One of the biggest organizing mistakes people make is trying to solve clutter by buying products before they understand what's actually causing the clutter. The truth is that organizing isn't about filling your home with containers. It's about solving problems. Before you buy a single organizer, spend a few minutes looking at your space like a detective. Ask yourself:
What room/area is the most frustrating to use?
When you identify the problem first, the solution becomes much clearer. Here you have some questions you can ask yourself to understand what you need. You can also print the free checklist here:
Trouble Spot Checklist
1. Which space are you evaluating?
2. What frustrates you most of that space?
3. Which of these problems do you notice?
Items & Storage
☐ Items don't have a permanent home.
☐ Similar items are stored in different places.
☐ Things slide around inside drawers.
☐ Small items become scattered.
☐ I can't see what I already have.
☐ I buy duplicates because I can't find things.
☐ Deep cabinets waste space.
☐ Vertical space isn't being used.
☐ Shelves are overcrowded.
☐ Items are stacked on top of each other.
Habits
☐ I put things down instead of putting them away.
☐ I postpone putting things away.
☐ I keep too many "just in case" items.
☐ I buy more than I have room for.
☐ Mail piles up.
☐ Family members don't know where things belong.
☐ I don't have a daily reset routine.
☐ My organizing system is difficult to maintain.
4. What do you think is causing the problem? Your habits? The items and storage system you have?
5. What's one simple solution you could try?
By answering these questions, you can see in black and white what is a trouble spot that you can solve first.
Remember: You don't need a perfect home. You need a home that works for you.
Focus on solving one problem at a time, and organizing becomes much easier.
One of the biggest trouble spots in my home was my bathroom countertop. It was always covered with my skincare products (hello sunscreen!) and the occasional makeup item (I don't wear much makeup, but I definitely need a little concealer for those under-eye circles!).
After taking a closer look, I realized my shelves were already overcrowded, so I didn't have an easy place to put things away after using them. As a result, I kept leaving everything on the counter.
Once I identified the cause of the clutter, the solution became obvious. I needed to create a functional home for the products I use every day. I chose a countertop organizer that fit my space and kept my most-used items within easy reach.
Now my bathroom feels much more organized, I enjoy the cleaner look, and—most importantly—it's much easier to put everything back where it belongs after I use it.
If you're dealing with a similar problem, here are five countertop organizers I considered before choosing the one that worked best for my space. Hopefully, they'll help you find a solution that fits your bathroom and your routine.
😍Corner counter organizer (wood)
😍Three-tier countertop organizer
😍Two-tier countertop organizer
💖Rotating makeup organizer (my favorite!)
