The Affordable Dollar Tree DIY That Declutters Your Bathroom Countertop

Clutter in the bathroom – on the counter, in particular — often seems as if it grows out of the very counters themselves. It's as if a magician waved a wand over the granite and turned cotton balls, makeup brushes, and perfume bottles into ever-growing seeds that instantly reappear the minute after you finish cleaning the bathroom. While Dollar Tree isn't exactly magic, the budget retailer does offer some neat products that can be used to declutter your bathroom. It's amazing what grows out of a couple of baskets, some pretty contact paper with some backing, and a few dollops of glue. Suddenly, the clutter is replaced by a stacking shelf that puts an end to all of those cosmetic weeds. 

This DIY bathroom shelving unit consists of a minimum of two shelves, though you can make it taller if you need it to be. Like many Dollar Tree DIYs, you'll combine a couple of different already-made items together to create a new one. For this project, those pieces are one Essentials White Wire Cabinet Shelf, two Essentials Gold Wire Trays, and two Jot Frameless Chalk Boards. The items in this list will make one full shelf unit. If you need to make it taller, you'll need to add another one of each of the items on the list. Additionally, your choice of shelving or contact paper personalizes the piece to your tastes and bathroom decor. Finally, to put the whole thing together, you'll also need a hot glue gun and a utility knife.

The shelf's basic construction is one wire basket on the bottom, the white wire shelf in the middle, and then another wire basket on top. To make the bottom of the baskets solid, you'll cover the chalkboards with some shelving paper and glue one to the bottom of each wire basket. Finally, the feet on the wire shelf get glued to the bottom basket just inside its walls and the second basket is glued on top of the wire shelf.

There are a few challenges with this Dollar Tree hack that make it look less top-shelf — pun intended — than you might want it to look. Some of the issues have to do with the wire baskets being one color and the wire shelf being another color. One simple fix would be to spray-paint the wire shelf either metallic gold or black; those are the two colors that wire baskets come in. This simple step makes the unit look like all one piece, thanks to the unifying effect of the added color on the wire shelf.

The shelf sitting directly on the counter could present another issue. The wires from the bottom basket could scratch up the counter. Or if you put it by the sink, water may seep underneath the shelf. This could ruin the paper on the shelf or one of the items you've stashed there. Gluing four feet on the bottom of the basket prevents this. Make the feet out of four Crafters Square Wood Beads. Glue one on each corner of the bottom of the basket to raise the shelf up off the counter.

Because this DIY has the potential to be really pretty, it's a logical place to store some of your fancier perfume bottles and makeup jars. Don't be afraid to add little decorative accents to make the whole setup look intentional and chic — like mini faux potted plants or succulents. The bottles and jars could take up the top shelf, where they're more likely to be seen and enjoyed. Reserve the bottom shelf for tools like makeup brushes, cotton balls, and eyelash curlers.

Or cover a Tool Bench Hardware Plastic Compartmented Storage Case with some contact paper or some Jot Glitter Paper with Adhesive Backing. Fill each of the compartments with small pieces of jewelry — your earrings, rings, and lapel pins. Earmark the bottom shelf for larger items. Chunky bracelets and necklaces would look charming on your small DIY bathroom shelf.