The Product Review Rabbit Hole That Ended in a Bathroom Purge

Sometimes the best organizing projects start completely by accident.

It started innocently enough.

I was researching a skincare product I'd been thinking about buying. Like I always do, I started reading independent reviews to see if the marketing claims actually lived up to the hype.

One review led to another...

...which somehow led me to looking at products I already owned.

And before I knew it, I had emptied my entire bathroom vanity.

I was looking at years of purchases, samples, and good intentions that had quietly accumulated in my bathroom.

I realized I probably wasn't going to become...

The woman who was going to use the jade roller every morning.

The one who was finally going to figure out false eyelashes.

The person who would faithfully use the expensive face mask every Sunday.

The traveler who needed every sample-sized lotion "just in case."

Sound familiar?

Medical Supplies..and a few mysteries

Apparently I was preparing for injuries I've never had.

Makeup

When I started pulling everything out, I found:

Makeup I never really liked or didn't use.
Multiple lotions that all did basically the same thing in various sizes.
Samples I'd been "saving" for years. (because they would be perfect for travelling)
Beauty devices that seemed like a great idea at the time but never got used because they demanded faithful use and I can't be bothered.
Stretched-out hair ties, rusty hair clips and pretty bejeweled hair claws that I kept because..... well pretty! - nuff said
Cleaning products I stopped using.
Products I bought once for a specific purpose and hung onto.
Boxes of bandages as well as an old school neck brace (no idea why I have or where it came from)
...and even finger splints.

Seriously...why did I own finger splints? I've never sprained or broken a finger in my life.

All of these things could fall into the category of "being useful one day"...But "one day" had quietly become years.

If you're nodding your head right now...you're definitely not alone.

Why the Bathroom Is the Perfect Place to Start

If you've been wanting to declutter but don't know where to begin, I almost always recommend the bathroom

Unlike closets, attics, or family keepsakes, bathrooms usually contain very few sentimental items.

Instead, you'll find things that are easy to make decisions about:

Expired or unused makeup
Old medications (dispose of them safely)
Never or seldom used hair tools
Hotel freebies and samples you'll probably never use
Nearly empty bottles
Products that simply didn't work for you
Products you bought for one specific problem that never got used again.
Worn-out towels or washcloths
Cleaning supplies you forgot were in there.

Every item you remove makes your daily routine just a little bit easier.

My Challenge for You

With this record-breaking heat keeping many of us indoors, consider spending an hour in your bathroom.

Pull everything out.

Be honest about what you actually use.

Keep the products that support the life you live today—not the one you imagined five years ago.

One drawer.

One cabinet.

One shelf.

That's all it takes to build momentum.

Decluttering doesn't have to happen all at once. Sometimes it starts with something as simple as researching a skincare product—and ends with a bathroom that finally supports the life you're living today.

You might be surprised by how much lighter the space feels.

I know I was.