Wow -- this example hits many of the notes of my own master bath and closet. Unless it's both attractive and purposeful, it's concealed.

At first I had stuff all over the vanity. I bought these two vases and I have never been happier. The stuff I use daily is still visible but not messy

A ceramic soap pump, everything else has a "home".

A bit of both.

@judy, I tried to give everything a home but ended up unhappy because I couldn't keep it neat all the time.

Soap dispenser and lotion dispenser - teeny tiny vanity

I'm a neatnik ... just a soap pump - easy to keep things clean.

Shakespeare got so sick of cleaning his vanity that he started seeing them everywhere

Just a soap pump and face wash.. A clutter free vanity :)

soap definitely! and everything else is put away :)

I currently have a bar of soap (yes a bar of soap!) along with a small skull and owl figurine. I don't have the heart to remove them yet, even though Halloween is over.

What vanity? (this pic is during my remodel) I do have several key things on my window shelf these days, as well as on the little green table.

Love that huge vanity. Wish I could declutter, but I NEED the telephone and cordless toothbrush. The candle is for color, the soap necessary. Glass jar of q-tips could be put away, but all the glass accessories match. I live alone and have a guest bath in the apartment, so I'll probably just leave this.

I am anal retentive and really bothered by my sonicare and water pick out because they need to be plugged in. Help!

My exact problem with above photo....sonicare and phone look awful! Waiting to hear ideas. (Don't think I could have outlet installed under sink....and don't know if I want my toothbrush there!) I could remember to carry cordless phone in with me each time, but I just DON'T remember!

Every morning I have to put everything back in it's place. My husband can find everything but can not manage to put it back.

In master bath, my husband and I keep everyday items in a nice canvas covered box which we keep in the vanity. Each morning we take out our respective box and put it away when we are finished. Nice to keep everything in one spot.

OMG, I've got stuff all over not only my vanity, but the sink and I've even moved an old desk into the space that I thought would end the clutter and now only are all the drawers filled up, but you can't even see the top of it. Lotions, body wash, facial creams, make-up, towelettes, hair brushes, hot irons, hair dryer and the list goes on and on. If there is solution to the madness, I'd love to hear it. And yes, my sink cabinet does have drawers and storage underneath, and all of it is full of hair sprays, shampoos, more body lotions. UMMM, my trash can is out of site, UNDER THE SINK CABINET.

I have toothbrush in holder, lotion, a magnified mirror. All else is put away.

Elaine Scarborough google lucite makeup drawers. This is my next purchase! My teenage daughter and I share a bathroom, we love anything make up and hair products and our bathroom shows it! The older she gets and adds her stuff the worse it is. I do have it corralled in a basket with lid, but I am dying to purchase this system of lucite drawers..it's perfect!!

Too much ; (

I have an 8' x 12' lucite make-up tray that I put away in the vanity when not applying make-up and a cylindrical pottery vase for make-up brushes and combs that I leave on the vanity. A glass container would be hard to keep fresh and clean.

With a pedestal sink in a small guest bathroom, there's no room for anything, which makes these storage cabinets a lifesaver -- http://www.expressfurniture.net/storage-utility/bath-storage.html

Hand soap, toothbrushes. A sun lamp on my side, since we've entered the Months of Darkness, an electric razor charging on his side. Plenty of drawers and cabinet space for everything else!

We're just closing in on the completion of renovating the house we bought six months ago. The plan is to put everything away in receptacles and stow them in the vanity or built in cabinetry. Clutter is not peaceful to us, and we tried to create serenity in the master suite.

I like a clean vanity. Soap dispenser and maybe 1 or 2 decorative items on counter. Stuff I use daily is in medicine cabinets and drawers. I get out what I need each morning, then put it away as I finish using it. Gets me through my morning ritual and keeps my husband from living with a slob.

I used to store all kinds of things on my vanity, both useful and decorative. But I got tired of having to move them all every time I cleaned the bathroom. Now I store most things in the medicine cabinet or bathroom linen closet, and the few essentials on the vanity are kept in long rectangular trays that can be easily moved any time I want to clean or just rearrange. (The older I get, the more I appreciate simplicity and convenience.)

Elaine Scarborough
It doesn't take that much to look good, to smell good, or to keep body, hair, skin, and soul "together"! I would say lay it ALLLLL on the floor, jot down all the prices, add it up. You might be astounded into a hiatus from the drugstore and cosmetic counters!
Every beauty "miracle" tends to be a lot like all the others before it....or they wouldn't all be there in multiples.........would they? : )

In our home, the vanities display soaps and hand towels, that is all.

