• About
  • Contact
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Collaborate
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Media and Press
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Organized-ish

Organized-ish

Progress > Perfection

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal

Organizing A Bathroom Vanity On Two Budgets

May 19, 2022 · In: Bathroom, Organize

Here are two ways to organize a bathroom vanity cabinet and drawers on two very different budgets to help you make your bathroom more functional.

Organizing a bathroom vanity might be one of the hardest places in the house to master. The reason is because we have so much stuff to store in the bathroom but so little space to keep it all. Bathroom supplies are like weeds and they always seem to multiply, even after a good purge sesh.

We know we don’t need all those makeup and body products, but in the heat of the moment in the Ulta aisles, we can’t resist bringing them home. Having a variety of makeup and body products is fun for us girls, right? (And I know the fellas love having a good mix of products as well)

So instead of me going all stereotypical Organizer on you and telling you to pare down to the bare minimum, let’s just talk about how to store what we’ve got. And in true Organized-ish fashion, I’ve got ideas for both sides of the budget spectrum. Ready for two ideas to inspire your bathroom organizing project? Let’s jump into it.

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest Share on Pinterest
declutter bathroom tips

Prep Work: Empty, Clean, & Declutter

Okay, let’s be real, you do need to declutter a little bit before you get started. In order to rock this organizing project and make it stay this way for a long time, we have to do some prep work and purging first. Start by emptying everything out of the cabinets and drawers. Yep, everything. Even the drawer liners.

As you remove things, group them into categories on the bathroom counter or floor. This will make the refilling process much easier. And keep an eye out for things you no longer need or want. Those can go in the trash, along with expired makeup, crusty old nail polish, and those Bath and Body Works lotions you got as a gift ten years ago and never touched.

Once it’s completely empty like you just moved in, give the whole vanity a good wipe-down. Using a microfiber cloth and an all-purpose cleaner, swipe the cabinet base and walls, drawer interiors, drawer glides, and even the sink drain. The goal is to start your organizing project with a clean slate.

budget friendly bathroom vanity organization tips

Bathroom Vanity Organization: Low-End Budget

Now that your vanity is clean and your products are downsized (even if you only purged a few things), we can start refilling. First I want to show you this budget-friendly option. If you want to get organized but don’t have a lot of money to throw down in The Container Store, this option is for you. I got everything from Target and Amazon, and most items are between $1 and $4 each.

cheap bathroom organization

The true star of this vanity organization option is this lidded container. I snagged them at Target for $1.50 for the small ones and $4 for the big ones. They have lids, are stackable, and even the small ones are spacious enough for most bathroom products. These containers are the perfect size for a standard bathroom vanity and still leave space in the back for the plumbing.

cheap bathroom organizing ideas

I even left the lid off the larger bin at the top of this stack to hold hair appliances. I didn’t want to have to take the bin out and deal with the lid every time I needed to dry my hair, so skipping the lid makes it easy to grab every morning.

cheap bathroom organization from Target

To hold tall bottles of bathroom products and cleaners, this small turntable is perfect. It also fills the gap between the two stacks of containers to maximize every inch of the cabinet. You can turn it to access the supplies in the back without having to pull out a heavy, wobbly container.

cheap bathroom drawer organization from target

Inside the drawers, I used these trays from Target. The long ones are $1 and the wide ones are $2, so you can organize a whole drawer on a really small budget. I really like that they’re stackable, too. That allows you to stack your frequently-used products on top of your lesser-used products to keep things neat and uncluttered.

