Please welcome today’s guest poster, Kristen, to the blog.

With the daily demands of maintaining a home and tending to my family’s needs, the time I get for myself is very important. To me, there’s no spa could beat a bathroom. This is where I usually take refuge when I need to escape the stresses of being a mother to my baby girl and wife to a busy man.

credit: winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Since mess easily gets to me, I make sure there’s nothing about the bathroom that distracts me. It’s important that things are in order, and that everything is in its right place. With a family, this can easily get out of hand. This is why as early as now, I teach my daughter how to value cleanliness by taking care of her things. She knows where to find what she needs and understands that items have to be returned to their proper places.

Here are some tips to improve your bathroom space:

First, take a look at the supplies you have in the bathroom and get rid of the things you don’t need: expired medications, hair products that haven’t been used in years, empty tubes of pimple cream, and whatever else isn’t being used. Janet Hall of Online Organizing offers this check checklist for bathroom items we don’t really need:

• make-up, hair products, and lotions you haven’t used in 6 months
• products that are dried up or evaporated
• prescription medications that have expired
• over-the-counter medications you haven’t used in 6 months
• old razors, scissors, or other dull and rusty metal items
• pack duplicates of toiletries in your suitcases

credit: federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Efficient storage is a matter of knowing how to use your space wisely. Don’t overcrowd your bathroom with an unreasonable number of beauty products. Also, you don’t need towels of every color –since a towel’s fabric is relatively thick, I realized having four towels per family member is advisable.

(note from Laura:  my recommendation is just two towels per person!)

If you keep linens in your bathroom, I suggest you stick to three sets of linen per family member unless you have a lot of space to spare. Add a twist to your bathroom makeover by using color-coded baskets or shelves intended for family members’ toiletries: loofahs, hair products, and toothbrushes, among other items. Throw in only what you use daily and place them in a convenient area.  Keep extra supplies elsewhere.

credit: Suat Eman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Another great rule of thumb is to be practical with the space you’re working with. For example, I notice that many people place paintings on their bathroom walls—that space might actually be better used for extra storage space, in some cases.

A quick glance should tell you how the family bathroom is organized: can you spot what you need straight away? Is there something that looks out of place in its surroundings? The bathroom should be a place for the family to feel safe, get clean, and relax; keeping it well organized does wonders for this.

Kristen works as a freelance writer for Backyard Ocean, an online store for above ground swimming pools, inflatable pool toys, and accessories. With a husband and a five-year old daughter, she challenges herself to find creative and practical ways to make their home enjoyable to live in. 

Bathroom Organization Ideas is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

If you are new to 52 Weeks of Organizing, catch up here!

Hi all, can you believe how close we are to the end?  Week #50, whoot!  Today’s topic is all about untapped vertical storage space.  Whether it be in closets, cupboards, garages or shelves, vertical storage is often sadly neglected.  I was thinking about this today when I was reorganizing my cupboards underneath the bathroom sink.  In two instances I doubled my storage space just by going up.  Let me show you how I did it.

And just to keep it real here I’ll show you the “before I tidied up” picture first:

and then after a quick purge and tidy, ahh much better:

Those pull out shelves are fantastic for maximizing space and no I didn’t buy them at a fancy organizing store.  In fact I purchased the two drawer set at a Bargain Shop for $8.00, you just got to keep your eyes open.

Next is the drawer system I use to organize my lady things.

The before tidy picture:

and after a fast tidy and basket addition:

The three stackable drawers on the right is where I keep my feminine products.  Do you see how much space is created by going up?  Again these drawers were purchased from Field’s (another bargain type shop) for a reasonable price (although I don’t remember how much exactly, I’ve had them for awhile).  I’d like to buy another set for the other side but they haven’t had any in stock for awhile so I’m patiently waiting for more to come in :)  The yellow basket just holds my curling iron, lint brushes and toiletry bags.

Your challenge this week is to check your closets and cupboards and see if there is any unused space you can utilize by going vertical.  Perhaps it’s as simple as adding an additional shelf in your closet like my husband did.

