If you’ve ever opened your bathroom cabinet under the sink only to have a rogue bottle of half-empty lotion or an old hairspray can come tumbling out, you are certainly not alone.
The space under the sink is notorious for becoming a “black hole” where we shove things to get them off the counter, but it’s actually one of the most valuable storage spots in your home.
As a professional organizer serving the Greater Cleveland area, I have helped many overwhelmed clients clear the clutter from their bathrooms and reveal more space than they realized they had!
This article with smart under the bathroom sink organization ideas is specifically for those who feel stuck and don’t know where to start when it comes to organizing their home and life.
Whether you are a busy parent in Lakewood or someone looking to streamline their daily routine outside of Greater Cleveland, these time-tested strategies will help you create an optimized space that fits your belongings and your lifestyle.
How Should I Start Organizing Under the Bathroom Sink?
The very first step in any of my organizing projects is to completely empty the space.
The under bathroom sink area is easily overwhelmed with personal care, beauty and cleaning products, so take the time to clean it out.
It sounds daunting, but you cannot truly see what you have—or what you actually need—when you are just shuffling items around in a dark cabinet.
Take everything out and place it on a clear surface like your bathroom floor or the counter so you can categorize every single item by its purpose.
Go through the products one by one and evaluate if you want to keep them.
Once the cabinet is empty, give it a good scrub to remove any leaked soap or dust that has accumulated.
Now’s also the best time to check for any slow leaks from your pipes, because no amount of beautiful clear bins can fix a plumbing issue.
This “clean slate” approach is exactly how I guide my clients through their overwhelm, turning a chaotic pile into a manageable project.
Three great categories of items to consider storing unde the bathroom sink are:
- Cleaning products
- Paper products like toilet paper and Kleenex
- Personal care items, beauty products and toiletries
Create Structure
One of the issues with the under the bathroom sink area is that aside from the plumbing pipes, its an otherwise wide open and cavernous space.
The key to making the space work for you and keep the area organized is to add some structure.
One of the best ways to add structure that’s relatively low cost are under the sink storage drawers.
The benefit of adding stacking drawers like these is that they can be adjusted to fit the height of the available space.
They’re also not permanently installed, making them a fantastic options for rental homes and apartments.
In the above picture, the top drawer is home to cleaning tools like magic erasers and grout brushes.
The bottom drawer holds clean microfiber cloths.
The middle drawer is for used microfiber cleaning cloths.
One of the advantages of cleaning with microfiber cloths is that they don’t get mildewy, so they can live in the middle drawer until it’s laundry day.
Here are some great options for under the bathroom sink storage that add flexible structure to the space:
Measure the Space
Don’t just eyeball the space and guess what sort of drawers or bins may fit in the under the sink area.
Take the time to measure the space and make note of the location of the plumbing pipes.
Choose containers that will give you the most available space for storage.
What Is the Best Way to Store Cleaning Products Under the Sink?
Cleaning supplies are often the biggest culprits of under-sink clutter, mostly because we tend to buy duplicates when we can’t find the bottle we already have.
You don’t need a dozen different cleaners under every bathroom sink.
Streamline your bathroom cleaning collection to the essentials: a multi-surface spray, a glass cleaner, and perhaps a tub scrub.
My favorite way to manage these is by using a “cleaning caddy” or a deep pull-out bin.
This keeps everything contained so that if a bottle leaks, it stays inside the plastic bin instead of ruining your cabinet floor.
If you have a lot of vertical space, consider using a tiered organizer or even a small tension rod across the top of the cabinet to hang spray bottles by their triggers.
This frees up the floor of the cabinet for larger items while keeping your daily cleaners within easy reach.
Remember, the goal is a quick fix that lasts, so don’t overcomplicate it—keep the tools you use most frequently right at the front.
In addition to cleaning supplies, consider storing paper good, but only if you’re absolutely sure that the space is water free.
The above under the bathroom sink picture is of a half bath that doesn’t get much traffic with plumbing that’s no more than a few years old.
So the homeowner can confidently store the toilet paper and boxes of Kleenex without fear of the items getting soaked and ruined.
How Can I Organize Personal Care and Beauty Items?
When it comes to personal care, the key is to group like with like—think “hair care,” “skincare,” and “first aid”.
Using clear stackable drawers is a game-changer for beauty item storage because they allow you to see each what’s in the drawers.
And take advantage of every inch of that vertical space around the plumbing.
Labeling these drawers is also a great way to ensure that everyone in the household knows exactly where to put things back.
I often see clients struggling with “sample clutter”—those tiny bottles from hotels or beauty boxes that take up way too much room.
If you haven’t used them in six months, it’s time to let them go.
Focus on the beauty items you use daily and keep those in the most accessible spot, while backstock items like extra toothpaste or soap can go in the very back or on a higher shelf.
The process for organizing beauty and personal care items is outlined in more detail here.
Maintain the System
An organized space is only as good as its maintenance.
Once you have your bins labeled and your bottles hung, make it a habit to put things back in their designated homes.
Once a month or so, do a. quick sweep of the area to set everything back in place and the entire space will stay tidy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my pipes take up most of the space?
The plumbing under the bathroom sink can eat up a lot of the space.
It’s hard to make the space functional, but you just need to work with the pipes, instead of against them.
Focus on using modular, narrow bins that can fit on either side of the plumbing.
You can also use “U-shaped” organizers specifically designed to wrap around a sink’s P-trap.
Install hooks on the back of the cabinet door for small items like a sponge holder or hair ties.
How do I prevent the under-sink area from getting messy again?
If you’re using the space under the bathroom sink for product storage, then you’ll want to follow the “one in, one out” rule.
Before you buy a new hair mask or multi-purpose cleaner, make sure you have used up what you currently have.
Regularly doing a two-minute “refresh” once a month will also keep things from spiraling back into chaos.
Regularly pull out items you no longer use or have been used up instead of letting the bottles clutter up the space.
Should I use clear or solid bins for under bathroom sink organization?
I generally recommend clear bins for under-sink areas because it’s a dark space.
A dark container in a dark space is hard to see.
It’ll recede into the darkness and you’ll be frustrated trying to see items.
Being able to see exactly what is inside a storage container without pulling it out saves time and prevents you from buying duplicates of things you already own.
Over to You
Once established, keeping under bathroom sink organization going isn’t hard.
Anyone can do this.
It isn’t about perfection!
It’s about making your Tuesday morning run a little smoother because you aren’t digging through a mountain of old lotions to find your toothpaste.
Now that you’ve handled the under the bathroom sink area, let’s explore how to get your kitchen sink organized!
More Bathroom Organization Resources
Beautifully organize your bathroom must haves, including beauty and travel toiletries and first aid supplies so you’re never left to guess where anything is.
You’ll love our set of printable bathroom organization labels that makes bringing streamlined order to any space!
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Our comprehensive printable household label collection offers an instant, stylish solution to help everyone in your household know exactly where things belong.
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Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates, the Container Store and Etsy Affiliate Programs, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, ContainerStore.com, and Etsy.com. This means that when you click and make a purchase at a site via a link I have provided, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Regardless of whether or not I receive a commission, I only recommend products that I personally use and genuinely recommend.
Last update on 2026-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
