Organization Tips for Under the Bathroom Sink

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Last week was a bit of a blur – getting ready for company, planning and hosting a birthday party for Everett, and hurricane thrown in for good measure (which thankfully stayed off shore and didn’t actually hit, but required lots of preparation).  As one group of house guests left this morning, I was looking forward to catching my breath…until I realized my mom and grandmother will be here in just a matter of days.  My kids have been counting down to their arrival, but with the days off of school due to the hurricane last week, I didn’t get my daily reminders.  Somehow a visit that had been on our calendar for months sneaked up on me.

But my kids?  Well, there’s no way that they would forget.  For them, the word “grandma” is the equivalent of Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy all rolled up into one.  And despite the many decades that separate them from their great-grandma age-wise, they are surprisingly close.  To say the kids are excited that they will be arriving in a matter of days would be an understatement.

So this morning as I was cleaning the guest bathroom, I figured there was no better time than the present to get ready for my mom and grandmother’s visit.  I finally got tired of shuffling around the clutter under the sink and decided that it was time to organize.  About an hour later, my bathroom was not only clean, but all that clutter was gone!  It was so easy, I only wish I had done it sooner.  Here’s how I did it:

Compartment Organizers – The first step was getting all the clutter out and replacing it with compartments to house all the necessary items.  These plastic compartment organizers cost less than $7 each and instantly transformed the area under my sink.  So long clutter, hello instant organization!  Each one has plenty of space for bathroom essentials and will keep them safe and dry in the event of a leak under the sink.  The area under our sink is small, so I put these compartments side by side, but if you have more room, you could always stack them to make the most of your space.  I only wish I had purchased these earlier…like, when we first moved into this house.Toiletry Items – One of my under the sink organizers is solely dedicated to toiletry items – extra toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, lotion, shower gel, you name it, I have it!  I also try to keep extra washcloths and sponges in this drawer, as my grandmother prefers using shower gel to bar soaps which can be harsh on her skin.

Personal Items – My second plastic organizer is dedicated to personal care items that guests might need, but have left at home, like maxi pads and tampons, and Poise® Liners and Depend® for guests who might suffer from incontinence – along with extra toilet paper and tissues.

Right before my mom and grandmother’s last visit early in the summer, I got a frantic phone call from my mom letting me know that she had forgotten to pack my grandmother’s Depend® FIT-FLEX® Underwear for Women.  They had already left the house and were on their way down to Florida from South Carolina and she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to stop and buy some on the way down.  I ran out and purchased some, and now I always try to keep them in the house.  I even started purchasing them in bulk from Sam’s Club because she depends on them.

I just love that besides having a great price on Depend, the brand new packaging shows just how much you can save at Sam’s Club.Right now when you purchase Depend at Sam’s Club you’ll even find a special sticker inside the box, redeemable at the pharmacy for a fun caregiver sample set (limited quantities available)!  I didn’t get a chance to redeem mine last time I purchased as I was short on time and didn’t open the package until I got home, but I will definitely be redeeming on my next visit and adding to the supplies in my storage containers.  And be sure to download the Digimarc Discovery app, which allows you to scan anywhere on the Depend packaging for more information on caregiving services offered at Sam’s Club.  Just another way that Sam’s Club is the one-stop destination for caregivers!

Because my grandma can be a bit self-conscious about her use of Depend, I put these in one of the plastic organizers – so they’re out of sight – but made sure to put it in the organizer closest to the toilet so it’s accessible when she needs them.  I’d like to think that this keeps it discreet and in her control.

Extra Towels – After organizing my compartments, I placed sets of towels on top.  As a guest, I hate having to hunt down extra towels so I try to have plenty of them waiting for my guests.  Rather than putting them in a linen closet down the hall, I put them under the sink itself.  They’re easily accessible for guests like my grandma who has some mobility issues, and they keep my linen closet from getting cluttered with excessive amounts of towels.

Cleaning Items – It’s always good to have cleaners in the bathrooms for quick touch ups, but it’s not something you really want your guests to see, so I made use of the area in the middle of the containers.  I put my bathroom cleaners, disinfecting wipes, and paper towels in the very back, and placed one or two items that didn’t fit in the storage containers in front of them.  Not only does it look organized, but I have everything I need in one place, and hopefully my guests will too.

Is the area under your sink organized?  What is your tip for organizing a guest bathroom?