The Brilliant Reason I Put a Bread Box in My Bathroom (You’ll Want One Too!)
When it comes to organizing, sometimes you’ve got to think outside of the box — that’s where some of the best ideas are. For example, using a lid organizer to hang bags and belts in your closet, or a magazine holder to sort produce in your fridge. Last year I discovered all of the brilliant ways to use a humble bread box to organize things all around the home, but I didn’t really get the magic of it until I did it myself.
I feel like I’m on a never-ending quest to better organize my tiny bathroom, but this might be the missing puzzle piece I’ve been looking for. A few months back, I got a stainless steel bread box at the office that someone was giving away, and for a while I wasn’t sure what to do with it. Use it for craft supplies? Hide my cord clutter? Store actual bread in it? But when I put it in my bathroom as my makeshift “medicine cabinet,” I instantly knew that was the perfect solution.
Visual clutter can really make a room look smaller — and, as you can see, my bathroom was full of it. By using the bread box to hide items I didn’t want out in the open (medicine, prescriptions, contacts, cough drops, ointments, toothpaste, and more), it offers less for the eye to look at and creates a sleeker storage area.
The silver bread box’s roll-top lid slides open effortlessly to reveal my medicine, and closes silently with minimal effort. It also keeps my cat out of these potentially dangerous items (and if I had small children, it would keep them out of it too). It’s great for when guests come over, and it also keeps my medications in a cool, dry, aerated space (there are ventilation holes on the back of the box), which is where they should be.
While I was lucky enough to snag mine for free, you can get the same one at the Container Store; it measures 17 inches wide, 11 inches long, and 7 inches tall. You can find similar ones on Amazon, or you might stop by your local thrift store for a secondhand version for even less.
There are dozens of reasons and ways to use bread boxes for storage all around the home, but my personal favorite? I honestly just think it’s a stylish, space-age vessel that I’m actually proud to have on display. While we’re on the topic of sleek storage: Check out my new YouCopia Hideaway Counter Caddy on the top right of my above-toilet rack. I love that it offers contained storage and a flat platform to put bottles and serums. Stay tuned for my next bathroom organizing adventure!
Buy: Stainless Steel Bread Box, $37.99