Before and After: A Pro Organizer’s Smart Solutions Completely Transformed This Cluttered Bathroom

I like to use my getting-ready-in-the-morning time to slowly consider the day and to be present in the moment. It’s an anchoring time that grounds me, whatever the day ahead has in store.

What breaks the spell of these mornings, though, is a chaotic bathroom scene.

Iris Miyasaki of By Saki took such a cluttered, messy bathroom and created an organizational system that made it easy to find everything — a dream for a kids’ bathroom, shared family bathroom, or master bath!

The client was inspired to make a change because “90 percent of the storage space in the bathroom was being used inefficiently,” shares Iris. She describes the before as “a mess,” with nothing categorized and drawers and under-the-sink storage not being utilized.

Iris’s goal for the project was to instead “maximize space in the drawers and under the sink.” “Drawer dividers and drawer organizers were essential,” she says. With a budget of $450 (not including service fees), in six short hours, Iris turned these goals into a reality. 

Here’s how: 

• Step 1: Sort. In this step, “everything is pulled out of the space and placed into categories,” says Iris.
• Step 2: Let go. This phase involves creating piles of suggested donations and items to toss. Iris and the client then assess what they’re comfortable letting go. 
• Step 3: The “magic” happens. “Everything starts coming together,” Iris says of this part of the project. “Categories are placed in their designated homes with organizing product, labels, and design pieces.” 
• Step 4: Reveal. In this step, the client is given a tour of her updated space, and Iris demonstrates “how to maintain and sustain the new systems.” 

Iris shares that the hardest part of this particular project was sorting everything because “nothing was close to categorized.” Surprisingly, the easiest part, in this case, was convincing the client to get rid of unused items. According to Iris, usually, this is the hardest part. 

In terms of hidden organizational elements, each drawer is labeled. Additionally, the makeup and hair accessories drawer is organized by type, including categories for makeup tools, face makeup, lip makeup, eye makeup, and hair ties. Some of the bins under the sink are drawers, which maximizes space. All organizing product was purchased from The Container Store. 

Iris’s favorite part of the project also shows that the organizing system she put into place was well thought-out. “A year later, the client has told me that all the systems are still in place which means it’s sustainable,” Iris says.

If this serene, organized bathroom has you feeling inspired to make a similar change, Iris offers this advice: “When you’re starting to organize in a space where nothing is categorized, taking everything out and sorting is a MUST. It’s a bit scary but it’s worth it!” 

This post was originally published on Apartment Therapy. Read it there: See How a Pro Organizer Updates This Cluttered, Messy Bathroom with Smart Organizing Solutions