With four kids in the house and triplets on the way, if we don’t want to live in complete chaos, organization is pretty dang important. Because our bathrooms are small, they can become disaster zones faster than the rest of the house.

For many of us, the upcoming holidays are the time of year when we have more guests in our homes. Keeping bathrooms tidy can be a huge challenge, whether you’re hosting a get-together for a few hours or having family stay for weeks. Here are a few organization tips that make all the difference for us:

1. The first thing we did was add extra hooks to hang towels and robes. This keeps everything off the floor and easily within reach. Try to match the theme of your bathroom, for beauty as well as functionality. We bought ours at Hobby Lobby. They have a great selection, and you can grab them when they’re 50% off, or use an online 40% off coupon.
    
   
2. For toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, etc., I bought small desktop plastic organizers for each drawer. Each child has their own drawer to keep their toiletries. They can pull the whole drawer out, use the supplies, and then slide it right back into place. I no longer have to worry about who left floss in the sink. Plus, my youngest son was deeply concerned that his brothers might let the toothpaste tube touch their toothbrush bristles (gasp). He went so far as to add a toothbrush sanitizer to his Christmas wish list. What a little germophobe!
3. All hair products are corralled in a bin. It holds the blow dryer, straightener, curlers, plus all supplies: from gel to hairspray to leave-in conditioners. Again, this makes it easy to pull the whole bin out, use what I need, and then slide it back into place. 
4. A mounted shelf near the shower holds extra shampoos and conditioners, new soaps, and razors. Soaking wet in the tub, and realize you’re out of soap? Just reach out and grab some more! No more hollering for assistance or banging on the wall until someone comes to your aid. Specialty soaps can be kept on a tray on the back of the toilet, or on the counter, if you have plenty of counter space for decorative items.
5. Keep cosmetics contained in a small basket, or in a top bathroom drawer—easily accessed, and easily put away.
   
   Baskets are easy to come by at second-hand stores, and pretty enough to keep on top of the counter.
   Use a jar to display make-up brushes.
   
   Toss any expired products, or give away supplies that are rarely used. Maybe your 7-year old niece would adore playing with that hot pink blush you bought by mistake last month.

   

See? Even bathrooms can be kept straightened and organized, with a little start-up effort!