It's time to give all your towels the once-over. Do some need to be recategorized as rags? Then relocate them to your rag supply (you do have a rag supply, right?). Some you just never use? Donate them to an animal shelter. Stack like towels together, and in just a few minutes, your towel storage will look like new.

Now step back and take in your newly organized bathroom! Every morning will be a pleasure when you can reach for exactly what you want with nothing else in the way.

I'm a firm believer in a minimalistic bathroom countertop. I keep only a soap dish and a small dish for hair elastics. Everything else is put away. Since the counter is the first thing you and your guests see, having it clear can make the whole room feel cleaner and more peaceful. If there are things you must keep here, placing them all neatly in a tray can make a big difference.

Open that bathroom drawer you use daily. Are there things you never use? It's time for them to go. If you haven't already, I suggest using drawer organizers (in the kitchen section of Bed, Bath and Beyond or theContainer Store). To skip a trip to the store, use shoebox lids, checkbook boxes, and jewelry gift boxes as great building blocks of a customized organization system. Discard the hair brushes you shudder at the thought of using and all that dried-up nail polish. Hairbrushes in good condition can be cleaned in the top rack of the dishwasher.

Cabinets can be an even bigger collecting place for products you never use. Remove what you know you won't use and store your extras here. If you don't already, I recommend always having on hand the next tube of toothpaste, bottle of shampoo and anything else you may run out of. Keep all these things in one bin, so you know exactly where to look when the time comes.

A well organized medicine cabinet contains only things you use regularly. Take just five minutes to remove expired medications. Store all rarely used items in a container in a bathroom cabinet or closet.

Is your shower cluttered with a dozen bottles? Your medicine cabinet jammed with expired medicines? Your bathroom's drawers and cabinets piled high with things from yesteryear?

It's ok! You're normal! And you don't have to clear it all out in a day. Each area can take just minutes and be done on different days.

Literally and figuratively. George Carlin brilliantly describes our tendency to acquire and hold onto "stuff." It's funny, and hits, uh, home. Sometimes it feels good to laugh at ourselves: http://youtu.be/MvgN5gCuLac

This is an interesting TED talk by Adam Baker about how we can use far less stuff than we're used to. Frankly, I think it's a bit extreme, but the concept is inspiring and invited me to rethink the things I keep. How far will you go? Let me know if you're inspired into action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XRPbFIN4lk

Are you taking a trip this summer? Road trip or air travel? Either way, with a little up-front work, your vacation can be easier, leaving you more likely to have what you need when you're away from home.
 
Hitting the road?
Before you do, take everything out of your car and vacuum and wipe down everything inside. A microfiber cloth and a little water can go a long way (and add a little Armour-All if you want to get fancy). Then put back everything you know you'll need, like jumper cables and other emergency supplies (like roadside flares and a first-aid kit). Other must-haves (even in your everyday life) are paper napkins, plastic utensils, and rags (perfect for catching crumbs in your lap, among other things).

Organizers (seatback model pictured above), available at major retailers or online, make travel essentials accessible to you and your passengers. Once you're on the road, dispose of trash daily so it doesn't pile up, or worse, attract bugs.

Up in the air
If you're traveling by air this summer, every ounce counts. Again, start by emptying your handbag, messenger bag, backpack or briefcase. You'll probably see things you can throw away or file: old receipts, candy wrappers, movie tickets, etc. Next, look for things you know you won't need on your trip, like membership cards for local stores. Consider using a smaller bag. If you're using a larger bag, consider using an organizer inside to find smaller objects quickly. I use one in my airplane tote bag, and it's fantastic. Also, I recommend a very small bag for the day of travel that holds nothing more than your wallet and mobile phone. Everything else can be in a larger carry-on. Also consider using a bag that closes securely with a zipper or snap and with a strap long enough to go across your body so pickpockets can't easily grab it.
 
What's in your wallet?
One more place to reduce bulk. Pull out all those old receipts, business cards from people you met months ago, and membership cards you won't be using. You can likely do with far less than you're carrying now, at least while you're out of town.