”Mom, can you put my hair up in a ponytail?”The girls would inevitably ask this just as we were about to walk out the door. I’d have to drop my purse and keys and traipse upstairs to the bathroom or bedroom, where we stored their hairbrushes, clips and bands.One day I thought how convenient it would be to store that stuff downstairs somewhere. We didn’t have drawer space in the downstairs half-bath, but we did have an extra drawer in our kitchen away from the immediate cooking area.It’s far from the stove, sink or food preparation counters, so I decided to make that the location to store last-minute hair-prep tools.I emptied an under-utilized drawer organizer (office supply type) from a desk and inserted it in one of those kitchen drawers. It worked great to contain and separate the essential items: The brushes fit in the longest section; clips, bobby pins, and hair bands in the smaller squares. We also store Chapstick and lip gloss in one of the slots, and a small container of hand lotion in another.Although not hair related, I also drop into the last slot those little items that show up on the floor or under the table and belong elsewhere–earrings, marbles, Playmobil flowers and eating utensils (all of three millimeters long), game pieces like the pink and blue pegs that represent a family in “Life.” That kind of thing. Periodically I scoop those out of the drawer and ask the kids to return them to their boxes. I guess that drawer should be more broadly categorized as “Kid hair care and other small kid-oriented stuff.”Visitors may find it a little odd to see me whip out a hairbrush from a kitchen drawer, but they appreciate it when we can all leave on time–looking presentable.Last-minute hair prep, right where you need it.
Last-Minute Hair Prep
August 22, 2007 by Leave a Comment
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Hey Ann!
I do this too! Although not in such an organized manner as you. I’m going to separate into little groovy boxes when we get home in a few weeks. Thanks for the tip!
Here’s a frugal solution, if you want to save a few bucks: For a while, I just used little boxes that fit in the drawer that were the right height–like the cardboard boxes that checks come in. Or a long, rectangular gift box. Those provided sections and compartments until I realized I had that older, underused desk drawer thing on hand.
I LOVE having the girls’ everyday hair things downstairs too! I don’t have extra drawer space but we keep ours in those pretty sock/tie organizers that you are supposed to use for your bedroom drawers. (I found two in just the right color for my kitchen at a great discount at Filene’s once.) We separate everything by color – combining a few colors such as yellow/orange. That way the girls can easily pick something out and just as easily reorganize it when they put it away.
We keep them on one of the lower shelves of the baker’s rack. They look almost decorative 
and are certainly more handy than being upstairs!
We do the same thing. I have a very small desk in the kitchen where I keep a few extra ponytail holders and a brush for that last minute, “Moooom, my ponytail!!!”
I will admit that the brush spends more time on top of the desk than hidden in the drawer.
We did this, too, except our drawer wasn’t nearly as organized as yours.
I also find that having extra toothbrushes/toothpaste in the little bathroom downstairs is helpful for a last minute swab as we rush out the door.
I had the same problem, but no extra drawer. Which is a great idea.
I bought a square container with an open top, put it on the wall in a corner in the hall.
Have a happy sunday!
we keep a hairbrush and hair bands in a kitchen drawer too! that’s where i do all the little girl hair fixin’.
We finally did the same thing!!! I’m always leaving the house in a sweat (from running around) and so one less trip upstairs to do or redo hair has been wonderful! I put all the girls rubber bands on a carabiner and it keeps them all together and the girls can pull off the color they’d like to wear that day. Our kitchen drawer has a small squirt bottle with water, rubber bands, brush and comb.