I understand this is an area that gets neglected. It not only houses everything, it also has weird, and in most cases unusable, space due to pipes and it can be particularly difficult to make it look and stay organized. However, the silver lining is this area is a great space for anything you want to place in it. With all its curves, in order to maximize its space, you will need to find storage solutions that come in various sizes and shapes and let me not forgot plan it out before.
This was not my first attempt to organize my under sink cabinets. You will see how a couple of years ago I organized it using bins I had around the house. These bins worked for a while but after some time the bins were no longer functional – the keyword. After staring at this space for too long, I finally dedicated time to organize this hidden gem. I not only wanted it to be organized, I wanted it to be aesthetically pleasing. So I looked at some images I love on Pinterest, went to different organizing store sites, and created a space on paper that I envisioned.
We've been enjoying this new system for a couple of days and it’s amazing. It fits exactly what I wanted. It’s simple, minimalist, monochrome and pretty to look at, might I add. I continuously catch myself opening and closing my cabinet when I’m in the bathroom. There are some things I will add to it later but for now it’s perfect.
Before we get started, here’s a before picture of my cabinet. It had some order, but it was not at all functional. There were a few Dollar Tree bins I was using in the space which were cool in the beginning, while the other items just sat on the cabinet floor.
My goal for this space was to create clean lines through organizing everything. There were some things that had to be tossed in order to organize it properly which wasn’t difficult because most of them were either extremely old or expired. To achieve the end results required a lot of measuring and elimination – but it was all worth the results.
Here is my trusty sketch plan that helped me make my vision a reality. The results may not look exactly like my plan but it definitely helped the process of creating it so much easier.
After my sketch was to my liking, I headed over to The Container Store, Ikea and Frys Electronics to start the process. Because I had previously looked on their websites for ideas and knew what I wanted, when I physically went to the stores I already knew what I was purchasing – no time wasted (woohoo)!
Once I was done, I came home and laid all of the items I purchased on the ground to see how to colors and textures looked together. After I decided on the items I would use and not use, it was time to put it all together.
First and foremost, I cleared out everything in the space and gave it a good deep cleaning. Honestly, I had probably been three years since it was cleaned. It was time! Once I had a clean slate, it was then time to put everything in its place.
As I mentioned before, I went through all the items that were previously in the space and tossed the old and expired items.
It probably took about four different configurations before I came up with what you see now. I wanted to make sure the space had a minimalist feel and that it looked bare. I’ve noticed from experience both with my clients, and myself, that when your space looks bare it prevents clutter from forming so that’s always a goal I try to achieve in my own space — which works most of the time.
I added labels as an added touch to further organize the space to prevent guess work. The label maker I use is this Dymo label maker and I love it. I go everywhere with it!
Let me be honest. Before organizing my under sink cabinet I never owned rubber gloves. I don’t how but for years I’ve been using my bare hands to clean and wash dishes — I know yuck! It wasn’t until my friend called me out when I decided to make a change and I’m happy I did.
I decided to give them their own area since it something that gets used most often. I used a command strip to hang them and binder clip to keep them together. I saw the idea on Pinterest. I love Pinterest. If you’re a lover of Pinterest comment below.
Hanging next to my rubber gloves is my hand mirror. I wanted to also give her (yes it’s a her) a space of her own so I add a string to it and hung her on a command strip as well. Now I no longer have to search endlessly for my mirror when I need it.
I don’t want to get to in depth but all the items now are also in zones. In the left portion of the cabinet holds all the cleaning supplies and my significant others stuff. I placed the cleaning products and accessories towards the back since they are used at most two a week plus they are not the prettiest things to look at. I also placed them on kitchen shelves to take them off the floor and create more space for other items. These Ikea shelves were so perfect for my space.
They were able to fit six products on top of them and I was able to put a cleaning brush and extra trash bags underneath. As I mentioned before, there are some other items that I may add to this space so there is extra space for those items.
I used small white plastic containers (purchased from IKEA) to contain the unused cleaning rags (purchased from Walmart). I wanted to keep the colors neutral to fit with my wardrobe, which makes doing laundry easy. I hardly ever wash anything colorful.
In the front of that are these cute black IKEA containers. They are actually recycling containers; but I of course saw another purpose for them. I put some clippers, trimmers, oils and extra deodorant in them.
The other side of the cabinet houses some stackable bins from The Container Store. I’ve been wanting to use these bins in my space for a while and finally found a perfect place.
In the middle of the cabinet is where I placed the items I didn’t want to be seen. These are items that don’t get used often and are used as backups. These black Ikea containers were perfect or concealing these items beautifully.
Last, but not least, are the drawers to the far right. These drawers were purchased from Fry’s and I absolutely love them. I love them so much because they prevent me from having to dig deep under the sink. All the items in the drawers are easily accessible and visible. These drawers are actually “As Seen on TV” products which I have done some reviews on a couple of items before – click here to watch them. Another great thing about this drawer is it is easy to put together; it probably took me 6-8 minutes. It’s also easy to clean and, because of it’s shape, can fit under the sink with no problems.
I think that’s it! It has definitely been a long journey for my under sink cabinet but it was all worth it. Though it was a funky space to organize and there were some adjustments that had to be done, it finally got done. With a little elbow grease and imagination, anything you want to create can be created.
As a reminder of what it looked like before, here’s another before and after of my before dungeon, but now beautiful bathroom under sink cabinet.
B E F O R E
A F T E R
To end this off, here are five important tips to follow when organizing an oddly shaped space.
Measure the entire space before you purchase new organizing products.
Organize vertically rather than horizontally.
Use the cabinet doors to hang cleaning tools.
Use command strips as alternatives for hanging items both on the door and under the sink.
Have fun doing it!
I am so happy I finally took time to organize under my bathroom sink and I am in love with my new space.