I Put This Freezer Staple in My Bathroom Instead for Practical Storage

My apartment isn’t all that small, aside from the bathroom. With virtually no built-in storage, my tiny countertop easily becomes a chaotic mess of toiletries, cotton swabs, floss picks, nail clippers, and eye drops no matter how often I tidy up. For the longest time, I thought that’s just how it would always be. Then, inspiration struck in the most unexpected place: my local gym.

In the locker room, I noticed that they had set out a large silicone ice cube tray to organize small amenities like tampons, safety pins, and hair ties. It reminded me of how my mom uses ice cube trays to organize jewelry at home, so storing bathroom items in them instead made total sense to me. As soon as I got home I pulled out two big, square four-slot silicone ice cube trays meant for whiskey and cocktails, and put them to work as open-top bathroom vanity organizers. 

This unexpected bathroom storage solution is so practical and easy, I wish I’d known about it sooner. I laid the four-compartment silicone trays flat along my bathroom counter. The oversized, deep square wells are the perfect size to corral small bathroom essentials, like nail clippers, grooming scissors, eye drops, contact lens cases, hair ties, eyeliners, and more. 

This is such a brilliant hack because silicone ice cube trays are budget-friendly, super-easy to clean, and incredibly versatile. The wide, low-profile wells keep my tiny items neatly sorted without hiding them deep in a drawer or taking up valuable vertical counter space. 

Bathroom counters naturally get wet and collect dust and hair, but because silicone ice cube trays are waterproof, you can easily rinse them off under the tap or in the dishwasher when needed. In addition to the bathroom, these trays work just as well in work-from-home desk drawers for office supplies or on nightstands for jewelry. You could just as easily pop them into a bathroom drawer or medicine cabinet for storage if they fit, too.

Repurposing these nonstick silicone ice trays cost me nothing and took just a few minutes to set up, completely clearing my trickiest bathroom counter clutter. They’re affordable, reusable, and come in tons of colors, shapes, and sizes, so you’re sure to find ones that work for your space. If your vanity is feeling a bit unruly, give this quick kitchen swap a try.