How to Organize Your Bathroom Vanity in Three Simple Steps

When you're rushing out the door each morning, it can be all-too-easy to leave everything you just used out on the counter. It's also easy to amass a larger-than-should-be-legal collection of beauty products. Plus: You buy toilet paper in bulk to save money. All these factors can really clutter up your bathroom vanity. Let us help you organize the chaos in three easy steps.

Use It or Lose It

Start with a purge. Take everything out, and ditch products that are expired or no longer suit you. (Haven’t had an acne flare-up in ages? We envy you. Toss the zit cream.) For the future: “When an expiration date is listed on the disposable box, write it on the bottle with a permanent marker,” Rosenthal says.

Establish Order

Your daily tools should be front and center, Rosenthal says. Line up your morning and nighttime products in the order you use them. That will help you get out the door (or under the covers) faster—plus, you may be more likely to stick to your routine. Group everything else by product type, like hair or nails.

Rehome Some Stuff

This is precious real estate we’re talking about! Less-used items can live elsewhere, Rosenthal says. For example, your heating pad probably doesn’t need to hang out under the sink. And any multiples (like the buy one, get one shampoos you scored) can go on a shelf in your linen closet.

Try These Organization Tools

This stylish three-tier number ($45; allmodern.com) can sit on your counter or the toilet tank and display your prettiest lotions and potions.

Slide this freestanding drawer rack ($115; containerstore.com) into the cabinet under your sink to maximize storage space.

Part decoration, part storage, this unit ($200; westelm.com) has a built-in towel bar and takes advantage of empty wall space.