12 Items You Should Never Store On Your Bathroom Countertop

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Although your bathroom's counter might seem like the best possible surface for your toiletries, grooming products, accessories, and reading material, you want to be picky about what you store here. Trying to accommodate everything will lead to unmanageable clutter, and you also risk damaging certain items, like your electric toothbrush and razors. Clean-up will be difficult, too, giving bacteria free reign over your countertop.

So, be mindful of what you keep out. Try to store only two to three important items and find a safer, more organized spot for everything else. Your soap dispenser bottle, a box of tissues, and a decorative candle or plant are more than enough. With that established, here are 12 items that are better off of your counter and the places you can house them instead.

Adding decorative items — like flowers, statues, and artwork — on your bathroom countertop can help you personalize and claim it as your own. However, avoid storing them here, especially if you don't have a lot of room to spare. Otherwise, you won't have enough space to house the essentials. Forcefully fitting in everything will lead to a cluttered surface that might look overwhelming. Plus, certain decorations, like paintings or photographs, might sustain water damage being so close to the sink.

So, replace your purely decorative items with pieces that are both pretty and practical. For instance, decant your soap and moisturizer into gorgeous dishes and pump bottles to make your counter seem fancy. Place your hygiene products, like tampons, cotton pads, and Q-tips, in matching see-through canisters or label them for a spa-like finish. If you're on a tight budget, pop on your DIY hat and upcycle your old glass jars for a stylish and functional bathroom. Cute trays and catch-all dishes can be a useful addition, too, to organize bits and ends.

Keep it as simple as possible for a mess-free space. But if you don't want to do away with decor altogether, add a candle or an indoor plant (real or artificial that can stand the humid environment) in a beautiful vase to your counter.

Though it's convenient to store your toothbrush on the countertop, you would be exposing it to a plethora of germs. First in line is the rogue spray droplets from your toilet. Since they can cover up to 6 feet of distance without issue, your brush won't stand a chance unless the counter is located on the other side of your large bathroom. And if you place them on a dirty surface, the associated bacteria and other microbes will have a field day. This is especially true if you leave your brush sopping wet. The humid atmosphere won't help, either.

So, store your brush inside a washable organizer in a cabinet or drawer to keep it protected. Just ensure it's dry before putting it in, or you'll unknowingly encourage the growth of bacteria in the dark, enclosed space. In case that's not an option, or you want to put your brush on the counter, put it in a holder, wall-mounted unit, or cup after it dries (30 minutes should be enough). Keep it in a vertical position to speed up drying. If you share your bathroom with your partner or kids, ensure none of the brushes touch each other to minimize cross-contamination.

As for your electric toothbrushes and waterpiks, they'll commandeer precious countertop space and clutter it up. The good news is you don't have to charge them every day, so you can tuck away their chargers inside a cabinet or drawer when not in use.

If you love displaying your pretty perfume or aftershave bottles on your bathroom countertop, rethink your decision. It's because they'll be subjected to humidity, allowing water vapor to enter the bottle. This will modify their composition and weaken their scent. It can be especially problematic for perfumes and aftershaves that draw their fragrance from organic oils. Plus, constant contact with moist air will lead to oxidation, reducing the scent's potentness and shortening their lifespan. The changes in temperature from hot showers and cool atmosphere after will also affect their scent profile. And accidental spillage could lead to unsightly stains on your wood or marble counters.

To avoid these issues, store them in a dark, dry, and cool spot — the ideal temperature range is between 59 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Your dresser and closet drawers are the perfect spot for your perfumes and aftershaves. But don't lay them down, or you risk oxidation. Always ensure they're upright. In case you can't house them vertically, put them on your dresser after placing them in their box to minimize contact with air, light, heat, and humidity. Don't have the packaging intact? Try cosmetic cases like Bysiter's Cosmetics Travel Bag. Also, keep them out of the fridge if you don't experience scorching climates for the better part of a year. Otherwise, they might lose their fragrance sooner.

Storing your face and hand towels on a grimy countertop will dirty them and spread bacteria, leading to skin problems when you use them. Moreover, bacteria and fungi from toilet sprays might get cozy in the fluffy folds. Plus, their proximity to the sink makes it easier for them to get wet. The soaked fabrics will encourage mold and mildew growth, compromising your towels' hygiene and causing them to smell bad. The same will happen if you bunch up a damp towel after use and leave it on your counter since airflow will be dismal at best. Plus, makeup or moisturizer spills and soap runoff will make them unfit for use.