Since I was highlighting my bathroom cupboards today I thought I’d also give you an update on what was going on above my cupboards and the never ending battle I have with my hair tools.  Last time I shared with you I was using a basket and it looked like this:

Well let me tell you, rolling up the cords and stuffing the basket got old fast.  I also would have to wait for them to cool down and who has time for such things :)  Anyway I came up with a new solution (yes again..I know, I know…the life of an organizing junkie remember).  Here is what it looked like before a little tidy:

As you can see I added a shelf with some hooks to hang my tools up and out of the way.  Today I improved on it a bit with a few more tweaks:

I tidied up the cords and added cord ties to keep them from getting unruly on me.  I also brought back my original basket as well.  I was trying out a different one for awhile but it was too small for my needs.  Here I keep my most frequently used hair products.  Don’t be afraid to try new solutions every once and awhile because it’s the only real way to know if it will work for you or not.  Anyway even though this solution isn’t a pretty one, practicality won out in the end.  Besides this is my ensuite so it’s not like anyone else will see it.  Well except all of you but you won’t tell right?  It’s just nice to not have the frustrations in the mornings anymore and for me that beats out all else every time.  I really hate to be annoyed :)

So there you have it.  Another week comes and goes.  Hope this gives you a few ideas to solve some of your own organizational dilemmas.  Don’t forget to share how you make out with this week’s challenge!

PS:  Please let me know if you have any ideas for organizing challenges in the new year.  Just trying to do some brainstorming around the idea.  Thanks!

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Please feel free to share your organizing journey and encourage one another in the comments. You are also invited to link up to the linky below with any posts related to your 52 weeks of organizing participation or to any post of an organizing nature that you feel will inspire and encourage others in their quest to get organized. Please remember to link back to here though so we can reach out to as many people as possible in need of some inspiration.

One other thing to consider: by including your link below you, you are giving me permission to use parts of your post including pictures as a spotlight in future 52 Weeks of Organizing posts. Proper credit and links will of course be provided. If you are not okay with this please do not link up. Thanks!

52 Weeks: #50 Go Vertical for Storage is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

If you are new to 52 Weeks of Organizing, catch up here!

You would think I’d have some kind of editorial calendar set up for writing this 52 weeks series so I’d know what I was going to write about each week in advance.  But I don’t.  Each week I just sit down at the computer and write from my heart.  Many times I take inspiration from the participants that have linked up the previous week or, like this week, I am motivated by what is going on in my own home with regards to organization.

This week I’ve been on a roll organizing small things here and there and everywhere.  Small things that I’ve noticed lately were making me a little growly.  For instance, ever since we moved into this house a year ago I could not seem to find a system that worked for all my hair products and at the same time took into consideration my morning laziness and my desire to have a clutter free countertop.  I have tried many different solutions and was irritated by all of them. I just didn’t have the space on this countertop for my blow dryer, straightener and all my hair products (of which there are many – more on my hair obsession here and here) at the same time.

So I tried having two baskets on top of the counter, it was too much.  I tried having a basket underneath the counter yet that didn’t work for this visual girl and my lazy factor (I won’t even try to deny it).  I like things out and easily accessible.  And until the Styling Station I’m drooling over comes onto the market, I knew I had to come up with something to tied me over before I lost my freaking mind :)

So in a moment of desperation I simply stood there and looked around the room.  What areas weren’t being utilized to their fullest?  How could I solve my dilemma while meeting all my criteria (this would include budget if this is a factor for you as it was for me)?  What was I okay with?  What was a deal breaker?

I knew I was okay with one basket being on the counter and that was it.  A deal breaker for me was having my products strewn all over every which way…I’m a pretty messy groomer when I make my daily transformation.  Trust me, I need every single one of those products :)

So as I went through this mental process, a light bulb went off.  On the back of the door I had two 3M Command Hooks.  Only one was being used and that was for my son’s bath towel.  If I moved that to the back of his own door it would leave me with an entire door free.  How could I utilize the back of the door to solve my situation?

