Wondering how to organise a bathroom? You’re in the right place! Use these easy steps to organise your bathroom once and for all. We talk about the top 10 things that you should think about when organising the space. You really CAN make the bathroom work hard for you by following these steps and thinking about how you live and what you do there.
Let’s take a minute to think about your bathroom.
What 3 words spring to mind when you do?
Ideally you’ve answered things like SANCTUARY, PEACEFUL, RELAXING or SPA LIKE.
But in practise it’s much more likely to be words like FUNCTIONAL, UNINSPIRING, CHAOTIC, ALWAYS NEEDS A WIPE – etc….
If you’re like the majority of the population, you probably don’t think about your family bathroom as a sanctuary where you love to go and shower/bathe in peace.
You may have an ensuite where you can feel calmer – but this post aims to help you feel that way about the main bathroom in your home – and I can’t wait for you to try these 10 bathroom organising tips I’m going to share.
Once you’ve decluttered and have exactly what you really need in the space, you can organise it in a way that makes it a pleasure each and every day.
Sounds good, right!
And the news gets even better – it’s relatively easy to learn how to organise a bathroom and set up systems that the whole family can easily follow – because of the nature of the space.
I really hope that the following 10 tips will get you inspired!
How To Organise A Bathroom – In 10 Easy Steps
#1 – Get Rid Of The Old
Although decluttering comes before you organise a space, I still want to include decluttering as the first tip in this list, mainly because it never hurts to do a quick purge before the organising starts.
Simply get everything out of any cupboards or drawers (or off any surfaces) so you can see clearly what you have.
TIP – Group like with like, so that you can see exactly what you have of what type of item.
Then, start to declutter the obvious things like empty bottles, anything that’s out of date, and anything no-one actually uses.
The good news is that bathrooms are really quite easy to declutter.
Most bathrooms have more in them than is required, as people often open new products when they can’t find the old ones, or if they get a new product that they want to try.
BUT they very often don’t collect items from around the house as is the tendency with other rooms.
Yes, they usually have an excess of bathroom products, but ONLY bathroom products, so its easy to not get distracted by other things when you get started.
The aim here is to make your bathroom more of a place that you feel good about being in, and a space that works for everyone who uses it.
These tips will help you to do this by making it a room where you can easily find everything, dealing with storage, creating systems for everyone who uses it, and much more – so let’s get going, shall we!
#2 – Decide On What You Need
When it comes to organising a space, very often we forget to ask what we actually need in the space to begin with.
It sounds like a silly question, but when you ask this question you really do get clarity about what you need to organise, and what can be changed to a different place.
All too often we live with the same things in each room, without really questioning whether it’s the right place for them, and that’s when organising can become harder than it needs to be.
For example – do you need to have ALL your toilet rolls stored there, or the toiletries from everyone in the family?
Some quick ways to take some of the items out of your bathroom that are needed, but not required to keep in the bathroom itself, are: –
- If you have a large family, it may be a better idea to have a small basket with their own toiletries in, that can be carried in and out when they are using it. This is especially useful when storage space is low or the bathroom is small, and for families with older children who may be protective over their own items.
- Can you store excess products in a utility room / garage until needed? This may be a great idea anyway as it can stop people opening new products before old ones are finished (a real bug bear!).
- Another way of creating less to organise, and streamlining things, is to get everyone using the same products, then there is one of each on show and spare in the cupboard. This would be the ideal, but rarely happens with people having different hair/skin types etc….
#3 – Get Some Storage
So – you’ve decided exactly what you need to have in the bathroom, and got rid of the rest (whether that be in the bin or into another space in your house) – next is to find a way to store the items that are left in the best way possible.
Whatever size your bathroom is, you CAN get some storage in it.
Some options, depending on the size of the space and your budget, are: –
- Fitted furniture
- Shelving
- Cupboards
- Storage Units (freestanding)
- Storage Mirror
- Towel Rails
- Shower Caddy
- Under sink storage
- Baskets
- Pots
- The inside of cupboard doors (add corkboard or a magnetic sheet, or hooks)
Make sure that you think about using the full space available as well – including the height of the room, behind the door, above the door, under the bath, under the sink etc….
Always remember to know what you want to store in the space before you go out and buy storage – because you’ll make the best use of the space when you think about the depth and height of your items.
I find that a shallow cupboard that’s floor to ceiling height is one of the best ideas, because you can easily see what’s what (nothing is hidden too far back), and everyone can have their own shelf! You can also make the shelves the right heights for each item you are storing – so you maximise the space as much as possible.
Really look closely at the space you have – you may be surprised at what you find!
