Today I'll take you through FIVE easy steps to declutter and organize under your bathroom sink. I'll also introduce you to one of my all-time favorite organizing products along the way.
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Deep cabinets can restrict access to items that you use regularly and the plumbing and pipes make it quite tricky to find enough storage area under the sink. This can also result in repurchasing products you already own because you can't find them.
You're not alone if organizing your bathroom is causing you a headache. Most of my clients have tried, in vain, various organizing products to make their morning and evening routine easier. However, under the bathroom sink is one of my favorite spaces to organize.
The STAK Bin * from The Container Store has been a game changer for my clients. So today I'll also share some before-and-after photos and suggest other products that pair well with the STAK bin so you too can can finally tackle under the bathroom sink once and for all.
STOP: Before you move your items from the cabinet into a new organizing system let's do some prep work so that you are just moving items you no longer use or that have expired.
FYI: Shown below and above is my absolutely favorite if space allows. The Long Wide Deep STAK Bin W/ Wheels Clear * it is the largest of the 12 sizes that The Container Store offers.
FIRST: Pull EVERYTHING out
What needs to go:
Expired Medicines. To learn how to dispose safely, please check this out from the FDA - Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines.
Expired makeup - It does not last as long as you think and can be a breeding ground for bacteria. For more info read the Risks of Using Expired MakeUp from the Mayo Clinic) and for guidelines on how long to keep each item check out When Should You Toss Your Makeup from The Cleveland Clinic.
All the makeup you thought you'd like but didn't. Keeping it isn't going to make you love it more, it's just taking up space.
Any items you DON'T use in the bathroom. Get them to the correct room.
Need inspiration that you CAN purge and sort?
Check out these Instragram Reels and watch us sort - hair supplies & Makeup.
SECOND: Create your categories
While you are tossing the items you pull out of the cabinet, start to make your categories. You want to know how much of each category you have BEFORE you decide what product to use to organize it.
Shown here we used one Long Wide Deep STAK Bin W/ Wheels Clear * for hair supplies and The Home Edit Narrow Bin with Slider Tray * from Walmart for nail supplies.
The smaller tray used for nail supplies also has handles so you can grab and go! To see a video of exactly how the sliding tray works and this exact project in action click HERE *.
Inside Scoop: Walmart's DUPE of the The Home Edit Bin with slider is a fraction of the cost of the one sold at The Container store. To see a side by side comparison head here!
THIRD: Work around the pipes
Shown above we used one Long Wide Deep STAK Bin W/ Wheels Clear * and one Long Deep STAK Bin W/ Wheels Clear * this was due to the large pipe. In order to work around, and in this case UNDER the pipe we opted for a mDesign 16" Plastic Stackable Kitchen Organizer. * Ignore that it says kitchen in the name of the product. This item is great for any deep space! In this case we used it for supplements and it slid right under the pipe and almost all the way to the back. Once again I opted for product with handles to make it easy to grab and pull all the way out if need be.
Pro Tip: Be sure to grab STAK Bin with wheels! The Container Store makes 12 different sizes of this product. FOUR of the sizes DO NOT have wheels. Be sure to read the description and double check the size you need before purchasing.
FOURTH: Try different layouts
In this example I could have used a larger STAK Bin, however, as you can see the wooden piece where the two doors meet was was limiting access to the entire cabinet. So I used one Long Deep STAK Bin W/ Wheels Clear * and a high walled turn table from Target for the cleaning supplies.
By using turn table that I tucked slightly behind the wooden plant but in front of the pipe my client can access all cleaning supplies with a simple spin and roll out skincare as needed.
Remember what works best for YOU is the best system! Organizing is not one size fits all.
FINALLY: Add labels
For all of the pictures shown we used the Brother P-Touch Cube Plus * you can learn more about this product and all its bells and whistles on a previous blog HERE.
Labels are NOT a requirement for organization. It does makes things pretty especially when you can play with fonts and colors. However, one reason I try to select clear containers is so you can always SEE exactly what you have.
You could also use your printer and some Avery labels and print some, or use a sharpie!
Takeaway Tips:
You CAN stack these STAK Bins, however, here is why I prefer NOT to stack them:
Not only do you want quick, easy access to your items, you want to be able to easily put items away. By staking these containers you are adding an additional step of taking a container off the top to get to the bottom which makes putting away items harder.
There are adjustable interior dividers that allow you to sort your categories. It allows for a LOT of flexibility. You could even remove the dividers altogether if you need to store larger back stock items.
The deepest of the STAK bins goes back almost 18" making it a great way to use the entire depth of the cabinet. Also, there is a lip on the front making it easy to grab and a handle in the very back if you need to take it all the way out.
BUT The key feature is the wheels! What makes this a go to favorite of mine is the pair of wheels on the back, so you can easily roll it in and out and access all of it.
Final Thoughts
Will this product work for everyone and every under the sink? Of course not, but with the variety of sizes offered I have, more often than not, been able to find a size option that works for most.
PS. These also work great under a kitchen sink, in the laundry room lower cabinets and deep kitchen cabinets as shown below. Click the hyperlinks to see the videos related to the pictures!
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