full potential, don’t do everything at once. Instead, pick a small section of your home to tackle each day. For instance, try the bedroom one day and the bathroom another—or chunk it up further, taking on just one closet, countertop, or shelf at a time.
Why SIMPLE works
This technique is a winner because it gives you clear-cut instructions, accounts for major challenges, and doesn’t leave much room for deliberation. Sure, you get to decide what you keep and throw, but you do so with the knowledge that you can only keep what will fit into the storage boxes you’re lining up. Some methods leave a lot of space for sentimentality or taking the process slowly, but this one is all about being decisive and taking action. If you struggle with the motivation to clean or the process of deciding what to do, give this a shot.
For as easily and quickly (and often) as we communicate digitally now, there's still a surprising amount of paper-based correspondence we have to deal with every day. Every time I remember to open my apartment's mailbox, I'm shocked to discover how many people and entities are trying to reach me in what I consider an antiquated way—but mail is still thriving. The problem is that paperwork—bills, medical forms, birthday cards, kids artwork, and on and on—can pile up and become clutter. Here's an easy way to sort them quickly.
What is the FAST method?
I heard about the FAST method of organizing paperwork on TikTok, but it's popular on organizational blogs, too. Like so many of the best organizing systems out there, it relies on an acronym designed to streamline the process of sorting paperwork and keep you on track while you go. There are two ways to interpret that acronym, but this is the best one:
File
Action
Sentimental
Toss
If you're sorting through a variety of paperwork, this is the best approach because it leaves options for different types of classifications. (On the other hand, if you're sorting exclusively through work-related papers or bills, you could swap the "S" from "sentimental" to "schedule.")
How to use the FAST method
You'll need some space to do this, so clear off a table or desk and make four spots for piles. Use four sticky notes labeled F, A, S, and T to make clear what each space is for. Conversely, you could use a paper sorter like the one below, which will take up less horizontal space while you work.
Once you have spaces for all four categories, go through your paperwork pile, making quick decisions about the contents. Bills go under "A" for action, confirmations and receipts go under "F" for file, and so on. If you're deliberating over something, use a technique like the five-second rule to make quick choices and maintain your efficiency.
Once everything is in its appropriate pile, move it to its forever home, whether that's a filing cabinet, digital storage, a memory box, or the trash. The goal here is to move quickly and efficiently, breaking through the pile of clutter, turning it into more manageable piles, and taking immediate action. After all, it's called FAST.
Because there are so many kinds and colors of makeup, it's easy to amass a large collection, even if you only use a small portion of it every day. Having a clean, organized makeup collection is important—not just because it's more aesthetically pleasing, but because organization can help you keep track of what products you have and when they're going to expire.
If you're ready to get a handle on your chaotic cosmetics, I'll share some organizational principles to get you started, then recommend a few of my favorite items that help me keep my own collection in order.
Basic makeup organization guidelines
When I reorganized my makeup collection last month, I followed a few decluttering techniques to pare down what I had, then invested in a few new organizational tools to pair with the ones I was already using. The end result looks like this:
This took many days.Credit: Lindsey Ellefson
The prevailing wisdom is that you shouldn't store your makeup in the bathroom, since the humidity is no good for it and you don't want bathroom germs all up in your brushes and other materials you regularly press into your face—but not all of us have the square footage to make that a reality. If you have the space to keep a vanity in your bedroom or a walk-in closet or something, that's awesome. Personally, I don't, so mine is all stored on a shelving unit over my toilet.
Make the best of the space you have and remember that the guidelines out there are dependent on your living conditions. (And if you're going to complain about my over-the-toilet setup in the comments, which has happened before, feel free to send me the money to get a bigger apartment.) If you have to store your stuff in the humid confines of your bathroom, do try to cover up the brushes and sponges so they're not getting befouled. Keep your toilet lid shut and run your fan.
Other than that, do try to keep up with the general expiration dates of your products. A palette can last forever—but that doesn't mean it should. It's not necessarily that the color payoff or product integrity will decline over time (though they may, slightly) but that this stuff just gets dirty. You can use a site like Check Cosmetic to determine the expiration of your specific products. Personally, though, I try to extend mine as long as I can by putting some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and lightly misting my palettes and powders every once in a while. Makeup gets gross for the same reason brushes do: Repeated contact with skin. You clean your brushes, so you also have to stay on top of the age and integrity of your products.
Classic makeup organization products
When it comes to makeup organizing, you have classic options and a few unorthodox ones. I like to use a combination of both. Let's start with the standard stuff.