TIP – If you still find that storage space is limited, then you have to be even more strict about what you actually house in there permanently and try and place only the frequently used items in the space that they are actually needed. (i.e. have a shower caddy for shampoo and conditioner, and a container for toothbrushes by the sink)
TIP – If you’re storing cleaning items in this room as well, try and ensure that they are out of reach of little children. A high cupboard works perfectly as then everything is also out of sight. (This is also the same for medicine if kept in the bathroom) If you have the storage, then have a set of cleaning products in each bathroom/toilet – this will save time when it comes to cleaning, and you will also have the products on hand should you need them quickly
{ Related: Bathroom Storage – Why you should go UNDER the sink }
#4 Colour Code
Right – we now have the right stuff in the space, and the right storage too.
It’s now time to answer that question of how to organise a bathroom – with some practical solutions to get some systems in place to really make it functional and working hard for you.
One system that works really well (especially for larger families) is a colour coded system.
Each family member picks a different colour, and then they have everything in that colour: –
- Towels
- Toothbrush
- Storage Container
- etc….
This makes knowing whose is whose SO much easier, and will quickly enable you to see who is leaving things lying there without tidying up.
TIP – This works really well for smaller children as it gives them a sense of ownership and independence.
#5 – Have A Schedule
If you only have one bathroom in the house, set up a rota for who uses it and when. This will simply save queueing and arguments – which is especially useful in the mornings.
The best way of doing this is to work with each persons needs – i.e. someone who has to be out of the house for 7am needs priority over someone who can leave at 8am.
This will simply save wasted energy and stress – anyone who lives with people will understand!
Also – to help with cleaning, ensure that every member of the family wipes down the bathroom when they have finished – that they open the window or turn the fan on, and that they tidy up after themselves. This only takes a few minutes but makes it much nicer for the next person.
{ Related: 6 Tips to Create a Bathroom Schedule that Everyone in the Family Will Use }
#6 – The Laundry Issue…
Try and keep your laundry out of the bathroom if possible – as this can get very damp in the environment, and can be bulky in the space as well.
I prefer to have a basket in each persons’ room, or at the least one larger one in a central space.
It’s also easier for all members of the family to put items in the wash basket when it’s in an accessible place (not behind a locked door in the morning for example). We have one outside the bathroom on the landing which works well.
#7 – Be Guest Ready
If you’ve got a guest bathroom then it’s always a good idea to have extra sets of all toiletries and towels ready to go in the space.
This means you aren’t leaving guests without things they may need, and you don’t have to search for them at the last minute.
But – if you don’t have a separate bathroom, then it’s worth getting into the habit of keeping all personal items out of sight in your main bathroom.
Remember that you don’t know when someone may have to use your bathroom – so make it GUEST READY whenever possible.
#8 – Be Ready To Go
If you or any of your family members are often out and about, it’s definitely worth having a complete set of toiletries in a bag that can be easily grabbed.
This can be such a time saver when heading away for the weekend, or to the gym etc….. (and can be a great backup for when you run out at home – I didn’t say that though!!!).
#9 – Bathroom Safety
Not the most glamorous part of organising a bathroom – but the most important – especially when you have kids around.
There are so many items that can cause damage if in the wrong hands.
Think about where you store things, and who can access them: –
- Razors
- Medicine
- Cleaning products
- Electrical items
Also think about things like slipping on the floor, shower, getting out the bath etc… Ensure that you have the right mats in each space so that when these areas are wet they aren’t an accident waiting to happen.
#10 – Create A Spa Feel
Last but definitely not least is to make the space feel great. Some ideas for quick and easy changes are: –
- If your towels are on show, then fold them like the shops do it – that way you will get a much more pleasing look to any piles of towels around, but also it will be easier to find what you need and only get one at a time.
- Have some candles, plants, decorative items on show – one or two make all the difference
- Ensure you wash the floor mats and towels regularly
- Wipe down all surfaces after each use – so every time you enter the space it feels clean
- Have a nice air freshener in the space. I am currently LOVING this Poo Pourri** – Yes – it’s sprayed into the toilet when you are doing your business, and stops the room smelling. It’s a great idea and really makes a difference!
- Use the nice stuff! – If you’re saving some toiletries for a special occasion – that time is NOW – you’ll feel great, and chances are if you store them away you’ll forget about them until they’re past their best.
I hope that you now know exactly how to organise a bathroom, and are ready to get started on your own space.
Remember, the main idea is to keep as little in it as possible.
How easy would you find it to wipe all the surfaces daily when you have to pick up 7 bottles of shampoo, conditioner, bath foam, shower gel etc…. every time, and how relaxing would that be to look at?
It doesn’t take a look to make a huge difference to this space, so pick one of these tips and get started right now – you won’t regret it!
In fact, when you’ve followed these ideas to organise your bathroom, you will find that it’s easier to have a quick shower, it’s more relaxing to have a long bath, and it takes less time to keep the space clean. What more could you ask for!
…. if you’re ready to get even more organising in the bathroom, then creating a bathroom schedule that everyone can use (without arguments) is the ideal next step – read it right here.…