A shoe organizer!!!

This is where I wish I had before pictures for you but when I get in the zone, I get in the zone.  Watch out, a woman on a mission is a pretty powerful thing! :)

Off to Walmart I went where I purchased myself a $6.00 shoe organizer to solve the dilemma of messy countertop clutter.  That’s pretty inexpensive for a whole lot of sanity!  Unfortunately not as pretty though as the ones I carry through Opensky, hopefully I’ll get those in again soon.  This one was all I could find and I wanted it done right away…again the whole zone thing :)  Functional over fabulous.

Down came the hooks and up went the organizer which hooks over the door (and yes the door still closes):

Hallelujah!!

With all these pockets I had room for not only my hair products but my brushes and combs as well:

plus my face creams and toners:

This allowed me to stick to having just the one basket on my counter like I wanted.  I used this for my hair dryer and straightener.  So easy to maintain!

Look how handy my products are to my fingertips while doing my thing each morning:

When creating a system please keep these tips in mind:

• There are many solutions for each particular space, don’t get frustrated if the first one doesn’t work.

• Be honest with the personality you have and the time you have to devote to something.

• Ask yourself a handle of questions (similar to those I asked myself above) about what is working and not working for you in the space.

• It’s important to give each new system at least three weeks to allow new habits to form.

• Every system should allow for easy maintenance in order for the system to succeed.  Don’t over complicate things.

*****You can read more detailed information about creating systems here.*****

What organizing dilemma is irritating you right now and what kind of solution do you think you can come up with to solve it?

Please feel free to share your organizing journey and encourage one another in the comments. You are also invited to link up to the linky below with any posts related to your 52 weeks of organizing participation or to any post of an organizing nature that you feel will inspire and encourage others in their quest to get organized. Please remember to link back to here though so we can reach out to as many people as possible in need of some inspiration.

One other thing to consider: by including your link below you, you are giving me permission to use parts of your post including pictures as a spotlight in future 52 Weeks of Organizing posts. Proper credit and links will of course be provided. If you are not okay with this please do not link up. Thanks!

52 Weeks: #36 Finding a System that Works is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Did anyone catch the season premiere of Homemade Millionaire, hosted by my BFF Kelly Ripa, last week?  I didn’t get to see it because I don’t have cable but I was able to find a clip of it on You Tube.  I watched this clip below and nearly fell off my chair.  One of the products featured is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for.  It’s the second invention you see in the clip and it’s hands down brilliant!

Did you see it?  Did you see the organizational power of the Styling Station.  Oh my word, I must get my hands on this product!

The bathroom in my new house has aggravated me since I moved in.  The cords of both my hair dryer and straightener hang down over the drawer making the drawer a nuisance to get into and you know how I feel about annoyances!  I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a solution and until now have been completely stumped.  This product will change my life.  My friends always laugh at me when I say that but nothing beats a fantastic organizing solution to make the world a better place :) From what I can tell the whole cabinet fits over the wall outlet (behind the drawer there) hiding all the ugly cords.  So brilliant I could weep.  WEEP!  That’s how badly I want this product!

From what I understand Marcy McKenna, the creator of this product, went on to win on the show which means her product will now go into production (!) and appear on the Home Shopping Network sometime soon.  I hope soon.  Seriously I can’t wait.  I’ve totally been stalking Marcy on her site and on her Facebook page and I won’t rest until I have the Styling Station in my hot little hands!

Please tell me I’m not alone in my hair obsessive ways. Would you buy something like this?

Updated:  Marcy herself sent me a message on Facebook, how exciting is that!  Unfortunately she did tell me that the wait for the Styling Station is expected to be about 3 or 4 months.  I’ll definitely keep you posted as I know more.  I’m going to try real hard to be patient.

Homemade Millionaire ~ Styling Station is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Kristen over at We Are THAT Family is hosting an organizing edition for Works for Me Wednesday so of course I couldn’t resist participating.