Above, you'll see the gold standard in makeup organizing: The humble acrylic shelving unit. These come in all kinds of sizes and configurations but typically feature a few small holes for lipstick, some drawers, and some larger, built-in containers for brushes, eyeliner, or anything vertical. There are some nice variations available, like these:
A prettier organizer with spaces for palettes and bottles, plush a rotating brush holder ($14.49)
A pod-shaped organizer with a lid, perfect for those who store makeup and brushes in a humid room ($36.99)
My sneaky makeup organizing hacks
And now for the more, shall we say, creative organization tools. Don't get me wrong: I have a lot of those standard acrylic organizers. But I've also found other cool tools that are ostensibly designed to do something else, but work great for storing makeup.
A letter holder works great for palettes. My issue with storing palettes in drawers is that it's hard to remember what you've got when you need it. Having them stored somewhere you can see them—but still organized—is more helpful here. I also use adhesive floating shelves for this, as it saves counter space.
I use two different kinds of pen organizers to store all my brushes. These are better, in my opinion, than a big cup or open container, since they keep the brushes separate and easy to see and grab. Sometimes after washing my brushes, I put them back into these a little damp so they can dry without touching each other or laying flat, preserving their shape.
Finally, I use these lazy Susans to store my larger bottles and my brush holders, so I can just whirl the turntable around to access whatever I need. Putting my other storage solutions on top of these has been really helpful because it has enabled me to use the back sections of my shelves instead of needing to line everything up at the front.
Unsightly water stains will kill the vibes in even the most beautiful bathroom. From shower humidity to internal leaks and ventilation problems, they have a lot of causes. But after you’ve identified what made the mark on your wall in the first place, you still need to remove it without making the aesthetic problem worse.
You might think this will mean painting the entire wall, but tere are some ways to get water stains off your walls without taking such drastic measures.
How to get water stains off of walls
Water stains won't appear on tile; they need a more absorbent surface, which is why they show up on bare walls. Since your walls are probably painted, this presents a problem: How can you wash a wall without damaging it and risk needing to repaint the entire room?
Soap and water
Start gently and only increase the intensity of your cleaning methods if basic remedies don’t get the job done. Kick it off with a simple solution of dish soap and warm water, at a ratio of about one to two. Use a cloth dipped in the mixture to apply the soapy water to your stain. Gently rub it in from the top down, then rinse with plain water and dry thoroughly with a hair dryer on a cool setting.
Vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda
If that doesn’t work, fill a spray bottle with a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. Shake it up and spray it on the stain. Leave it for about an hour, then use a damp cloth to rub it away. You may have to repeat this process a few times to get the stain all the way out, so do this when you have time for multiple hour-long soaking intervals.
If you have wood paneling or cabinets that are looking grody from water stains too, you have a few options for removing water marks on your wooden surfaces.
You can cover the stain in mayonnaise sit on your stain overnight, then wipe it away in the morning and polish your wood afterward.
You can also mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply to the stain with a cloth, wiping in the direction of the grain until the stain disappears. Afterward, wipe the surface down with a clean, dry cloth.
Try placing an iron on a low heat setting over a cloth on top of the stain. Press it down for a few seconds and remove it to see if the stain is letting up, then try again until you’re satisfied. (Be advised that this works best for still-damp stains.)
How to get hard water stains off of tile
Traditional water stains won’t muck up your tile very much, but hard water can deposit minerals and cause ugly brown or orange stains. To get rid of them, try mixing white vinegar with water or baking soda until you have a nice paste, then applying it to your tiles with a scouring pad or sponge. Let it sit, checking on it periodically, and when you’re happy with the results, rinse it off with clean water and dry with a towel.
With cold days gone and warm weather firmly here, it's safe to stuff your coats away and put your shorts front and center. If you don't have a ton of storage space, though, the issue becomes a question of where to banish those cold-weather items. Here are some ideas.
Winter clothes storage idea #1: Your luggage
This is my faithful trick: I only use my big, rolling luggage a few times a year, but it's necessary to keep in my closet purely because I do need it. Since my suitcases are taking up space, anyway, I use the space inside them for extra storage. My winter coats, hats, scarves, wool dresses, tights, and everything else I don't wear in spring, summer, and fall go right into the luggage.
You can make this even more effective by getting some luggage organizers and using them to keep everything separate. Try these:
If you're wondering what happens when you need to pack for a trip, I'll tell you, but it's not really glamorous. I just pull everything out of the luggage and dump it on my couch or something. The clutter isn't going to bother me since I'm not going to be home, obviously, and its presence will spur me to unpack when I get back, so I can stuff it all back into the suitcase.
