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itltrot_gw

Show me your drawers!!

15 years ago

Not the kind you wear!!! Show me your vanity drawers and how you have them organized. I've never figured out how to organize the 4 in our current bathroom because they are all shallow and don't allow for much to be stored in them.

I'd love see some real world solutions. I wouldn't mind seeing under cabinet organization too. Ours isn't used efficiently but I've always been creeped out by the underneath.

Comments (23)

  • 15 years ago

    For my bathroom drawers, I use those cheap plastic baskets that come bundled together (3 or 4 in a bunch). I picked mine up at Big Lots and have them in white for the bathroom and black for a few drawers in my kitchen. They are lightweight, the bottom is solid, but the sides are webbed and are straight up and down (versus angled), so they maximize drawer space. I bought these when I first moved in ,,, as a quick fix until I got all nice and organized. Well, they are super functional (in both my kitchen and bath) and they fit my drawers so well that I've kept them and no longer feel the need to upgrade to anything nicer.

    I use bare minerals make-up, which gets messy with all the powder, so using plastic makes sense for me ,,, clean up is a snap.

    Under the cabinet is another story ,,, mine is not very efficient either. Hopefully, we'll pick up some good tips from others!! :)

  • 15 years ago

    You've got to be kidding lol. Nooooooooobody is looking in my drawers.

  • 15 years ago

    Come on...don't be shy. LOL

  • 15 years ago

    At one time I had pictures of my organized drawers in an online photo album but I no longer have them. Mine are organized using various sized trays and baskets that are easily removed for cleaning. It depends on what you have to store and how much you have to spend, but you can find these items in plastic or bamboo at almost any store that carried bathroom or kitchen storage items. Discount department stores and big box home improvement stores alike.

  • 15 years ago

    I don't have photos, sorry. But I did do some good organizing a while back beneath counters. The shelves in the builder cabinets were deep. It was easy to lose stuff in there.

    I went to the Container Store and bought Simply human drawers. These are metal. They fasten to the wooden cabinet with glides...the drawer pulls out and in soooooo easily. I have some in each cabinet section. I can't tell you have lovely it is to have all my stuff--nail polish, extra soaps, lotions, and stuff...easily reachable.

    Simply Human stuff is a little pricey, but I've had two of these drawers for six years or so...they are like brand new still.

  • 15 years ago

    This is terrible, but it brought back memories of when I worked as a temp secretary during the summers. A very nice but somewhat dirty old man used to come up behind me to get something out of the desk I was at, and would say "I need to get into your drawers.... Let me know if it tickles."

    yeah, that was the '70's. These days he'd get sued for sexual harrassment. He was harmless though.

    Please excuse the off-color reminiscence.

  • 15 years ago

    I bought the snap-together plastic trays that Costco had this year for my makeup drawer. You can buy extra squares/rectangles at Target and similar places. It worked perfect as it keeps various products in their own sections and fits shallow drawers.

    I have baskets in deeper drawers, some with smaller items in ziplock bags (like all the allergy meds in one bag, aspirin in another, etc.) It really does depend on what you're housing in there...

  • 15 years ago

    I just remembered that I do have a picture of my junk drawer that is organized in this way. I was reminded of it when Lauren mentioned using zipper bags because I had (before I got a little tote to carry them in) all my picture hanging supplies in mini zipper bags. The black furry creature by the drawer in my precious Mollee cat.
    {{!gwi}}

  • 15 years ago

    Wow!! Now that is an organized junk drawer!

  • 15 years ago

    Organized? My vanity drawers? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH *gasp* Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahah *gasp* heeheeheeheeheehee hee hee
    *whew*
    *wipes tear away*

  • 15 years ago

    While mine are nowhere as neat as justgottabeme's I do use the white linking containers that she does, not just in my vanity drawers, but my kitchen and office as well. They are extremely versatile and I recommend them highly. It is easy to reconfigure as your needs change and move from room to room, drawer to drawer and easily washable as well. Also, you can remove a single container (such as one in DD's room containing markers) use it and put it back.

    I *LOVE* the zipper bag idea where the spare buttons/thread come. I use them for earrings--esp. for my DD's they work great.

    I've just been thinking I need to reconfigure my two DD's vanity drawers...scary thought! My 16-year-old just keeps collecting, doesn't put stuff back. Makeup, jewelry, hair stuff, lots of nail polish, soccer gear (including lots of athletic tape, pre-wrap, etc).

  • 15 years ago

    I find it funny when others thinks my junk drawer is so organized. Though I know it is terrible, I had to put some non matching items in the same cubes so to me it's a bit on the disorganized side. :^\
    The mini zipper bags (can be found in jewelry areas of craft stores or WM) or even the snack sized bags come in handy for keeping small things in control. I use them for keeping beads organized too. Then the teeny baggies are stored in the pockets of photo album pages in a three ring binder.
    And yes.....

  • 15 years ago

    OMG! That sign is great!! I love it.

  • 15 years ago

    Love that sign! If I can't find a copy online, am going to make one. Must send it to the Ex, who always snarked about my alphabetized spices.

    Justgota, I completely understand about your "junk" drawer seeming to be disorganized because some compartments contain non-matching items. God forbid a white top should sneak in among the blue tops in my closet. : )

  • 15 years ago

    Isn't that hilarious? I found it somewhere online. Have no clue where now.
    Sable, just Google I have CDO and loads of links come up.

  • 15 years ago

    Thanks! They are mostly tee shirts, though. I want a mug!

  • 15 years ago

    Thanks! They are mostly tee shirts, though. I want a mug!

  • 15 years ago

    I have to ask this question of everybody because it creeped me out. lol

    The OP wrote "creeped out by the underneath" in regards to the under sink cabinets.

    ME TOO!! I'm a grown woman and those cabs in the bathroom have always creeped me out when I open them. But not under the kitchen sink but I think it's because I'm at the sink constantly.

    Anyone else as psycho as we are? :)

    Itltrot, I'd show you a picture but I think the boogie man lives there. heh.

  • 15 years ago

    Ha ha Oakleyok, I didn't even notice that. I focused on the drawers. But no, I'm not creeped out by what's under our bathroom sinks. I use similar, but much larger storage containers under my sinks so that I can slide them out when I need stuff in the back.

  • 15 years ago

    I'll check out some plastic tubs and see if I can make them work.

    The underneath is so dark and I know there must be spiders because I can't see well enough under there. I still think it's dirty from the previous owners. I can't clean it enough. LOL. Soon they will be gone and then it's my mess.

  • 15 years ago

    Can you clean underneath the sink (wearing rubber gloves) and then paint it or cover it with vinyl contact or wallpaper so you'll feel it's fresh and clean enough for you to use? I can understand the yuck feeling when it's been used by someone else before you. Being CDO (wink) I can totally understand your feelings.

  • 15 years ago

    My mother cleaned it and then my dad painted it when we moved in....10 years ago. I don't mind under the kitchen sink or the guest bath sink. Just the master. Of course it's the only cabinetry that is original to the house left.

  • 15 years ago

    Well..... Not sure what else you can so other than replace it too to get rid of the icky feel you have then. Good luck!