Budget Breakdown Of Option One

  • Small Lidded Containers: $1.50 x3
  • Large Lidded Containers: $4 x2
  • Turntable: $10 x1
  • Small Drawer Trays: $1 x4
  • Medium Drawer Trays: $2 x6
  • Total Cost: $34.50

PS: Need these supplies ASAP? If you don’t have an Amazon Prime account, you can get a free 30 day trial with this special link so you can try it out and get all the discounts on Prime Day. If fast, free shipping isn’t your thing, you can cancel before the month is up and you won’t be charged at all for it.

bathroom vanity organization stackable drawers

Bathroom Vanity Organization: High End Budget

On to Option Two! This version looks very similar to Option One, but the price tag is almost four times the cost. Now before you click away and don’t even give this a chance, let me show you why it costs so much more. It’s all about the functionality, baby!

bathroom organization stackable drawers

Instead of stackable lidded containers that you have to pull out and remove the lid (and unstack if you need the one on the bottom), in this option I used stackable drawers from The Container Store. These bad boys aren’t cheap, especially when you need a few to fill the cabinet. But you can access literally everything without having to move the containers.

The Container Store bathroom organization products ideas

I really liked the way the large container was open in Option One for hair appliances, so I carried that into Option Two as well. These plastic bins are from the same collection as the drawers, so they’re made to fit on the tops of the drawers perfectly. They’re also a lot more sturdy than the lidded containers so they don’t flex or bend at all when I pull them out.

bathroom vanity organizing ideas

This option seemed to give me a lot more storage space than the last one. I was able to use a second bin on top of the other side of stackable drawers for my hair products, so the middle area only needed to hold a few cleaners.

Space is tight in the middle, especially with the drain right there, so this small bin is perfect in this spot. It doesn’t spin, but it can be pulled out easily if needed. I don’t really miss the turntable, so I don’t think it’s necessary since there’s so little inside this bin now.

bathroom drawer organization

For the drawers, I used the new bathroom organizing collection from The Home Edit available at Walmart. The Container Store also sells drawer organizers like this, but they were twice the price of the Walmart ones and looked exactly the same, and they’re both in The Home Edit brand. I know this is the higher-end budget project, but even I didn’t want to go that high.

bathroom drawer organizing with The Home Edit Walmart bins

The bins come in a set of ten with a variety of sizes in the set. That’s helpful for getting a good mix, but did end up being a bit of a problem because I needed more small ones than the kit came with and didn’t need as many of the larger ones. Aside from that, I really like these. They’re crystal clear and extra thick and sturdy.

bathroom organizing ideas for small vanity

Budget Breakdown Of Option Two:

  • Large Drawer Bin: $35
  • Medium Drawer Bin: $27
  • Large Basket Bin: $15
  • Medium Basket Bin: $14
  • Small Basket Bin: $9
  • Drawer Organizer Set: $25 x2
  • Total Cost: $150
cheap bathroom organization tips

My Overall Opinion On Which Option Is Best

Ok, here’s where my opinion comes into play. I just showed you two options in two very different price ranges, and I know projects are always based on what we can afford. So the opinions below are solely based on my experience trying both ways.

If you can only afford Option One, it’s 100% a great way to organize your bathroom, and you’re a total rockstar for putting it together. I never recommend stretching your budget on containers, and always want you to feel confident being Organized-ish no matter where you shop.

budget friendly bathroom vanity organization tips
bathroom vanity organization stackable drawers

Let’s start with the vanity cabinet first. In my personal opinion, I do like the pricier option better. The drawers allow me to access everything all at once without having to deal with lids and down-stacking. Just that type of functionality is worth the splurge.

cheap bathroom drawer organization from target
bathroom drawer organization

As far as the drawers, I think the budget-friendly option is the way to go. Both types of containers do the exact same job, they’re both stackable, and they are pretty much the same size, too. Can I justify spending $50 on drawer trays when I could get the identical functionality of spending $16? Nope.

cheap bathroom organization tips
bathroom organization stackable drawers

So here’s my final opinion: Splurge on the drawers, skimp on the drawer trays. You could even skip the pricier baskets sitting on top of the drawers in my vanity and get cheaper containers instead. Really, the only thing I used in Option Two that was a total game changer was the two drawers.

cheap bathroom organizing ideas

Want More Organizing Ideas?

