Use An Empty Laundry Detergent Bottle For Organizing Bathroom Countertops

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Bathroom countertops are infamously clutter magnets, and it only gets worse when multiple people share the space. Lotions, potions, and hair supplies can all end up scattered on a counter — especially during morning rushes. What you need to combat the clutter are some organizational tools. Turns out, you're in luck if you have empty laundry detergent bottles lying around. As YouTuber LifeOfViette demonstrated, it's easy to turn one into a plastic caddy to help keep bathroom items corralled. Just assign it to a specific category (like beauty products) so everything stays organized. 

You might wonder why you'd go to the effort of DIYing a caddy. After all, there are tons of Dollar Tree bathroom finds to instantly organize clutter, in addition to thrift store gems. One benefit is that it's a way to upcycle an empty bottle instead of it ending up in a landfill. Not to mention, there's a good chance you already have one or two in your home. According to the National Park Service, when it comes to laundry, the typical family in the U.S. does approximately 300 loads each year. That's a lot of empty detergent containers.

For this DIY, you'll need a permanent marker and a utility knife. Give the container a thorough rinse before starting in order to eliminate any leftover soap, and peel off the labels. If needed, use a method for removing sticker residue so that the final product looks polished sitting on your bathroom countertop. For large households, consider prepping several bottles for additional caddies.

Laundry soap bottles don't all look the same, and for this DIY, you'll use the bottom portion of whichever kind you have. Start by drawing a wavy line around the bottle, near the bottom of the handle. It should be approximately two-thirds of the way down. To achieve a uniform look, use the top portion of a round, flat object (like a coaster) to help create the line. Next, carefully cut the bottle along the marker line (depending on the thickness of the plastic, you may have to score it before cutting), then discard the top. Alternatively, just like the DIYer showed, you could leave an inch or so of the handle to create a small extra storage compartment.

The caddy is now complete and ready to organize your bathroom countertops, but you can give it a makeover if you want. Add fun or floral designs on its outside using Coogert Acrylic Paint Markers, or wrap the container with PerkHomy Jute Rope (gluing as you go) until only the wavy top peeks out. You could also embellish it with other supplies like beads, fabric, or stencils. While the organizer is drying, group together like items that you'd like to store inside of it.

Fill your transformed laundry container with makeup, hair accessories, or your nightly routine supplies. Use it to neatly contain jars of essentials (like cotton balls and swabs) that typically clutter the space. If you leave part of the handle as a small compartment, it can help hold a brush upright. Multiple caddies would let you keep several types of items sorted or give each family member their own. It's such a clever way to reuse an old laundry detergent bottle in the home.