9 Items You Can Declutter Right Now For A More Organized Medicine Cabinet

While the medicine cabinet debate rages on (whether or not to even have one), one fact is certain: every medicine cabinet can quickly become a cluttered mess. Let's face it, many of us that have one are misusing our medicine cabinets by storing the wrong things in them. There are certain things that are absolute must-haves for your bathroom's medicine cabinet like dental care items, tweezers, and first-aid staples. There are also things you should never store in your medicine cabinet, like perfumes/colognes, hair products, and surprisingly, prescription medication. There are most likely many items in your medicine cabinet that you can toss that will make it more organized and easier to locate the things you need.

Be honest, when was the last time you cleaned out your medicine cabinet? Do you even know what's in it? Many of us don't. Which isn't a good thing, especially when you're looking for a Band-Aid to apply to an open wound and discover that the only ones left are those really tiny ones. What the heck are those super tiny ones for anyway?!? Paper cuts? The reality is, if you can't find first-aid and self-care items in the medicine cabinet when you need them, is it really a medicine cabinet or just the "junk drawer" of the bathroom? Thankfully, you can quickly get your medicine cabinet into shape by simply tossing out the items that don't belong there in the first place. The medicine cabinet ideally should only contain first-aid items and daily-use personal care items, so if any of the items below are in yours, it might be time to take them out.

With a name like "medicine cabinet", logically you would think this is where you should be storing your medications. Unfortunately, it's really not a good idea to store your prescription or over-the-counter pill or tablet-style medicines in your bathroom in general. The temperature and humidity fluctuations can cause your pills to lose effectiveness and even alter the chemical makeup of your medications. It's better to store these items in your bedroom or kitchen away from high heat or humidity.

Considering medicine cabinets are generally pretty limited on space, a great way to keep them organized is to store only daily-use items in them. You can remove items that you use only once a month or even less, such as tanning products, spare batteries for hair clippers, or spare contact lens solution, and store them in a vanity drawer or a bin in your closet. This way you are freeing up space in your medicine cabinet while still keeping rarely used items nearby when you need them.

Hair products contain perfumes and oils in them that can easily spill or transfer to other items in your medicine cabinet. If you are keeping things like first-aid supplies, eye drops, your contact lenses, or toothbrushes in your medicine cabinet, they can become contaminated by your hair products. Not to mention the fact that since you are using these products on your hair, it would be easy for hair strands to cling to the bottles and transfer to other items. And nobody likes finding hair on their toothbrush so you're better off storing these items in a drawer or under your vanity.

Similar to hair products, makeup products contain perfumes, oils, and other ingredients you wouldn't want contaminating other items in your medicine cabinet. They also have a tendency to create powder and liquid spills that are rather messy. And most people generally have more than just a couple makeup items, which can quickly add more clutter. It's a better idea to store these products in a designated location in a bin, makeup tote, or bag.

The quickest way to free up space in your medicine cabinet, as well as possibly prevent illness or an accident, is to toss expired items. At the very least expired medicine and toiletries are ineffective and simply taking up space, at worst expired medicine and toiletries can cause illness. Expired items can often develop mold or host bacteria. Getting rid of these items not only keeps you and your family safe, but it also keeps your medicine cabinet organized.

Similar to hair and makeup products, perfume and cologne should not be stored in your medicine cabinet due to cross-contamination. You probably don't want your mouthwash to taste like your partner's Axe Body Spray. The alcohol in perfume and cologne also has a tendency to evaporate into the air, which is not ideal in an enclosed environment. It's better to store your cologne or perfume on your vanity counter or even a dresser in your bedroom.

Often, when you're in need of first-aid items, time is of the essence. That's why it's not a good idea to leave broken or incomplete first-aid supplies in your medicine cabinet. If you've opened a pack of gauze and left it on the shelf, it's no longer sterile and shouldn't be used. That broken digital thermometer should be tossed and replaced. It's extremely important to replace and refill supplies in your first-aid kit in case of emergencies. This is where keeping your medicine cabinet organized makes it easy to find things that need replacing before you need them.

Beyond the safety concern of accidentally cutting yourself, storing your razors in the medicine cabinet can damage the blades itself. The humidity in your bathroom can cause your razor blades to rust. Ideally, you should store your razors on a storage rack where they can thoroughly dry between uses and not be continuously exposed to moisture. Using a razor that has been damaged by corrosion could lead to skin irritation or even infections.

If you're like most people, you most likely have a product in your medicine cabinet that you bought, tried once, and found out it wasn't for you. And if you're like most people, you probably haven't thrown out that disappointing item. We get it; it can feel like a waste of money to use a product once and then throw the rest away. But it's taking up precious space in your cabinet. You can give it to someone who might like it, or even better, you could donate the item to a local shelter for someone who might need it.