I don’t know about in your house but frequently I walk into the bathroom to find toothbrushes scattered all over the countertop.  It drives me nutso.  Especially since I’d given them a nice bucket on the counter which which to throw them into.  Now really how hard is that!?

Now in all fairness, my ice bucket inspired toothbrush storage did work for quite some time but eventually what happens is they (as in my family) stop seeing it.  It ends up sitting there lonely and dejected and that almost makes me sadder than the toothbrushes all over the counter.  I simply cannot have one of my containers treated that way.  I won’t stand for it I tell you.

When this starts to happen I know it’s time to change things up again.  Offer a fresh solution that’s fun and exciting to keep them on their toes!  So I cleared out one of my bathroom drawers and assigned them each their own toothbrush basket instead.  I purchased these baskets 2 for $1.00 at the dollar store.  They work beautifully in most drawers for most things including junk drawers.

Seriously, be still my heart.

So far it’s working out great and the kids are actually once again putting their toothbrushes away.  Yet for sure the day will come when these baskets will to be ignored but that’s okay because the beauty of organizing is there is no end to the organizing solutions to be found.

Be sure to get your fix visit all the other organizing tips going on over at We Are THAT Family.

PS:  Don’t forget to enter your Command Center link here for a chance to win TWO of my favorite organizing tools!

Organizing Toothbrushes is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Today I have a special guest post for you.  The author herself, Jennifer Ford Berry, is in the house!  Jennifer’s dropping in with some more tips for getting your hair and makeup supplies organized.  So if you didn’t have a chance to tackle this area of your home last month, then maybe these tips here today will be the inspiration you need to get it done.  Thanks Jennifer!

Step 1: Sort and Toss!
Start by pulling all of your supplies out and sorting them into piles of “Keep” and “Toss”. You know that blue eye shadow you haven’t worn since high school? Well, it is time to let it go so that would definitely go in the “Toss” pile. (It’s OK! I am sure you have some pictures of you wearing it with big hair if you start to miss it).

Some Things to Toss:
-Dull tweezers
-Dried up mascara
-Worn out applicators and old makeup sponges
-Dried up nail polish
-Hair dryers, curling irons, straightening tools that you never use or that are broken
-Foundation that does not match your skin tone. Sweep a little across your cheek and if you can see it, it does not match.
-Cracked blush or powder. These are too hard to use and they really make a mess!
-Outdated or worn out hair accessories.
-Styling products over 2 years old.
-Makeup you haven’t worn in over 1 year.

Step 2: Organize:
Whether you store your supplies in bags or drawers make sure you choose storage that will work with your lifestyle. Do you need to grab makeup on the go for traveling? Do you keep a few items in your purse? Personally, I am a huge fan of clear, plastic drawers under the bathroom sink for hair supplies and makeup. You can stack them to make the most of your space and they are inexpensive. I use the smaller drawers for my daughter’s rubber bands, barrettes and hair clips.

Tips:
* Consolidate whenever possible: night/day cream, hand/foot lotion, face/body self-tanner, base/topcoat nail polish. Save room (and money) by buying one product for both areas when possible.

* Don’t buy more until you use up what you have. I admit buying make up and hair supplies can be fun (and addicting). But don’t fall prey to the mass marketing that wants us to believe that all of these products will change our looks and our life! Stick with what you know works for you and don’t over buy.

* If you stop using a shampoo, conditioner or body wash because you don’t like it, throw it away or give it to a friend. Don’t let half-full bottles take up valuable space in the shower!

* Silverware organizers work great in a drawer to keep your makeup organized.

* Store pony tail holders on a shower curtain ring to keep them all together.

Note: For more great organizing tips check out Jennifer’s book, Organize Now: a week-by-week guide to simplify your space and your life.

Guest Post: Organize Your Makeup and Hair Supplies is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Yay we are finally here and I’m hoping you all had a chance to purge and organize your makeup and hair supplies this month.  From the comments throughout the month I think this is an area many of us needed to work on.   Here’s the post I did of my own stash.

