The Big, Bad Family Bathroom
As you know the bathroom is one of the most important places to keep organized. Your life begins the day in the bathroom and ends the day there too.
A good place to start is by removing all products from surfaces, shower, cupboards, drawers and shelves. This is important so you can really take inventory of everything you have and it helps you to clearly see if you might be missing something. After you have taken inventory, it is time to declutter.
Start with all products that are expired (hint: the little box on the back of products that has a number with an “M” at the end of it that tells you how many months that product lasts once opened) Ensure you write a list of the products you are discarding that you will need to purchase the next time you are at the grocery store. Declutter everything you have been holding on to thinking you might use or need in the future. If you haven’t used it in the past 6 months your most likely never going to and if its not opened and still within its expiration date, consider donating it to your local women’s shelter or your local buy nothing group which can be found on Facebook.
Next, group all like products together. Doing this will ensure your bathroom routines go quickly and smoothly. You can even take this to the next level and put together a shower caddy for your family. This step will help keep products from cluttering up your shower and keeps soap scum from building up on your shower products. You can find shower caddies at your local Walmart or Bed Bath and Beyond. If possible, decant hand soap into a nice clear soap container and put on a nice tray.
Now that you have grouped all like items together you can start putting them back into their designated spots. I find keeping products as close to the area that you use them ensures a good a good daily flow to your organization style. I prefer using clear acrylic bins for this step but you can use whichever kind of bin suits your style. If you have deep shelves, put items you have multiples of at the very back behind your bins.
On to labelling. Labelling ensures all your family and friends know where to grab and return products. A label maker can be an essential tool but only as long as the label is clearly written. Any labeling system is good that suits your organizational system. Labeling also removes 100 excuses from others that you might hear on “where do I put this” or “I didn’t know where it went so I left it there”.
Tip: keep as little as possible on the counter tops except essential items. If possible keep a hand towel or face cloth close to or right beside the sink to ensure drops of water don’t get tracked over the floor and counters. This keeps your bathroom the beautiful sanctuary it should always be.
After you have decluttered, organized and labeled the biggest issue that brings down any organizational system you have created is follow through. Be sure to put the time into keeping up on your system and it will stay organized.
Melanie McConnell is a Professional Organizer and the owner of Mello Spaces. She helps busy professionals and parents get the organized home of their dreams. Check out her website www.mellospaces.com and follow her on Instagram: @mellospaces
Florena Davies is a Professional Organizer and Owner of Organize by Flo. She uses her experience as a wife and mother of 2 to create real life organizational systems and changes for work and home that allow our 2 worlds to co-exist and 'Flo" together. Check out her website at https://www.organizebyflo.com/ and on Instagram @organizebyflo.
Marybeth Welty is a Professional Organizer, Interior Designer, and Mindful Living Coach, and is the owner of Sustainable Lifestyle Solutions. She helps her clients create a calm, organized, and sustainable home and the life of their dreams by utilizing refined design principles, organizing best practices, mental wellness strategies, and a holistic lifestyle approach to sustainability. You can connect with her at www.sustainablelifestylesolutions.com and on Instagram at @this_sustainable_lifestyle.