Instead, hang your towels near your counter to keep them clean and facilitate drying. Wall-mounted bars, round holders, and hooks are ideal for hanging them. Just ensure they match the rest of your hardware for a seamless appearance, and you'll benefit from easy access, too. If you're a renter, opt for self-adhesive options, like Fotosnow's Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Wall Hooks. Store all your extra towels in a separate drawer or closet a little ways from the bathroom if possible. This will help them stay odor-free longer, and better yet, decluttering the overlooked bathroom item will lead to a more organized space.

A dusty countertop will ensure you apply germs on your skin with every stroke of your makeup brush. This can lead to your skin breaking out or experiencing a flare-up. And if it gets wet, the makeup-coated dirty bristles will turn into the perfect party spot for mold and bacteria. Sprays from your toilet will further compromise the brush's hygiene.

Your beauty products won't fare any better. Dust will readily collect on them and make your countertop look cluttered and dirty. Worse, the humid conditions will degrade their composition and spoil them faster. Powdery items, like highlighters, face powder, blush, and foundation, might lose their light and silky consistency. In certain scenarios, they might even form clumps or develop cracks. If that weren't enough, your brushes and products will make the counter look untidy at best and unhinged at worst.

A better alternative is to put all your makeup brushes and products in a dry, enclosed space. This can be a drawer in your vanity (use dividers for a chaos-free zone) or a transparent organizer, such as Sorbus' Acrylic Makeup Organizer, on your counter. Add labels for opaque storage options. Portable bags and cases are a good option, too, if you don't mind stashing them out of your bathroom. Don't forget to clean and dry all your brushes before storing them. Dust or wipe your makeup tubes and cases, too.

Placing a jewelry dish on your bathroom's counter for your everyday pieces will make it easier for you to get ready. However, you don't want to store all your accessories in the humid space. This is because not all metals handle moisture well and can lose their trademark sparkle and develop rust. Brass and sterling silver fall into this category. Plus, the gemstones might come off or sustain damage. Gold is the only exception to the rule, but you don't want to put high-value items in easily accessible areas anyway. Moreover, your jewelry may come into contact with other products housed on the countertop — like mouthwash, toothpaste, perfumes, lotions, or cleaning supplies – and wear out faster. You also stand to knock your prized pieces into the sink and lose them down the drain.

To avoid damaging your jewelry or losing them to your plumbing, store them away from your bathroom in a cool and dry spot. Get a dedicated jewelry box, like Homde's Synthetic Leather Lockable Jewelry Case, to keep your rings, earrings, necklaces, and other pieces organized. You can even use cheap stackable drawers from Dollar Tree if you want a budget-friendly solution and don't mind their basic look. Worried about your necklaces or delicate bracelets getting tangled? Employ a smart tension rod hack for closet storage and organization. If you live in a high-humidity area, place one to two silica gel packets in your jewelry organizer to prevent tarnishing sensitive metals.

Storing your razor blades sans their outer packaging is a bad idea because it'll interact with moisture throughout the day. This will give way to rust, reducing their sharpness and leading to irritation. A wet razor will also invite bacteria over, and cutting yourself with this germy and rusted blade could introduce microbes into your skin. Moreover, you may have to contend with rust stains and scratches on your counter from negligent handling. You also don't want the razor to be in easy reach of your curious children or pets. As for your electric razors, they'll malfunction if they are exposed to water.

Considering all of this, avoid storing razor blade replacements in the bathroom as well. Regarding the razor you use regularly, wash it under hot running water to dislodge the stuck hair and other debris. Then, take it to a cool and dry spot and slot it upright in a dedicated stand. This will promote air circulation and help it dry faster. Grandslam's Universal Razor Holder is a good option. However, if you're on a tight budget, place your razor in a small glass (like you would do for your toothbrush) for a similar effect. Either way, don't rub the blade against a towel to dry it, or you'll dull it unknowingly. Stow your electric razor in a cabinet or drawer and get it out when needed.

Storing your medicine bottles on your bathroom countertop may make it easier for you to take them at optimal times. But this practice could be ruining its effectiveness. Plus, the hot and humid atmosphere will make them go bad long before their expiration date rolls around. For example, the humble aspirin can disintegrate into salicylic acid and vinegar, upsetting your stomach instead of relieving your pain. Additionally, placing your medicines on the counter may encourage your kids to ingest them, and the resultant poisoning can cause health problems or even death in serious cases.