Winter clothes storage idea #2: Under the bed
Closet space can be hard to come by, but you probably have some space under your bed you're not using. Might as well put it to work. For heavy items, under-bed storage with wheels are best, just so you don't hurt your back dragging them in and out at season's end or when it's time to clean.
If you don't feel like spending money, slip a few pieces of cardboard under anything you store under the bed to make it easy to pull it all out at once.
Winter clothes storage idea #3: A dual-purpose ottoman
I'm a big fan of multi-function storage furniture because it makes your space look organized while hiding the fact that you may have too much stuff. A storage ottoman is a great idea for heavy blankets, coats, and other winter wares because it's spacious inside but serves additional purposes in your room.
Most major decluttering methods have a few elements in common. One piece of advice that crops up frequently is that you need to store similar items together and make sure everything you own, in every category, has a specific place to be stored. Designating a spot for seasonal items is key because if you leave your coats out in the summer or your shorts out in the winter, they'll get pushed and moved around as you dig past them for what you actually need all the time, eventually becoming a jumbled mess. It's better to maintain one storage spot for off-season items to keep everything more organized and functional, leaving space only for what you actually need and require access to at a given time.
Once you've decluttered your home, you have to keep it organized or you'll end up in a cluttered mess all over again. Each room requires its own unique approach, but as a storage hub for clothes and personal possessions, the bedroom is especially key. Here are some great tools for organizing the bedroom.
The best tools for organizing your closet
First up, you need cascading hangers, which I've mentioned before. The metal ones are my favorite, which will be sturdy enough to hold heavier items and not slowly warp under their weight.
I don't know about you, but any little table or flat surface in my home becomes a total nightmare over time as I just toss whatever is in my hands onto it as soon as I enter the room. In the bedroom, that's the nightstand, which is especially terrible, because we should all be falling asleep in peaceful, decluttered spaces—not next to a pile of junk. That problem gets compounded by phone charging cables lamp cords and other stuff that actually belongs there. To alleviate this clutter, consider is a new nightstand that has storage solutions built in, like this:
A wireless charging dock that takes care of your phone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time ($17.99)
Other bedroom storage solutions
Other cluttered areas in the bedroom also need some attention. Consider picking up some under-bed storage boxes for bigger items, like duvets or seasonal decor.
There are so many techniques and methods out there to help you declutter your home, but they all have the same goal: downsizing how much junk you have and getting the rest of it organized. Where they differ is methodologies. Some are better suited to larger homes or heavier junk volumes, for instance, while others leave some wiggle room for items you feel sentimental about and are hesitant to part with, and some force you to be a little more objective and decisive when tossing things out. Here are some of my favorite decluttering techniques.
The ski-slope method
Anita Yokota's ski-slope method was born from her experience as a licensed therapist and interior designer and is meant to help you declutter in a way that won't be overwhelming for you mentally. She outlines the method in her book Home Therapy: Interior Design for Increasing Happiness, Boosting Confidence, and Creating Calm, suggesting you imagine your messy room like a ski slope, zig-zagging from section to section instead of working in a straight line, as you would if you were skiing down a hill.
Rather than looking at it as a whole (a huge mess you'll never be able to clean!), start in one corner or section and work from there: Clean, declutter, and organize. Move to the next side or section and do it again. Continue moving through the room, working from side to side. As you finish each section, you can pause for a break if you need to, then pick back up where you left off.
Project 333
Adhere to the TikTok-famous Project 333, which comes from comes from Courtney Carver's Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really Is So Much More, if you want to pare down your wardrobe and create a "capsule wardrobe" of basic, mix-and-matchable pieces over time. Start by selecting only 33 pieces of clothing, jewelry, and accessories (excluding underwear or sentimental, everyday-wear jewelry), then boxing everything else up for three months. At the end of that time, you'll have combined your 33 pieces to make outfits and will have a better sense of what you really need for daily wear and what you own that might be good for donating.
For a similar approach, you can adapt the Pareto principle or 80/20 rule, recognizing that you use about 20% of your stuff 80% of the time, whether that's the clothes you wear every day, the kitchen tools you use to make your most common meals, or anything else that you reach for the majority of the time. Once you start identifying the 80% of things you rarely use, it becomes pretty easy to give them the boot.
