When it comes to the bathroom vanity, I do try to embrace a less is more ethos. Does everyone in the house need to see the 13 different Sephora face and body samples I'm trying this week? Not really. But do I want my cleansers, toothbrush, and other daily tools in the fight against dirt and aging within arm's reach? Yes, of course. Should it all look relatively pleasing to the eye, in case company's coming? Sure.
The keyword, of course, being try. After a hectic morning, the bathroom vanity can look like a crime scene of open bottles, discarded curling irons, and toothpaste drips.
To rein in the chaos, you can...
1. Borrow from the kitchen.
I can't tell you how many things I have stored in all the old Bon Maman jam jars I've hoarded over the years. But really, any old glass will do — the more colorful or vintage (or both!) the better. If you put three in a row, somehow it's a set.
Get the look: Bei Glasses, Global Table, $13
2. Embrace the apothecary vibe.
Put your cotton balls and Q-tips in apothecary jars and all of a sudden the bathroom feels vintage and spa-like.
Get the look: Urban Outfitters Glass Storage Jars, $18-$29
3. Hide everything in plain sight.
This petite set of drawers sits on the counter, keeping your skincare addiction out of sight (but not out of mind).
Get the look: Pottery Barn, Under the Console Storage, White, $59
4. Try something tray chic.
Trays make everything better, and long narrow ones on the vanity can display your prettier essentials.
Get the look: Urban Outfitters Cora Tray, $29
Get the look: Santi White Marbleized Tram, $19.95
5. Embrace the miscellany.
You don't necessarily need a drop spot to put your rings when you wash your hands or drop a hairpin when you fix your hair — but it helps (especially if it's super chic).
Get the look: Hay Bits and Bobs Storage Container, Dot, $20
6. Treat your toothbrushes right**.**
Most of the time, I just leave my toothbrush on the counter, but you don't have to be a slob like me. Chic toothbrush storage is serious #adulting.
Get the look: Urban Outfitters Marble Storage Organizer, $16
Get the look: Yamazaki Toothbrush & Tumbler Stand, $10
Get the look: TEFEELS Mini Ceramics Toothbrush Holder, Amazon, $7.99
7. Tame those hair tools.
Hair dryers, flat irons, and curling irons — and all the crazy products that you use with them — can wreak havoc on a bathroom vanity. Contain the chaos!
Get the look: Yamazaki Hair Care Organizer, $28
8. Get matchy-matchy**.**
Although matchy-matchy usually makes me cringe, in the bathroom, where we utilize so many disparate potions and pills and products, having unified storage does bring a little visual calm.
Get the look: Anthropologie Fillmore Bath Collection, $26-$78
9. Don't forget the soap
Elevate the requisite soap with a dish that feels chic.
Get the look: Cedar and Stone Garden Concrete Soap Dish, Etsy, $11.50
10. Splurge where it counts
If you are the type to do elaborate skin care in the bathroom, or, more importantly, your makeup, then what you need is a clean, well-lit place to see your pores.
Get the look: simplehuman 8" wall mount sensor mirror, $200
11. Add at least one personal touch.
Fresh flowers? Maybe not every day. But a small plant or something vintage-inspired (like these scissors or ring holder below) can make a generic vanity into one that feels uniquely you.
Get the look: Hay Beak Scissors, $20
Laura Lambert is a Los Angeles-based writer and editor who covers lifestyle, design, and women's health.