Over the years of moving and settling a new home, I have discovered I really enjoy taking areas in my home and organizing them to create a clutter free space. I was listening to a podcast awhile back and the host discussed a variety of methods to organizing and where to start in a home. A tip I picked up and appreciate was to start in the bathroom because it is a small space that is used daily. Today, I’m going to share a few of my top tips to help you conquer clutter in your bathroom.
Clear off the counter top
Have you ever noticed how you feel when you walk into a room at a hotel? Having a visually clear counter top is visually calming because it has less for the brain to process when entering a room. Additionally, the bathroom at a hotel has only the essential items in the location you use them such as the soap and shampoo are typically located in the shower. Personally, I have revisited tidying my counter in the RV time and time again. Finding a way to keep counter clutter to a minimum will help create a clear mental space as you start your day.
Ask yourself what items you use daily and what you want to have on the counter, versus putting away in a cabinet. When my husband is home, he prefers to have his contact solution on the counter. When he is away at work, I tuck these items in the cabinet to keep the counter more tidy. For us, we have only a few items on the counter, including a small caddy in the corner with our toothpaste and a few other daily-use items. I found that we constantly needed tissues handy, so I added a box of them to the counter.
Another way to keep the counter tidy is to have a basket for items involved in a daily routine like your facewash and lotion. Take the items used in your facewash routine and tuck them into a basket so you can easily pull out the basket, use the items, and tuck the basket away in a cabinet when you’re done. Voila! Easy step to keep things tucked away, yet easy to pull out for daily use.
Organizational caddies
On my bathroom counter, I have one small, rectangular caddy for our toothpaste, hairbrush, and electric razor. This is a small, square container I actually found in at either Wal-Mart or Target. I find some of my best containers for these needs in either the office, bathroom, or kitchen section of these stores. Often a makeup brush holder also makes a great toothpaste holder as well pictured here:
I have shifted my space over time and changed it up as needed. As you play around with your space, find an item that fits your daily needs and keeps the counter looking tidy. There are lots of options to put things in so that the space looks clean, yet you have all the items you might need in your morning routine at your fingertips.
In addition to keeping the counter tidy, I have found that having a home for everything in my medicine cabinet is crucial. Since our home is on wheels and we move often, I have small baskets inside my cabinets to keep the contents intact on travel days. I have found that mail or letter holders help to keep things like sunscreen, extra toothpaste, and similar items tidy as well as easily located for when I need them.
I use essential oils, so I added a nail polish rack on the wall inside my medicine cabinet so I could easily access the oils frequently. I also use a lipstick holder container to hold individual oils on medicine cabinet shelf so the kids can reach what they need.
Toothbrush Organization
When we moved into the RV, out of necessity we began to maximize storage solutions in a small space. More recently, we decided to get a toothbrush holder that sticks on to the wall. We LOVE it! It is low profile, convenient for the kids to get to, and ensures that everyone’s toothbrush has a home.
There’s a variety of options on the market, but a quick Amazon search allowed me to browse the options and find one that would work for our needs and space. Previously, I had a makeup brush holder that fit the toothpaste and toothbrush for each child on the counter. As I was working to clear the clutter off our bathroom countertop, I came across this solution and we like it much better.
Auxiliary Storage
Items such as extra toilet paper, soap, etc. I store in the cabinet below my bathroom sink. This allows the items to be easily accessed and also makes it easy for me to do inventory if I’m running low on an item. Just like an auxiliary fuel tank in an airplane, it’s important to have extra supplies on hand when needed. I find that having items in the space I’m using them, it is easier for the kiddos know where to look, and I can keep inventory on items easily without running all over the house to find a spare roll of toilet paper when I’m out in the bathroom.
Organization is truly a process of thinking through what you need and where it should go. I always try to share my thought process when teaching others to organize because I started my organizational journey a beginner and have grown tremendously over time. As I have shared in my first organizational post HERE, things should make sense. The coffee pot should go near the coffee items such as the filter, coffee, and coffee cups. Try to think about what items you use and where they should go to be most convenient as you use them.
Have you experienced a clutter free counter? How do you feel in that space?
Signing off,
-BG Barnstormer