The 12-12-12 method
This is one of the longer-term methods on the list and it calls on you to overhaul your lifestyle a bit. When you use the 12-12-12 method, you find 12 things to throw away, 12 things to donate, and 12 things to put away—every day. With 12 in each category every day, you're dealing with a number small enough to work with in an achievable way but big enough to make an impact on your clutter. Of course, you can move that number up or down slightly to accommodate your own needs, but the real idea here is that you get in the habit of identifying what you can get rid of and what needs to be organized and put away every day.
By making sure you get into the habit of putting everything where it belongs (and getting rid of things that don't belong anywhere), storing everything with related items, and getting rid of one thing every time you bring something new in, you can not only get organized, but stay organized.
The five-second rule
The five-second rule is a trick you can use when you're decluttering to make fast decisions about what stays and what goes. It's a widely-adaptable technique from organizational coach Mel Robbins, who advocates for it in her books. Basically, you should make major decisions in under five seconds, counting down five, four, three, two, one so your brain senses some urgency. At the end of the countdown, you have to make a choice and when you're decluttering, you'll decide whether to keep something and find a place for it or toss it or donate it. In your heart, you already know which items are useful and need to stick around. Instead of deliberating over the decision, make it fast and keep going so you don't lose momentum.
If you're really stuck after five seconds, there are two questions you can ask yourself to illuminate the right choice: According to organizational gurus the Minimalists, you should ask yourself, "Could I replace this item for less than $20?" and "Could I replace it in less than 20 minutes?" If the answer to both is yes, that thing can go. The space you'll save by tossing it will be worth the $20 you may spend in the unlikely event you ever need it again.
KonMari
Arguably the most famous method on the list, Marie Kondo's KonMari leaves a little room for the items you care about, even if they have fewer practical uses than others. Kondo's method of organizing follows a few simple steps designed to ensure “you will never again relapse to clutter.” Here’s what she calls for:
Commit yourself to tidying up.
Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
Finish discarding first.
Tidy by category and not by location.
Follow the right order.
Ask yourself if it sparks joy, and get rid of it if it doesn't.
Start with trash, like receipts, wrappers, bags, anything that is broken, expired food or products, or anything you simply don’t need or use at all. Throw all that away.
Do the easy stuff. Put everything you see out of place back where it belongs.
Categorize “duh clutter,” or anything that could be donated. Keep a box on hand and toss anything worthy of donation into it.
Ask yourself one or two decluttering questions. First, “If I needed this item, where would I look for it?” If you can instantly think of an answer, take the item where it belongs. If you can’t think of an answer, ask a follow-up: “If I needed this item, would it occur to me that I already had one?” Get rid of the thing if the answers are no.
Finally, make it fit. Only keep what you have space for and organize those.
Throw a packing party
Another intense, room-clearing option is the "packing party," which also comes from the Minimalists. To throw a packing party, invite your friends over and have them help you pack everything in the room into boxes, as if you were moving, and label those boxes. For three weeks after that, live your life as normal, only pulling things out of the boxes if and as you need them. At the end of the three weeks, go through whatever you haven't needed and commit to throwing or donating most of it. This method helps you "move back in" to a cleaner space full of only the things you really need.
365 Less Things
Colleen Madsen's unique 365 Less Things technique is a slow burn. It will take a year to complete, but at the end of that year, you'll be living in a cleaner, more organized space—and will have built up the habits that can keep it that way. All you do is commit to getting rid of one thing every day for a year. The goal here isn't instant progress, but incremental progress that you can learn from. Set a reminder in your phone for every day at a certain time and, when the alarm goes off, find one thing to get rid of. You can donate it, sell it, or throw it away, but it has to go. The beauty of this method is that while it takes time, the time is actually beneficial: Eventually, it'll become second nature to find and get rid of one thing in your home every day. Plus, decluttering so incrementally is a lot less overwhelming than other methods of home cleaning and organization, so it's perfect for if you're feeling too put-upon by the daunting task.
The Before and After technique
Finally, if you're a more visual person, the Before and After approach from Becoming Minimalist is for you. Pick a small section of your home, like a countertop or junk drawer, and snap a picture of it. Then, clean it up. Just focus on the small area you photographed. Once you’re done, take a new picture and compare the two. Do this any time you have a few minutes to dedicate to a minor cleaning task, so the pics are right next to each other in your camera roll. When you can see the difference just by swiping between the two photos, you’ll feel motivated to keep going. Without the pictures, it can be hard to remember what the mess even looked like, so you won’t stay as motivated to clean or keep it clean.
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