Organizing the Master Bathroom

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Today, we are organizing the master bathroom. We’re over halfway through this free series on how to get an organized, and you should be seeing some magnificent changes in your home.

Now, you might be wondering why we need a separate day’s entry about organizing the master bathroom.

That’s because it’s your space. See, when organizing guest bathrooms or the kids’ bathroom, we focused on making those areas easy for them to use.

For the bathroom that you use, let’s make it bathroom a hassle-free place to get ready as well as a comforting, spa-like room where you can retreat and unwind.

If you’re just starting this program, here’s the introduction to this 30-day series on how to get an organized and clean house. You’ll find links to all of the previous days’ missions there, along with an explanation of how this plan works.

Every day’s mission has four parts to it:
Remove Clutter
Organize It
Clean It
Keep It Clean

So, let’s ROCK your bathroom, shall we?

Remove Clutter

Removing clutter from the bathroom involves tossing trash, sorting your stuff, and rehoming things that don’t belong. The idea is to pare down what you’re keeping in the bathroom so you can find what you need when you need it.

As a bonus, you’ll find the bathroom is much easier to clean when you’re done.

Toss:

Now, by “trash” there’s the obvious stuff — empty shampoo containers or bath bomb wrappers, for example. But don’t stop there.

Anything broken.
Expired non-prescription medication. (Expired prescriptions should be taken to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.)
Ratty, stained washcloths or towels.
Bath “poufs” or loofahs older than a month. (Here’s why.)
Dull razors.
Toiletries that are almost empty. (Combine with others if you can.)
Expired makeup. (Here’s how long it’s good for.)

Sort:

Spread a towel on the floor and start dumping the contents of your cupboards and drawers. As you do, group things by function:

Toiletries (shampoos, conditioners, soaps)
Dental supplies (toothpaste, floss, spare toothbrushes)
Bath products (bath bombs, bubble bath, salts or oils)
Moisturizers (face, body, hand)
Makeup
Nail polish and nail grooming tools
Hair products, brushes, and styling tools
Cleaning supplies
Tissue (toilet paper, facial tissue)
First aid supplies (and prescription medication)
Feminine hygiene products

Relocate:

Chances are, you have duplicates of several items. Your bathroom is not the best place to store duplicates of things except a few spare rolls of toilet paper.

Distribute or donate those duplicates. Do you need them in other bathrooms? If not, move them to wherever you keep backup supplies. Unopened duplicates of grooming products you don’t like can be sold on eBay and are also welcome donations to homeless or women’s shelters.

Move the medicines, too. Bathrooms are NOT a suitable storage place for medication and first aid supplies since heat and humidity can destroy their effectiveness. Put them in a dark, cool cupboard elsewhere in the house where neither kids nor pets can reach them.

Organize It

Organizing the master bathroom combines using space efficiently with creating a serene place (which also happens to be easier to clean).

Clear that countertop. Don’t confuse functionality with having everything right to hand on the counter. That’s what leads to clutter creep and makes cleaning bathroom surfaces a hassle.

Or corral the stuff. If a clear countertop is too minimalist for your style, think about storing only what you use every morning in a washable tray or even a tiered bathroom organizer that makes use of vertical space above the counter, too.

Consider how often you use things. Prioritize your use of cabinet and drawer space based on how often you need to find a thing.

Assign a drawer or space for things that you and your partner share, like toothpaste and hand soap.
Keep the rest of your items in a separate drawer or cupboard so your spouse doesn’t rummage through them. Even separate open caddies work, too — just make sure they’re washable.
Tuck things you only need now and then (e.g., feminine hygiene products or cleaning supplies) in their own container toward the back of your cabinet.
Repackage anything that takes up too much space. That half-empty bottle of mouthwash on the counter, for instance, looks better in a swing-top bottle. So do many bubble baths or bath oils.

Turn empty space into storage. If you’re short on cupboards, turn your walls into storage space.

A shelf above the door, for instance, can hold an attractive covered basket filled with your duplicate toiletries.
Floating wall shelves like these provide space for bath products and other items.
Mount wire baskets on the wall above the tub to hold extra washcloths and towels.
A storage unit with glass doors installed over the commode creates a discrete spot for spare rolls of toilet paper and additional cupboard space, too.

Clean It

Clean your bathroom cupboards and drawers while they’re empty, then store things using the tips above. Don’t stop there, though.

Give your bathroom ceiling and walls a quick dusting, along with the baseboards.
Scrub the sinks, vanity, toilet, tub, and shower using a homemade bathroom disinfectant containing your favorite essential oils for fragrance.
Polish the mirror, light fixtures (make sure they’re cool) and faucets so they gleam.
Sweep or vacuum the floor then mop it. This homemade floor cleaner leaves a streak-free shine.

Give it the ahhhh of a spa.

A minimalist approach to bathroom decor helps give it that spa-like feeling. That said, there are a few lovely things that I use to make my bathroom feel like a luxurious retreat.

An expandable bamboo caddy over the tub makes reading in the bath a true pleasure. (Like to read on your phone or iPad? Slip them into a plastic ziplock bag!)
Flickering candles are lovely but contribute to allergies and indoor air pollution. I switched to this LED candle set and use rechargeable batteries to get the same look. The remote makes “lighting” them so simple.
Give your feet a cozy spot to stand on with this washable, antibacterial bath mat. (Read more about how to wash bathroom rugs.)
Don’t forget the power of plants! Even if you don’t have a green thumb, air plants will give your bathroom a luxurious look and they thrive in the moist air.

Keep it Clean

Keeping areas that we’ve already ROCKed from turning into disaster zones takes 10-15 more minutes. No matter how tired you are, don’t skip this step — it’s the key to breaking the clean/clutter cycle!

This isn’t about re-cleaning things, it’s about resetting them. Go through the areas we’ve already ROCKed to throw away trash and put away things left out of place.

Entryway and coat closet: Make sure everything is hung up and shoes aren’t collecting near the front door.

Dining table:Wipe it and tuck in those chairs.

Kitchen: Put things away and wipe the countertops. Give the sink a quick scrub.

Family room/living room: Straighten pillows, throw blankets, and stuff on tables.

Bathrooms: Wipe sink faucets and basins, toilet seats, and toilet rims. Change towels if needed.

Kids’ rooms: Have them put away any clothes and toys that are out of place.

Your dresser and closet: Put your clothes away neatly.

See You Tomorrow

We’ll be organizing your bedroom tomorrow and giving it a good cleaning, too. Until then, come join our Do Home Better Group on Facebook and show off the pile of clutter you purged from your bathroom today!