To participate in this month’s organizing round-up all you have to do is link up below to a post on your site telling us about how you organized your makeup and hair supplies.  Don’t forget to include your before and after pictures.  Remember to use the direct link to your round-up post and not to your homepage.  That’s helpful for those of us who might not get a chance to take a peek at your post until later.  Also, as a courtesy, if you are going to participate please be kind and link back to this post within your post.

Those that link up before Sunday, August 2nd at 9:00 pm PST will be eligible to win a copy of Jennifer Ford Berry’s book called Organize Now!: A Week By Week Guide To Simplify Your Space And Your Life.  A winner will be chosen at random from the Mr. Linky list below.

Congratulations on getting it done!  Next month is a biggie…Command Central here we come!  Will you be joining us?

Rounding Up Makeup and Hair Supplies! is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Here are some handy dandy storage solutions for all that hair and makeup stuff that seems to clutter our countertops. Clicking on the picture will take you to the source.

Drawer organizers come in a variety of options including acrylic and wooden:

I love these inexpensive interlocking bins:

No vanity space?  How about something for behind your door:

Or underneath your bathroom cabinet.  I did a whole post on this once upon a time.

And of course really cute baskets with daisies are ideal for just about anything :)

Isn’t looking at storage products fun!  I seriously could do this all day!  Which one is your favorite?

Note:  The Mr. Linky for Org Junkie’s Monthly Round-Up will go up on Friday, July 31st.  Join us this month as we organize our makeup and/or hair products!

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Sponsored by The Dinner Solution ~ Menu Planning and Freezer Cooking Made Simple

Cool Makeup Storage Ideas is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Keeping with our theme this month, here are a collection of links to help you with all that makeup purging and organizing you are doing.   You are doing it aren’t you?  No?  What’s the hold up girlfriend?  Maybe these links will give you the push you need.  I’ve added a number of videos this week because well they are my favorite.  I’m a visual girl what can I say :)  Enjoy!

How to Organize Makeup @Apartment Therapy

Videos ~ How to Organize Your Makeup @MonkeySee (4 separate videos)

21 Ways to Store Your Makeup @Makeup and Beauty Blog

Video ~ How to Organize Hair and Makeup Products

Video ~ How To: Organize Your Makeup @Real Simple

I’m also hoping to have a post up this week showcasing some fabulous organizers and containers that will help you keep your product stash under control.  Stay tuned :)

Link-Tastic ~ The Makeup Edition! is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

It’s been in hiding for 5 years!  We actually used them in our old house but I replaced them when we moved because these ones didn’t go with our new decor.  Anyhoo I really liked them at the time and decided to hang on to them “just in case”.  Now remember this was 5 years ago and over time I had completely forgotten they were there.  Out of sight, out of mind as they say.

However, I think it’s safe to say that the statue of limitations on my bathroom beauties had expired.  It was way past time to make a decision about their fate.

I still really liked them, that hadn’t changed, but since I hadn’t put them to use as they were intended in the past 5 years, chances were EXTREMELY good I wasn’t going to in the near future either.

A decision had to be made.

The only way it made sense for me to keep them would be to find some other way to use them.  I can’t stress this enough, if you really love something, honor it, and put it to use.  With a little creativity, many things can be used for something other than they were originally intended which is how my toothbrush holder became a lovely pen holder.

A simple yet practical solution.  I did part with the soap dish and was okay with that.  I’ve freed up storage space and am now enjoying the holder I love without feeling like I’ve cluttered my space to do it.  It’s a win win.

The morale of this story…if you haven’t used something in a long time, you probably aren’t going to.  Cut your losses and re-purpose the item or part ways with it but just don’t let things keep taking up valuable storage space for the “just in case” opportunity.

Don’t store it, use it!

What one thing can you re-purpose today?

Related:  I also love this great idea to Make a Posey Vase from a Toothbrush Holder from Jenn at Frugal Upstate.

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Sponsored by The Dinner Solution ~ Menu Planning and Freezer Cooking Made Simple and It’s Frugal Being Green

Don’t store it, use it! is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie