Chapter 7: Bathrooms

Now, when I say bathrooms I mean to include linen closets that could be in the hallway as well. Do one bathroom at a time. Some of you will have very large rooms and others extremely tiny. Regardless, it is important to keep clutter from these rooms. Not only your family uses the bathroom in your house, but company, repair people, possibly property owners when fixing things, just about everyone who visits your home.

This is the one of the rooms where it is okay to have a throw rug, even if there is no stain you wish to cover. Before you start reducing clutter, be sure to pick up our throw rugs and get your boxes ready. You need the same boxes for this room. (Sell, donate, storage, put away in another room, put away in this room) If you have a vanity with a lot of stuff, simply put it all in the "put away in this room" box right away.

Wipe off counters, clean all surfaces and begin with the first thing to the left when entering the room. Sort things from top to bottom and clean as you go so you can put things away in a new clean home. If you have old worn towels, they can be moved to the garage for use as rags or cleaning the dog. Alternatively, you really could throw them away.

If your shower curtain has seen better days try washing it in the washing machine with some vinegar and if that does not work, replace it. When putting things back on vanity, only replace the things that you use every single day. It would be best if you could put most items in a drawer or the medicine cabinet. If you have room in your bathroom, there are all kinds of containers with drawers either with wheels or without wheels. Remember our purpose: you need to find a home for every item that you keep.

Now in this room for some reason people tend to overdo it with the "keep" items. Do you really need four hairbrushes? How many toothbrushes do you have? (It is recommended that you keep your toothbrush for three months, just FYI) Okay, I can see keeping one by your laundry area for scrubbing stains and maybe one in your cleaning caddy for getting around tight spots but really that is all you need. Now, of course I mean you need one to brush our teeth, that is a given. In addition, where do you keep the toothbrushes in your house?  Do you keep them in a cup on the counter? Is that location very sanitary?  Maybe consider keeping them in the medicine cabinet so they aren't exposed to everything floating in the air in the bathroom. If you keep them on the sink in a cup or holder, you might want to consider covering them with individual covers designed for this purpose.

Do you have hand soap, bar soap, bath soap? Do you need all three? Do you USE all three? Decide what you really use and don't keep all kinds around just because you think you should. Remember to try to use things that have combined uses when possible. This cuts down on clutter.

Hair accessories! Just how many ponytail holders, scrunchies, headbands, hair clips, bows, etc. do you need? Appoint ONE drawer in a container or in the vanity and keep just what you really use. If you have a hard time with this try the same trick for weeding out the items you do not use. Put all of your hair accessories in a large Ziploc bag or bags and put them under the sink. Every time you use one it can take its place in the designated drawer you now call it home. At the end of six months, toss the rest. (Do not bother donating hair items since most places will not take them.)

What about all of those towels? Hang one towel for people to dry their hands in the bathroom. All other towels go in the linen closet. No, you do not need to keep a towel hanging and use it after every shower. Not only is this clutter, but it is not exactly sanitary. (This is a great way to spread ringworm.) Use a fresh towel for every shower. Why would you take a shower, get clean and then dry off with a dirty towel? Now, you no longer have six towels hanging in the bathroom at all times. It is looking better already!

Of course, you will keep a trashcan in here with a liner. Consider getting a tub toy organizer if you have children who play with toys in the tub. appoint one drawer for hair appliances but only if you use them. If you stopped curling your hair three years ago, why do you still keep your curling iron? I am not asking you to throw away or sell anything you actually use. Keep those things in an organized place.

For every category, you need to assess whether you should keep, sell, store, or pitch. Medicine (I hope you store it in a linen closet and not the bathroom because the bathroom is really too humid.) that you will never use again should be discarded properly. If unsure, ask the pharmacist how long your medication will last. If it is something that you use all the time, call the pharmacist and ask before pitching it. Their computer will tell them the life of the medication, and surprisingly sometimes, it is much longer than you are lead to believe. Nevertheless, do not just assume that your medicine will be okay if it is over a year old. Be sure to call and ask. Some medications can be dangerous if taken past a certain time. Never take chances. Remember that your pharmacist may be very busy so be patient when asking questions.  Makeup expires so do not hang on to it forever. Mascara only lasts 2-3 months, some products last 2 years, but that is about tops.

It really is helpful to have a container with drawers in the bathroom because you can put the hair appliances in the bottom, the makeup in the middle and the hair accessories in the top.

Your linen closet may be multipurpose. You will likely need one shelf for towels and washcloths, one shelf for medications (a higher shelf usually), one shelf for extra products you have on hand, such as shampoo, conditioner, bath soap, extra toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant. These are your “one ahead” products that you should keep on hand so you do not run out. A good rule of thumb that I believe I have mentioned before is to write an item on your grocery list as soon as you open the last one. This way you never run out. You may also have to have a cleaning product shelf in here if you have no other place to put them.

Now, you see what is happening is that you no longer have room for your bedding. Remember that I suggested that you keep your bedding in the room it where it will be used. You can use a drawer, hang it in the closet, use under bed storage drawers or containers, or I have even heard of people storing the extra set of sheets in a pillowcase between the box springs and mattress. As long as it has a place to call home, and it works for you that is what matters.

Under the sink is an area that is different in every house. If you have children, then you have to be careful what you put here. This means nothing that they could ingest. No cleaning products, no shampoo, conditioner, soap! Some people put toilet paper under the sink since that is just about all that is safe. The only problem with that is that if you have a leak it is all ruined.

If you don't have children or grandchildren that visit then this area can be used for either cleaning supplies or that “one ahead” thing you buy to have on hand. However, I caution you that if your visitors have children it just isn't worth the risk.

You have, everything sorted and the room is looking great. You know the drill by now. Take the items to the rooms they belong in, being careful now to put the item exactly where it goes if it has a home in an area you already clutter-busted.

There usually isn't too much to donate from this room, but if you have found some things then take them to the trunk. Did you have to buy many shelves for this room? Let me tell you a secret. I once lived in such a small place that had no room. I had to put a tall bookcase on the back of the toilet and secure it to the wall. It worked wonders until we had to fix the toilet. There is always a way to more storage areas.