Organzing a Basement Apartment: Part 2

Organzing my basement apartment began with clearing the clutter. After I narrowed it down to the items I wanted to keep (which still ended up being a lot), my next step was determining which area to start organizing first. I narrowed this down by order of importance. Since my day begins with the use of the bathroom (showering, brushing my teeth, hairstyling, makeup, etc.) it was clear where I needed to start.

Fortunately, my basement apartment came equipped with a full bathroom - a shower, towel rods, door hook, pedestal sink and toilet. On the downside, it lacked storage. In order to create an efficient bathroom, I needed to incorporate some storage solutions.

The wall above the toilet is a great use of space for storage. My sister was kind enough to give me a cabinet she had previously purchased for her bathroom, but no longer needed. It fits perfectly above the toilet and holds all my necessary toiletries. There is also a bottom shelf which allows me to display special keepsakes which combines function and style.

I do my hairstyling and put on my makeup in the bathroom, and it was important to have easy access to these products. I went to my local Wal-Mart and picked up an inexpensive 3-tier cart (originally on casters which I removed). This cart fits perfectly in the space between the wall and pedestal sink and holds all my products perfectly. I even have extra room to hold extra toilet paper and kleenex.

For extra toiletries and supplies, I needed efficient storage, which I also found at Wal-Mart. There is a bare wall beside my shower that I knew would be perfect for a storage container. While the area can hold a tall storage container, I opted for a shorter 3-drawer because it provided the adequate amount of storage I needed and it didn't stick out as much as a taller unit would.

Once the bathroom got organized, it was on to my next basement apartment priority - the bedroom area. Stay tuned for Organizing My Basement Apartment: Part 3.

Additional Bathroom Organizing Tips:

• Utilize empty wall space for storage such as cabinets or shelving.
• Organize bathroom cabinets and maximize the space with storage containers and carts.
• Look for temperature resistant storage container especially because bathrooms attract moisture.
• Door hooks and wall rods are a helpful tool for hanging towels, housecoats or pajamas.
• Prices can vary, but typically these storage products are budget-friendly, do your research and compare prices.