My homemaking skills are not what you would call… advanced. My apartment is usually pretty tidy and I always manage to have a spare roll of toilet paper or two and clean, fluffy towels for guests. But beyond that, I’m pretty amateur. The garbage constantly needs to be taken out, and I guarantee you that no one comes into this house saying, “Gee, I love the clever way in which you’ve… managed never to complete that shelving project in the living room.” or “What a charming jumble of crap you’ve accumulated in your kitchen drawers!”
If they did, I just might have to question their sincerity.
The bathroom drawer has, since the day I moved in, been a particularly unattractive area – a true domestic failure. I’m forever yanking at it, hearing the contents inside fighting to keep it closed. And once open, it’s a jumble of make-up and hair do-dads and essential eye goo. Q-tips and Advil and nail clippers. I’d attempted several times to clean it out, but like I said, it’s essential stuff. I need it. Right there where I can get at it after a good, long game of tug-o-war.
Yesterday afternoon, Jamie and I were wandering the housewares section of TJMaxx (c’mon, don’t pretend you don’t love a bargain), and I saw it. A stationery organizer – the answer to all my problems. Well, not all my problems; it didn’t offer me a job or cure my dry winter skin, but it sure saved me from being a bathroom drawer failure. People, I have never been so happy with a nine dollar purchase in all my life (and that’s what I paid for my copy of Dirty Dancing – The Ultimate Edition). I keep sneaking in there to have a peek at my new bundle of joy. I even took a picture, I was so proud.
I like to think that in some small way, the success in my bathroom drawer makes up for the giant cardboard box that’s sitting on my patio collecting rainwater and leaves – the one that’s been there since the day I moved in. Like I said, I’m an amateur.
I am content with the mess I have in my house. I know where everything is. “hey honey have you seen the nail clippers.”
I answer ” yeah, they are in the mess we call the bath room shelf.”
See organized.
look at you being creative. i would’ve never thought to use a stationary organizer in my bathroom drawer. by the way, there is a store called home goods that is an all home version of tj maxx and it is owned by the same company. just in case you decide to buy a few more nine dollar objects to push dirty dancing further down on the list.
My whole life, I’ve dreamed of having a drawer in my bathroom. I’m afraid that if I did, though, it’d be one big hot mess of clutter. But now that I know there are cute striped stationary organizers, I WANT A CLUTTERED DRAWER TO FIX!
I’m not fortunate enough to have a drawer in my bathroom. What I do have are an ecclectic variety of baskets, salon bags & gift bags under the sink, all filled with similar types of crap.
I’m seriously thinking about exploring the stationary organizer concept….
It totally makes up for the cardboard box. I love the stripes, too.
roll
I moved a year ago. A big uhal box filled with books still shares my bedroom with me.
You’re focused on the essentials…the bathroom drawer improvement will bring WAY more joy and happiness to your life than dealing with the abandoned box on the porch ever could.
And as for my search today…I was searching for something cure my dry winter skin. I found something wonderful and GOOD FOR YOU—Jason Organic Lavendar Hand and Body Therapy. I swear my hands are clapping by themselves. It comes in other scents, too. Honestly, you don’t want me to post the website of lists of things that make you pretty, but slowly kill you. It will make you empty your nicely organized bathroom drawer pretty quickly.
I saw those very things at TJMaxx (can we call it “The Maxx”? Only if they serve burgers? Fine then) and had the same idea. Unfortunately I have super narrow drawers in my bathroom. I’m glad someone made use of them! For my cause, I found 4in black patent pumps by Nine West for $25. I think we both won.
Oh, Megan. What a sweet, sweet Saved by the Bell reference!
dry winter skin … do they have that in Dallas?
You have my haircomb! I heart TJ Maxx, it never lets me down for stuff like that. Congrats on finding your inner-organizer.
Dry winter skin? Are you abandoning your bottle of olive oil? You were so enthused about it last year that I was thinking of giving it a shot this winter.
I love that, I use stationary organizer for my top drawer of my Nightstand, it keeps my contact container, Pens, Post its for early morning reminders I post on the night stand and a few other beauty Items!
Alas my Bathroom is shared by my Roommate, (My male roommate) including the drawers I have to deal w/ him commenting on me taking over the medicine cabinet w/ Hairspray, Nair and Eyelash glue can’t wait to hear what he says about the drawer!
I will never be that organized. I just don’t have it in me. Luckily I don’t have a drawer in my bathroom. : )
Curel Ultra Healing with Extra=Strength Skin Hydrators
YES. The name speaks for itself
I am such a pile collector, I’m not sure any box could fix me. My sister, the Hippie, on the other hand has tupperware marked with typed labels under her bathroom sink and in her closets. And I thought the doobie made people into a slacker.
Glad you’ve followed your bathroom bliss…
How did you eyeball a stationery box for your bathroom drawer?? If I had done that without a tape measure and a sketch, I would have to return the damn thing.
Hey Skankface,
You suck.
Love Rocco.
