Medicine cabinets are often overlooked and easily full of clutter. With difficult access, items are forgotten and then expire! I recently redid ours and am so happy to say that we utilize each item and have a full understanding of what products are where! These tips and products will make it easy for you to navigate your own – read below.
1. Declutter
If you’re not new here, you know this is always my recommended starting point! In this case, it is essential to doing this properly. Even the most organized people find expired items, or, are able to condense bottles!
So, be sure to check each item for expiration dates and really ask yourself the last time you used something. If you’re disposing of prescription medications, be sure to research which should be dropped off, thrown out or flushed.
Lastly, account for anything you may be waiting on or reordering to be able to make space.
2. Group Like Items
Now that you’re looking at everything you’re keeping, group like items for best organization and access. Consider the # of people in your household and factor in children. You can group by the following categories for example:
- Daily Medication & Vitamins
- Pain Relief
- Stomach Relief
- Cold + Flu
- Skincare
- Nail Care/Polish
- Feminine Care
- Personal Items (section for each household member)
- Travel Size
From there, I recommend organizing by height. As you can see from my photos, this is relatively easy as medications come in small bottles, but other hair/skin items may be larger. This will help with the next step!
3. Order Containers
Once you have everything sorted into groups, you have a visual of what types of containers to store them in.
Consider what works best for you – lids vs. no lids, clear for visibility or if certain items are preferred to be covered.
Then, measure your space! I knew lazy susans would be perfect for the top shelf and the fact that I could fit three of them allowed me to maximize space. They are also much more functional than cramming a bunch of bottles that block one another to get to the back, preventing you from even using half of the items. I also knew larger open bins would be versatile for a variety of items and shelf heights. I went with clear to be able to see all items at all times to reduce frustration and therefore, increase functionality!
Here is what I ordered:
4. Organize by Access
I hinted at this above, but it’s important to organize by access. You want to make sure the items you use regularly are at a closer reach. For example, having all of our vitamins and medications on lazy susans allows us to easily reach and view. This is also a great item with children, as it keeps them out of reach!
I also grouped all of my husbands items in one bin, with my taller products in another.
Items that are extras like toilet paper, q-tips and towels are stored at the bottom as it’s best to keep everyday items at eye level.
5. Label (Optional)
I know a lot of people are HUGE on labels, but to me, I don’t think they are necessary. If done properly, you know what each bin consists of and I just don’t prefer the forced element of labeling something. Now, if you have children – that may be the reason to do so! You can find really easy to use and affordable labels here.
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