Organizing the Messy Vanity

Happy weekend, everyone!   I hope you're all enjoying your family and some time off.  We are being blessed with some Beee-autiful weather here in Denver.  The leaves are turning, the breeze is cool, but the sun is shining its warm rays upon us.  I love fall!
I'm continuing my weekend series on organizing.  I'm trying very hard to get these organizing post out by Saturday, but that schedule is proving challenging for me.  Yesterday, my oldest daughter and I spent some time together.  We checked out a new thrift store that opened up in our neighborhood, shared a frappuccino, and finished up with some shopping.  It was a mother/daughter date much needed, so I left this post for another day...like today.  Forgive me for the late post, but I think most of you will agree that family is always first.  I'll do my best to get them out before the end of the weekend though.  Deal? 

I started this Organizing challenge last week. If you missed my last post on Organizing under the bath sink, you can catch up on that here.    I've said this before, but I'll say it again- I am not a naturally organized person.  I started this challenge because I needed personal motivation to get my home organized.  There are many areas of my home that really need to be straightened out, so I decided to tell and show you all so that I had not only the motivation but the accountability to get Lewisville organized.

Organizing under the kids' bathroom sink.

So for this weeks organizing challenge, I chose the master vanity.  We all have "that" drawer that we use to get ourselves ready in the morning.  The most used drawer also means the most messy drawer.  Am I right? or am I right?  This is what mine looked like.  Remember, I'll be completely honest when it comes to these disorganized places.  Here's the ugly, messy, and honest truth!

Tell me I'm not the only one that felt this is normal.  All my morning routine items are in here and them some.  I can find everything I need...eventually.

 When it comes to organizing, I'm learning that it's best to start with a clean slate.  So I took everything out of the drawer and gave it a good wipe down.  I threw things away and moved some items that didn't belong in there- things like a paint can opener and needle and thread.  Not sure how that got in there.  Didn't even see them.

 Now for the fun part.  I wanted to add beautiful "organizers" to help me out in this area.  Here's the problem though; actually two problems.
1.  These organizers and others like them are to tall for my vanity drawer.
2.  I have an aversion to spending money for things like this.

So there I was trying to think of what could fit in my drawer without spending any money, or as little of it as possible.  That's the best part of this organizing challenge.  I want to get my house organized with out spending tons of moolah.  So I thought about using shoe box lids, but most were too tall also.  Then I thought of dish soap holders, but those add up too.  On a trip to the Dollar Tree, I found these.

 I found these silver trays, which by the way are really pretty.  I'm going back to buy more.  I also picked up these Christmas tin boxes and decided to use both the base and lid as organizers. 

 By the way, you can always spray paint them if you want to "colorize" your drawers.  I didn't really feel the need to do that in this case.  The other things I used to organize were these.  I put like items with other like items.  That's an organizing rule I've learned too. See. I'm learning. There is hope! You want to guess where these organizers came from?

 They're the lids to and almond container and...

 yup...tuna cans.  I took the labels off, cleaned them out, and washed them in my dishwasher (after we ate the tuna of course).  No odor and they're the perfect size for this drawer.

 I can't tell you how good it feels to have a once messy space all organized.   I literally smile each time I open this drawer.  I know. I'm weird.  It's early, but I just may be getting addicted to this organizing thing!

   I don't like to have too much on my counters because I think it makes things look messy.  I know- the irony.  I try to fit as much stuff as possible in this tiny, thin drawer.  These pretty trays really help to get my everyday needs organized.

So once again- BEFORE.   Not so nice right!

 And AFTER.  I LOVE it! 

I spent a total of $3 on this little project.  The benefits greatly outweigh the small cost.  So what do you think?  Is there a draw that can use a little straightening?  Organizers are the way to go, if you can find them and don't mind paying a pretty penny for each of them.  Coming up with your own organizers, like I did here, just takes a little time and creativity.  Are you thinking of what you can use right now?  Hope so.

Have a great week everyone!

Blessings,

Lisa

I link all my projects with some wonderful blogs.  To visit them, go to the {Link Party Love} page found at the top of this page on the {Home} bar.
Also linking to:
Between Naps on the Porch
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Saved by Love Creations 
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Coastal Charm 
Restore Interiors
Tip  Junkie

Common Ground