Oh cool. It’s called TKMax here, but the bargain concept sounds the same. Love the place!
Oh cool. It’s called TKMax here, but the bargain concept sounds the same. Love the place!
Yes, no bathroom drawers for me either. But I do have a fabulous shelfy thing over the toilet with little plastic baskets that FINALLY hold my blow dryer and flat iron without wires getting tangled. It’s also a good place for cotton balls, extra toilet paper and my monster bottle of mouthwash. I *heart* organizing.
Okay, I know you didn’t ask…but I finally found the cure for my own dry skin this year(after years of living with chapped, cracked hands) and I feel it’s my duty to share.
It’s a 2 step process — first rub a tiny bit of vaseline on your finger nails (this keeps your cuticles from getting super dry and makes your nails look all shinylike). Then, rub some of that KP Duty by DermaDoctor on and watch the smoothness take over!
Oh, and I totally agree that organizing is AWESOME. I’ve been known to drag my bf into various rooms/closets to force him to acknowledge my superior organizing skills. He’s never as impressed as he should be though…
Fish! You have the same blusher as me, I think! Covergirl Instant Cheekbones!
ooh, nice! I need me one of those! FAST.
What is all that … stuff? For one tiny little person? Whew.
I’ve never commented on your blog before, despite the fact that I’ve been reading it for some time, but this time I have to. I know just what you’re talking about. I’m a medical student so Christmas break was the first time I’ve had to do anything since school started, and let me tell you, there was a lot to do. While my friends were off on exotic trips, I spent my whole break organizing drawers and rearranging the shoes in my closet. And then I did the big thing … I finally unpacked the trunk of my car that had been filled for six months with things I never moved into my apartment.
I’m pretty sure my satisfaction over how neat my trunk looked was as exciting as any of my friends’ vacations.
I know, it’s sad…
hey, I have that same ulta hair pic!
That’s a fabulous idea to use a stationary organizer… I have a little old clinique organizer from the 1990′s still that’s overflowing with make-up. Don’t forget, make-up has a shelf-life. It actually expires which is one saving grace that keeps me somewhat de-cluttered.
Love the organizer idea, and, yes, TJMaxx rocks!
I used leftover shirt boxes from holiday wrapping in my sock/hosiery drawer! I also used those stackable boxes that hold chocolates, etc. for decor and storage in my bathroom! nothing better than FREE organization.
I moved into my apartment 2 1/2 years ago & there’s still a baker’s rack that I couldn’t manage to fit inside sitting on my back patio. I absolutely love the Container Store & will spend vast amounts of money in there, dreaming of an organized closet, but it just never happens.
& while I can’t offer you a job try Eucerin for the dry skin.
That’s such a cute idea! I just moved closer to my family, and needed a bathroom organizing system as well. My mom came to the rescue when she remembered some cigar boxes she had in the basement. I’ve got 4 of them on my bathroom shelf (hair, makeup, various pills, jewelry). These 4 simple boxes have made me look like I’m actually capable of being an adult who cleans her bathroom!
LOVE IT!!! I’m on a spring cleaning kick myself… about three months too early.
I love baskets – baskets for the TP, baskets for rolled up hand towels. (Okay, I’m from Texas – can ya’ tell?)
And pretty designer boxes for q-tips and cotton balls.
Try Michaels – they have some good stuff for cheap.
That’s so awesome we’re going to hang it over the front door: “Welcome to our charming jumble of crap”
I tend to have things scattered about too. Though I’ve never had much of an appreciation for things, I value experiences much more. Things are not permanent. And as such, keeping things organized never seemed that much an issue. Yes I think “Welcome to my charming jumble of crap” would be appropriate
Anyway I just wanted to say that after reading this entry I really appreciate your style of writing. Someone showed me this blog, and so I decided to read it and well.. yeah I guess I thought I should say that.
–Corey
I would stop to be proud, but I have to go tell the silverware to sit down.
new web layout? i like!
Really? Because I don’t.
there’s more pink! the comments are a little harder to read, but everyone will adjust. we come here for the words, anyway. well…. that, and to look at your purdy picture.
Whoa, not pink any more.
But yay! Rocco’s back. Damn, I’ve been reading you for a long time.
i don’t either!
the old one was much cuter!
Haven’t you heard? Messy is the new neat!
Glad to know it’s not just ME who still has boxes of crap that haven’t moved since the day I moved in. Those small triumphs of FINALLY getting at least one aspect of life organized are always very sweet. Those are the times that I treat myself to a brownie or a candy bar for being such a Good Girl.
if it makes you feel any better,i have a huge box of architecture books that has been in the back seat of my car since i got laid off almost 3 months ago. i thought they wouldn’t be in there that long as i was going to rush out and get another job right away. and yet, there they are, cluttering up my car. (better than the house, i suppose)
I don’t like the new layout either. Not enough pink.
I LOVE this! Truly jealous. Mine has boxes but they aren’t anywhere near as cool and partiioned like this!