How to Organize a Vanity — Because You Can't 'Get Ready With Me' in a Cluttered Space

An organized vanity means one thing — a good start, or end, to your day. After all, it's often one of the first places you spend time in the morning, and one of the last places you are before getting into bed.

So it's not enough to keep your vanity cute without also making sure it's properly put together for practical use. Now, this all begins and ends by making sure your vanity has everything in its place — it's a core part of organizing a bathroom (or bedroom, depending on where your vanity is).

To ensure that your GRWMs (that's 'get ready with me's in case you're left wondering) are seamless and you're all set to take on the day, we've put together a list of organizational tips and tricks, straight from the professionals. By the end, you'll be left with a vanity that's so satisfyingly organized, that it might just become your new favorite space (for photos and otherwise).

1. Prioritize Purging

Similar to organizing your bathroom for a better morning routine, a trusty first step is to purge your bathroom vanity. Professional organizer Di Ter Avest recommends taking everything out of your vanity and being honest about what you actually use.

"Expired makeup, products that don’t work for you, or those impulse buys that just sit there — let them go," she says. "Clearing out the excess makes room for the items that serve you, both physically and mentally."

Di Ter Avest

Di Ter Avest is a professional home and lifestyle organizer and the owner of Di is Organized, in Baltimore, MD (USA). Her accountability program and book Organize Yourself Healthy help women across the globe to get their lives and homes organized, leading to lower levels of stress and overwhelm. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Today, ApartmentTherapy, Real Homes, Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, and Kitchn. She has also given workshops at IKEA, West Elm, and Williams-Sonoma.

2. Implement the Zone System

Cara Palmer, founder of Organize Every Room, tells us that her top tip for an organized vanity is to create designated zones within your vanity based on frequency of use.

For example, she tells us to store essentials like toothbrushes, face wash, and moisturizers in easily accessible top drawers. This way you won't be fumbling through your bathroom vanity in a morning struggle.

"Reserve lower drawers for less frequently used items like special occasion makeup or backup supplies," she adds. "This intuitive organization method naturally maintains order and efficiency."

Cara Palmer

Cara Palmer is the founder of OrganizeEveryRoom.com and a home organization expert who specializes in creating functional, sustainable storage solutions. Her organization strategies are regularly featured in leading publications, including Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, Homes and Gardens, The Spruce, Taste of Home, and Livingetc.

3. Maximize Vertical Space

There are different types of bathroom vanity and depending on the style that's fashioned in your home, you might need a touch of extra storage space to aid your vanity organization.

In such cases, Cara suggests installing adjustable drawer dividers to effectively utilize vertical space. She recommends standing items like makeup brushes, skincare bottles, and hair products upright.

"This will prevent clutter and make everything visible at a glance," she notes. "Plus, the vertical approach will also prevent products from rolling around and getting lost in drawer corners."

4. Adopt the On-In-One-Out Rule

In the 5 stages of clutter, accumulation is at the top of the list and happens to be one of the more common problems in product-heavy spaces like a vanity.

To maintain vanity organization, Cara finds that following the one-in-one-out rule is a brilliant solution. "When you purchase a new product, simply remove an old one," she guides. "This prevents the accumulation of expired products and maintains manageable inventory levels."

While practicing this rule, her pro tip is to pay special attention to skincare and makeup products with specific shelf lives.

5. Create a Morning Routine Tray

If you don't have one already, consider this your official sign to create a morning routine tray. Cara swears by this trick and finds that it makes keeping your bathroom vanity organized so much easier.

"Designate a small tray on the vanity surface for items used in your daily morning routine," she says. "This 'getting ready' station keeps frequently used items accessible without cluttering the entire vanity top."

Interior stylist organizers love a decorative tray that doubles as a catch-all, and we can't think of a better place to home one than a vanity. Just remember to heed Cara's advice and rotate your items seasonally or as and when your routine changes to keep your vanity up to date.

6. Utilize Clear Storage and Labels

If you ask us, you simply can't beat the effectiveness of a clear organizer and as it turns out Cara has given transparent organizational buys her stamp of approval.

She encourages sorting items by category (skincare, dental care, makeup, etc.) and storing them in clear beauty organizers for a vanity that works for you. To take your vanity organization to the next level, she suggests using waterproof labels on drawers and containers.

"This visual organization system makes it easy to spot when supplies are running low and prevent duplicate purchases," she points out. "Clear containers also protect against drawer moisture and make cleaning simpler."

7. Incorporate Hidden Storage Hacks

Lastly, you can always rely on hidden storage ideas as a trusty fallback to optimize your vanity's organization.

Cara explains that a clever solve is to utilize often-overlooked spaces by installing magnetic strips inside cabinet doors for metal items like tweezers and nail clippers.

"You can also add stick-on pods or small shelves to maximize vertical space on cabinet doors for additional storage without taking up drawer space," she notes.

FAQs

How Often Should You Organize Your Vanity?

According to Di, a dedicated quick weekly reset is the best way to keep your vanity perfectly organized and in check without overwhelm.

"This includes wiping surfaces, tossing empty containers, and putting things back in place," she says. "A deeper declutter every few months helps you reassess what you’re actually using and clear out the rest."

What Should You Put in Vanity Drawers?

If your vanity is blessed with plenty of drawer space, this is a great way to conceal your cosmetics and keep your countertop clean and clutter-free.

In your top drawer, Cara recommends storing daily skincare products, everyday makeup essentials, dental care items, hair ties and basic accessories.

"Put away specialized makeup products, hair styling tools, first aid supplies and backup daily essentials in the middle drawer," she suggests. "And use your bottom drawer to hold seasonal items, special occasion products and other bulk backup supplies."

"When your vanity is organized with intention, getting ready becomes a small act of self-care rather than a frustrating search through clutter," says Di — and we have to admit, we're in total agreement.

If you plan to organize your vanity properly, we recommend decluttering the space first. That way, you can keep only what you truly need, and you'll have less to sort through too.

Et voilà.