So where do people keep electric toothbrushes?

Not much on my vanity. This was staged for the photoshoot, but it pretty much always looks like this. Three glass apothecary jars with epsom salts, q-tips and cotton pads in them. The soap dispenser and the water glass. Everything gets put away after it's used. It's so nice to finally have a vanity with drawers and space under the sinks. I learned to be tidy in my last house with it's tiny tiny vanity.

@kit2650. Electric toothbrushes don't need to stay plugged in all the time. Mine lasts at least a week before needing charging. I keep the charger in my container with other dental products under the vanity. The actual toothbrush with a cover for the brush is stored on a shelf with toothpaste in the medicine cabinet. When I need to charge I do it overnight.

Now I feel worse! I'm a neatnik, husbands a free spirit. We have have a large ensuite counter that gas the above electric issues as well as a sun lamp (love) not to mention an ugly set of plastic drawers filled with extra supplies and travel toiletries. Then there's the shelves above the toilet that are open and covered with all the things us older folks need for health-tons of vitamins. I've corralled what I can but can't seem to get the "clean" look I want. Been here 40 years, maybe that's why, we need a complete remodel.

Our vanity is an old walnut buffet. I bought crystal candy jars and put q-tips, cotton balls, and floss in three then crystal soap dispensers for hand soap and face wash. The crystal is pretty when the lights hit it. Plus everything is right there at arms length.

Ebony and Ivory.....
Full and Empty: Mine and His
Mine: medicine cabinet-full; Under sink cabinet-full; Make-up drawer-full!!
His: scarcely anything at all

@debt71, I checked out the Lucite makeup drawers, looks like a wonderful solution, now to decide what size and @Jan Moyer "what to keep". I do need to gather everything up, determine what I use and what I don't and free up the clutter.

Where do you keep your hair dryer and flat iron? I leave mine on top in a basket. Inside is too crowded.

Regarding the electric toothbrush (and cord) and Clarisonic (and cord), I really don't like it all out there. I've heard of a "bathroom garage" (kind of like a kitchen garage for electrics) but that is not in the picture for us, even with a large vanity area. Alas. The cords do bug me.

Soap and lotion pumps, and a basket with skin care items that I can easily tuck away when we have guests. I don't want to have to move this and that to clean under them so I keep it as simple as possible.

@klfish In a drawer. If "inside" is too crowded, maybe some wire racks or other organizers would help. Heck, I have a million things I use every morning, from dryer and brush to vitamins and medications, and I just don't understand why I would want any one particular one to lie around getting wet when I wash my hands if I don't have to. Give everything a spot, organize the space you have, and simplify down to it. Of course, I wouldn't live anywhere that didn't have a vanity with drawers or cupboards -- pedestals are fine in a powder room, but real life needs storage!!

I will take a picture of my bathroom vanity when I get home. I just bought new canisters and soap dish and votives from Crate and Barrel to update it . The only thing I have not dealt with is the hair appliances. A wire rack is a good idea though. But then everyday plug in and out ..

Being completely candid, I "try" to have my counter top clean and free of clutter but like all of us, life catches up sometimes! Aside from the essentials (soap, tissue, lotion), I keep all of my personal hygiene products tucked away. If you're having trouble keeping your bathroom tidy, you can check out this blog post that I wrote.

http://bit.ly/1cmn7es

There is a cool DIY Magnetic Makeup Board project & organizational products that could be of some use! Hope I'm not the only one who feels like the bathroom can never be too big!

Where do you keep your hair dryer and flat iron? I leave mine on top in a basket. Inside is too crowded

One of the most innovative storage ideas for your vanity area these days is a clear storage unit where you can see everything easily. Here's an example found in the Houzz marketplace :) https://www.houzz.com/products/luxury-beauty-case-and-makeup-organizer-prvw-vr~52523042?lid=37731778

What is the advantage of having double sinks in your master bath? I'd rather have more countertop space I think. And I like privacy in the bathroom. I just doubt my partner and I will ever need to use sinks at the same time? Remodeling and need opinions. Thank you!

Nothing on the counter except for the hand soap on a decorative "plate". Dental care items, shaving gear, medicines, hair care items, skin care items and make-up all in rectangular woven plastic baskets which are stored in cabinets under the sinks. You will use double sinks, though not exactly at the same time. Sometimes entirely separately, sometimes overlapping.