To ensure your medicine doesn't go bad or your kids don't accidentally poison themselves, remove them from your bathroom's countertop. Store them in a cool and dry place away from your children's reach. As such, locked cabinets and drawers in your bedroom are good spots for your medications. You can also place them in the kitchen as long as you don't place them near the sink, stove, or any heat-generating appliance.

That being said, don't put medications in the fridge unless the packaging specifies such care. The ideal spot shouldn't receive direct sunlight (like your windowsill) and maintain a temperature range of 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, keep them in their original packaging to minimize accidents and preserve the life of your medicines.

You shouldn't store your curling iron, hair straightener, or any other heat styling tools on your countertop because the intense heat can discolor the surface over time. Although natural stones, like marble and granite, might not get damaged as readily as quartz, you don't want to risk marring their beauty or compromising their protective seal. Your tools' long cords will even promote countertop clutter and be a pain to clean. Moreover, moisture and humidity aren't good for your heat styling tools, either. So, store them away from direct contact with your shower's steam and potential splashes from your sink to elongate their lifespan.

To safely use these tools in your bathroom, get a heat-resistant mat, like Angenil's Professional Silicone Heat Mat. Set your hot curlers or straighteners on it and put them away after they cool down. Then, store them in your vanity's cabinets or drawers. Short on space? Try out a genius Dollar Tree DIY to keep your bathroom organized on a budget. Simply grab an Essentials Mop and Broom Holder and mount it to the inside of your cabinet door. Tie your tools' cords with California Jos' Reusable Cable Ties and slide them in place after they cool down. You can even put them in a basket or bin if you have open shelves.

You might think that storing your cleaning products on your bathroom's counter will promote cleaning. But the truth is that they'll take up too much room and clutter up the surface. Plus, it will make cleaning become more of a chore. You'll have to take everything off or shift them around to take care of water droplets, soap scum, and toothpaste flecks. Also, it's not a good idea to keep your cleaning products alongside your toiletries. This is because it'll increase your chances of mistaking one of your cleaning products for your skincare essential, leading to skin irritation or worse (imagine washing your mouth with a similar looking cleaner). You also don't want the cleaners in easy reach of your children or pets.

Considering these reasons, stash your cleaning products away from your countertop. The space beneath your sink is a great spot. Get a dedicated caddy or holder, like ukeetap's Multi-Purpose Pull-Out Storage Organizer, to corral all your cleaners. Bonus advantage: You won't have to clear out the entire under-sink space in case of spills or drips. Just washing the holder will suffice. But if you don't want to strain your knees or back, check out the best Costco storage solutions and bring home an organizer that slides out. In case you have kids and can't lock the shelf beneath your sink, move your cleaning products to a higher cabinet or out of the bathroom.

Tiny shampoo, conditioner, or moisturizer bottles and serum sachets may look adorable, especially if their packaging is aesthetically pleasing. However, they'll take up more room on your counters than you're willing to relinquish and make it look chaotic. Moreover, the visual messiness will tie up your brain and delay decision-making. You'll also have trouble cleaning your countertop. Instead of shifting a couple of essential items and being able to quickly wipe or sterilize the whole surface, you'll have to deal with a mountain of little bottles, tubes, and sachets. And even if you manage to stick to a daily wipe, you might skip over the area occupied by the sample products to speed up the process.

So, to bring order to this chaos, edit your sample products. Determine the ones you use and discard the rest, no matter how pretty. For the ones that make the cut, check their expiration dates. Throw away anything that's on the brink of expiring if you can't use it within the limited time frame. Then, group like items together and organize them in individual pouches – cheap ones from Dollar Tree work, too — before sliding them in your drawers. Check out your local thrift stores to score beautiful holders.

If you like reading on the pot, chances are you keep a few magazines or books on your countertop. Alas, this could be a mistake for several reasons. For starters, a large pile will appear messy and out of place. Additionally, the hot and humid air will force the pages to clump together. Accidental splashes might ruin the delicate sheets altogether, and the sticky or wet pages may even invite over mildew and bacteria. Worse, they'll soak in bad smells and lose their characteristic fragrance.

So, avoid storing your dear books and expensive magazines on your bathroom's counter. Always house them in a bookshelf or in cool and dry areas of your home, like the living room or home office. However, if you can't help yourself from bringing them in, take them with you when you leave. But if you want to keep a few here, put them in a dedicated basket or old magazine holder to turn your thrift store finds into useful bathroom storage.