General bathroom decluttering

This week, or maybe this month, we’re concentrating on Getting An Organized & Clutter-Free Home for the New Year. Right now we’re looking at bathrooms.

General ideas for decluttering your bathroom:

• While I’m a big fan of consolidating bathroom products to save space, I know that advice like this is hard for some to swallow. Many people love their beauty products. If you’re a beauty product junkie, I can live with that, but your bathroom might not be able to. Don’t store unopened products in the bathroom. If you must have five face creams and four conditioners, only store the items you use currently and daily in the actual bathroom. Place stockpiled products elsewhere – a box under the bed, in the linen closet, etc.
• If you hate a product, toss it, then recycle the bottle. Half used, never to be used again products take up way too much space.
• Use a refillable soap pump vs. slippery soap sitting on the sink (cleaner, less fuss). If you’re really short on space, use a wall mounted pump to free up counters.
• Use family products. When possible, share products vs. every family member having their own products. Even babies can use your shampoo, IF you have a healthy, low fragrance organic type. Instead of bar soap in the shower, get a pump bottle of body wash, and the whole family can use it.
• Keep just four rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom. Put the rest in the linen closet.
• Ditch the paper water cups; not only are these extremely bad in an eco-sense, but the take up lots of space. Teach everyone to use a cupped hand for water OR use small cups as toothbrush storage and water cups (wash each week).
• Consider behind the door towel racks.
• Install some bathroom cabinets above the toilet, or on other free wall space. You can get wall mounted small cabinets, that hold things like hairspray and hand towels for a fairly inexpensive cost.

Next up some cool bathroom storage ideas that will help to keep items off the counter, off the side of the tub, and out of the way.