Follow me on Instagram and TikTok @lelaburris. I share organizing hacks, tips, and projects daily on my social channels in bite-sized obtainable chunks so you don’t get overwhelmed on your journey to get Organized-ish. Head over and give me a follow, then shoot me a message to say hi. I can’t wait to meet you!

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest Share on Pinterest

By: Lela Burris · In: Bathroom, Organize · Tagged: bathroom, vanity

more posts you'll love

hand soap for bathroom roundup8 Hand Soaps To Uplevel Your Bathroom Counter
under bathroom sink organizationHow To Choose The Best Under-Sink Organizers
Lela Burris bathroom remodel with Home Depot Orange TankAccessible Half Bath Conversion Design Plan

Get Blog Posts In Your Inbox

Every Saturday morning I send out a weekly recap of all the new blog posts. Want in?

Reader Interactions

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

How To Wash Beddy’s Bedding

Primary Sidebar

Meet Lela Burris

Meet Lela Burris
hey-o!

My name is Lela, (say it like LEE-luh) and I'm so glad you stopped by my blog! Whether you're into organizing, home improvement, crafts, or you just think my pets are cute, you'll find all kinds of inspo here.

Tell Me More!

Connect

Get VIP Emails

Search

Shop My Planners

printable planners for home organization

Organize Your Craft Room

lela burris organiziedish

Hang With Me

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Follow Along

@lelaburris

Wait for the last one… 🤩 Sherry @younghousel Wait for the last one… 🤩
Sherry @younghouselove downsized quite a bit a few years ago and it proving that you CAN be organized in a small home with kids and pets. Didn’t she do an amazing job with all these spaces?
Pretty sure she was being modest with her grade prediction because I’d give her a definite A!
Which organized space of hers is your favorite? I’m in LOVE with her laundry closet! 🥰
She buys most of her organizers from Amazon and Ikea and you can tour her whole house on her blog, YouTube, and IG Story highlights. Sherry is one of my BFFs so if you aren’t already following her, do it now! Her Story content is the most entertaining part of my day. 🙌🏼
Do you pack minimally or overpack when you travel? Do you pack minimally or overpack when you travel?
I used to be that person that packed WAY more than I needed and was always overwhelmed with a messy suitcase halfway through my trip. When I started downsizing the clothes I packed to just what I needed, I spent less time picking out what to wear and cleaning up messy piles, and more time enjoying my trips.
But I’ll admit, if I could bring my whole sneaker collection with me so I’d have all the options, I totally would. 😂😂
#packwithme #packingtips #vacationplanning #monostravelcompanion #minimalistpacking
Have you tried this yet? I did not expect it to wo Have you tried this yet? I did not expect it to work this well the first time I did it but now I’ll never dust baseboards any other way.
It also works well on door panels, picture frame moulding, chair rails, and even gets those hairs off back of the toilet that tend to stick and slide around when cleaning. 🙌🏼
#cleaningmotivation #cleaninghacks #cleaningtips
Do you have a command center in your house? If you Do you have a command center in your house? If you’ve been planning on adding one, here are three tips for customizing it so it works for you:
1. Add a calendar so the whole family is on the same page about what’s going on that month.
2. Decide what needs to be stored in your command center and add storage based on those needs. Don’t worry about what other people use or keep in their own command center because we all live different lives and need different things.
3. Don’t try to make your family change their habits. If they’re used to dropping keys on the counter, a hook may not work for them. Instead, give them a bowl or tray to drop keys in. And if they’re used to sticking reminders on the fridge, add a bulletin or magnet board so they can put them there. Work *with* your family’s habits, not against them.
See the full project and get more command center setup tips in my newest YouTube video. All the product sources I used here are saved in the description of that video too. 🙌🏼
#commandcenter #organizationideas #homeorganization

Footer

Browse By Category

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal

Get Organized-ish

  • Courses
  • Printable Planners
  • Shop My House
  • Amazon Faves

Blog Info

  • Contact
  • Media and Press
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Organized-ish LLC © 2023 · Theme by 17th Avenue