An organised bathroom

Creative ways to get that area in your home, that you didn’t know needed organizing, organized and practical.

I have done a lot of articles on bathrooms in the past and I have also done a few on how one should clear the clutter and get your home, cupboards and life organized. But one hardly thinks that a bathroom also needs to be organized from time to time. This is not necessarily due to the fact that your bathroom is not a neat area – it is just that a well organized bathroom can be so much more practical and useful than one gives it credit for. The trick is to think about your bathroom in a practical way and organize it around your lifestyle and routine.

Here are a few useful hints for organizing an ordinary bathroom into a practical paradise:

Get it sorted!

One must always start at the beginning for a project to be successful. The first thing you have to do is unpack your bathroom cupboard and get the content sorted out. It is also important to clear the bathroom counter and any other storage place inside your bathroom:

• Get rid of empty / nearly empty (if you don’t use it anymore) bottles and containers.
• Get rid of the things that you don’t need anymore.
• Decide which items are really necessary in the bathroom and which items would rather go better somewhere else. Your make-up could for instance rather be stored in the drawer of your dressing table and a cupboard with general cleaning products in the kitchen is better than having them in the bathroom.

Get it cleaned up!

It is important to wipe down all the items that you will be keeping in the bathroom when you are busy sorting the cupboard. This way you will ensure that you don’t put a dirty, sticky bottle back into your new, well organized cupboard.
Also ensure that you clean your bathroom cupboard, counter and any other storage area thoroughly before you start planning the layout of your new bathroom.

Get planning

Yes, like with any other DIY-action you attempt, planning is also an essential part of getting your bathroom organized. Think about your daily routine when you are in the bathroom and also about what irritates you most and what troubles you encounter. Plan to organize your bathroom in such a way that it causes you less frustration and makes you feel better organized. A good example of clever organization in the bathroom is to ensure that you store items you use on a daily basis in the front of your cupboard and not at the back, where it is difficult to reach and you have to unpack the entire cupboard to get what you want. Try not to display bottles of cream and shampoo you never use on your counter top, when something more practical could have been well in your reach when you needed to use it.

Get it stored away!

Sometimes it is more practical to organize your bathroom cupboard by storing small items such as nail clippers, razors, scissors, brushes, combs, etc. in a container that will fit into your cupboard. You can even get creative and label each container, so everyone knows where to find these items. Another clever option is to store each member of the household’s personal bathroom items in a different colour container.
Containers also do not have to be stored in the cupboard. You get lovely baskets and other storage solutions that could actually benefit the appearance of your bathroom and also make it a more practical, well organized space. You can also fit your entire cupboard and drawers with different storage units; this will ensure that nothing is placed in the wrong spot.

Get it hooked!

One of my pet hates is not being able to reach the towel when I want to get out of the bath or shower. It is therefore important to me that towels are placed well in reach of the tub and / or shower. This can be achieved by having a shelf with neatly folded towels or by installing hooks for the towels to be hung over. The latter is usually a better option because towels can be hung out afterward to dry and is not left in a pile on the ground or washing basket. Hooks against the wall or behind the door is also an ideal storage place for robes and it takes up less space than towel racks and shelves – remember you do not want your bathroom to appear small and cluttered.

Get it decorated!

Less is more when it comes to decorating the bathroom. It is honestly not an area where you want a lot of things standing around. Be very careful that when you decorate you do not go over the top and make your space seem cluttered and overcrowded. A decorative toilet paper roll holder (aside from the one that is in use and should be next to the toilet for easy access) at the back on top of the toilet can add charm to you bathroom and is also practical in the fact that guests won’t run out of toilet paper if you replace it regularly. You can also have a wall mounted toilet paper roll holder to save space. Although a few nice decorations in the bathroom can make quite a statement, try not to overdo it because you do not want to end up with a counter full of ornaments and frustration because there is no space to put necessities. When decorating also ensure that you stick to the colour scheme – you would be amazed at the nice atmosphere it creates when the hand soap, toilet spray and even the cotton buds blend in with the colour of your bathroom.

Other useful hints:

• Move medicine to the kitchen, it is a safer option to store it out of reach.
• Use a hand soap dispenser for cleaning hands. Filling them is easy and less germs and mess is created.
• Install a basket in the shower/bath to hold the shampoos and other products. There are a variety of styles on the market.
• Always look out for new accessories and sanitary ware – visit …

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