The bathroom, generally the smallest room in your house, is also the most used. Due to its small size and heavy traffic, bathrooms are notoriously difficult to keep clean and organized. From bathing to brushing your teeth, this little room sees a lot of action. And with everything going on in there, it’s no wonder that it’s also one of the most cluttered, and according to a recent study, one of the most germ-filled places in your home (If you’re wondering, the toilet bowl tops this list with an average of 3.2 million bacteria per square inch. Even the bathroom counter ranks high, beating out your trashcans by quite a bit). Before you get too grossed out, though, here are some helpful tips you can use to keep your bathroom clean, uncluttered, and looking great. You might even be able to get rid of some of those germs while you’re at it.
1. Take inventory
If you’ve been reading previous articles, you’ve probably spotted a pattern here. Every cleaning/organization project should start by determining where you’re at and planning out where you want to be. Just like trying to find your way without a map, it’s very tough to get organized without a plan. The bathroom is no different. Start by taking inventory of what is in your bathroom. Once you know what is there, you can start to figure out the best way to proceed.
2. Control the Clutter
A bathroom is one room where things can get cluttered fast. Since you are constantly using hair care and grooming products, they often end up strewn across the counter. The next step is to get rid of the items that are no longer needed. This covers a wide variety of items from make-up or lotion you haven’t used in six months to expired medication. After you’ve gotten rid of unnecessary items, consider using plastic tubs or baskets to load your supplies in. These containers can be stored under the counter and taken out when needed and will keep everything a little more organized.
3. Improve Your Storage
Efficient storage in your bathroom comes down to knowing how to maximize the space you have available. Even in very small bathrooms, there is usually enough space to store your essential bathroom belongings if you know where to look for them. You can even use decor to store essentials, check out our guide on how to decorate a bathroom for more ideas. Try out some of these storage ideas to help you improve your bathroom storage:
• Only store what you use daily on or under the counter
• Store like items together
• Organize your medicine cabinet with things that you use often
• Use hooks on the back of a door for towels or robes
• Use a shower caddie to store shampoos, soap, and other necessary items in the shower
• Use drawer organizers for loose items like jewelry
• Use over cabinets to store toilet paper, cleaning supplies, or towels
4. Keep on Cleaning
The most important part of keeping your bathroom clean and organized is to clean it frequently. Experts on the subject recommend cleaning the bathroom at least once per week. More frequent cleaning may be necessary, however, for heavily used bathrooms.
