Do You Know Where Your Spare Toothpaste Is? Tips for Editing What You Don’t Need From Your Bathroom

Bathrooms and linen closets where towels are stored seem to be a collection point for items you don’t actually need. The same goes for kitchen counters, incidentally, but let’s stay focused. Linen closets are subject to the “I’m in a hurry, so it’s OK to just shove the towels or sheets in there”. They don’t have to be neat. We’re going to use them “soon enough” syndrome. Bathroom medicine cabinets are frequently used to hoard all those extra bottles of aspirin, vitamins, and over the counter medicines like allergy pills and antacids that we all buy when they’re on sale. Bathroom vanities get the same “Shove in the cleansers and anything else that doesn’t fit in the medicine cabinet or linen closet we need for the bathroom” treatment. As a result, there is simply too much in our bathrooms, so here are some useful tips to edit, thereby removing everything that you don’t need from your bathroom.

Gather: Before you begin, locate a few containers, even bags, to help you sort your bathroom contents. Bring paper, tape, and marker to make a label for each bag to help you remember the categories. Label each container as you sort into categories.

Remove: Take the contents out of your bathroom drawers, medicine cabinet, and closet, looking carefully at expiration dates. Is the item you have still relevant to you and your family’s current circumstances? Is a given item even used in the bathroom? It might have gotten shoved in a drawer during a mad clean up session.

Divide: Is the item still good to use and will it be used? if so, use the containers you brought in for this project and start separating by categories. Some categories could be hair, teeth, skin care, makeup, over the counter medicine, or nails. As you sort, you may find other categories to create.

Containerize: With your items sorted, you have a visual of the amount each category contains. Now choose either a specific shelf or actual container on/in which to place them.

Label: All containers need to be clearly labeled so that you and others are able to readily find what is needed and, most importantly, to return the item after use to its original home/container.

Now that you have conquered the bathroom, why not try that afore-mentioned over-stuffed linen closet?

Photo: Pixaby