Project 31 Day 3: Under the bathroom sink

Cleaning under the bathroom sink isn’t glamorous or even that big of a relief because no matter how well you do it, it still needs done often. At least in my house. 🙂 But if I do it regularly enough at least it’s not gross! And as an added bonus, I usually end up finding something I thought I had run out of or lost. Like today I found that I didn’t really need the Epsom salts I just bought because I already had 3 bags! Oh well. Anyway, here’s my before:

My system for doing this space is to clean out the trash, stand up everything that tipped over (I really should get a plastic basket for all that- it would eliminate that step) and reorganize. I put the cleaning items on the left and health and beauty items on the right. I line up things that I only need one of at a time. Like the Clorox wipes- I have four but never need more than one at a time, so they go in a row from front to back. I put all my lady-time necessities in a basket. I feel like it’s more discreet then risking them falling out when the door opens.

I did add something a little fun and exciting this time. I added some door baskets! The pencil baskets were 3 for 75 cents and the Command Hooks were a value pack- 16 for $5.99. On the baskets of the door on the cleaning side, I put in my sponges and bar soap. I keep a nugget of Felsnaptha soap up in the bathroom for laundry treatment and now it has a home and I don’t have to rummage through the toilet bowl cleaners for it. On the health and beauty side, I will put the qtips and cotton balls so they’re available and accessible when you just need one or two.

Another recommendation I have for spaces like this is to have as few cleaning solutions as possible. Did you know you can replace many cleaning solutions with just a spray bottle of vinegar and water? It’s super cheap, safer for kids (and adults!) to be exposed to and it works! I use it daily on all surfaces- bathroom, windows, kitchen, floors, etc. And when you have fewer cleaning chemicals to store, you have less to keep organized!! I’ve been learning that if you have vinegar, baking soda, dish soap and peroxide, you can make any kind of cleaner you’ll ever need! (making a mental note for future posts…. Five Slices of Homemade Cleaners?!)

Project 31: Day 2- Bedroom Closet

So my first project was to clean out and stabilize my bedroom closet. Since this was the hiding spot for many of the Christmas presents, it suffered from a lot of tipsy stuffing, random boxes covered in blankets, etc. You’ll have to forgive me for not taking a true “before” picture…. I kind of forgot about it til I already had half of the stuff off the top shelf. 😦 But here’s before:

My plan of attack was to: empty everything off the top shelf, clean and paint the shelf and wall, go through clothes and clean out stuff I don’t need/want, empty everything off of the floor. It was a top to bottom method if you didn’t catch that. 🙂

After emptying everything, I sorted it into 3 piles: what goes back in the closet, what goes (or should go) somewhere else in the house and what to get rid of. I cleaned and painted the top shelf and the wall above the shelf. The rest is hideous wallpaper that will come down some day. But today was not that day.

When the paint was dry, I started arranging everything back on the top shelf. I bought a few bins at the dollar store- $1 each!! I also bought a set of shower rings ($1) and made a scarf organizer!

And here’s the “after”!

The best part is, the small white crate and two of the bins are actually empty! Once cleaned out, I didn’t even have enough stuff to put back in! I’m sure it won’t take long to find something that needs a home and I’ll remember I have empty bins waiting for a purpose. 🙂