Simple Ways To Boast A Clean And Clutter-Free Bathroom

Our bathrooms are essential rooms in our everyday life. They hold many functions, from hygiene purposes to offering us a relaxing space to decompress on stressful days. As one of the first rooms we see waking up and the last to leave before bed, our bathroom impacts our mood more than we think. Bathrooms tend to be smaller areas and thus become disorganized much quicker than other sections of the home might. Often we are so busy going in and out that our bathrooms become haphazard, with counters overflowing, drawers in disarray, and cabinets a chaotic mess. We pile up lotions, soaps, and medicines that expired years ago, yet, for some reason, keep tucked away and taking up space. 

BMC Public Health conducted a study in 2020 that directly associated unkept spaces with a decline in mental health. When we are surrounded by clutter, we become overstimulated with feelings of distress and anxiety. Luckily, creating a clean and organized bathroom doesn't have to overwhelm you and can be accomplished with just a few helpful hints and handy tips.

Maximizing the storage space you have is essential to a tidy bathroom. Even if everything is organized on the counter, it can still feel cluttered. Utilize your linen closets, underneath the sink, and medicine cabinets to the fullest; filling these to the brim won't have the same effect as overfilling the counters since these are concealed areas. Although, you will still want to put in the effort to keep your storage organized by using baskets, getting rid of products you don't need, and maintaining anything you frequently use towards the front. Try following the 'one thing open at a time rule,' meaning you only open one of every kind of product before opening another; one toothpaste tube, one bottle of shampoo, one container of moisturizer, etc.

Invest in some floating shelves and cabinets if your bathroom lacks much storage. Ikea and Amazon have a plentiful selection of affordable cabinets in all different sizes that will fit snuggly into the corner of your bathroom. Over-the-toilet cabinets, like this one from Amazon, are especially a great addition, using vertical space and not taking up much extra room on the floor. Additional storage accessories to consider are installing your trash bin under the sink and over-the-door hooks for towels and storage organizers, like this one from Amazon.

Along with maximizing your storage space, take time to execute small details that will improve your bathroom's neatness. Assigning everything a designated spot will help with taking that extra step to put something back once it's done being used. This is also the perfect excuse to label everything, which we all know can be so satisfying. Buying soap dishes, lotion dispensers, and glass jars for q-tips, toothbrushes, and all your bathroom necessities is a great way to use counter space without feeling overstuffed. Consider adding some hanging storage for things like hair tools, like this one from Amazon, to free up cabinet space and keep your daily items as accessible as possible.

In the midst of all of your organizing, don't forget that the actual cleanliness of your bathroom matters. Try giving the 80/20 cleaning method a shot, ensuring you never have to spend too much time at once cleaning the bathroom amid your busy week. Controlling the humidity levels can also make a huge difference in how stuffy a space feels. Dispose of wet towels outside the bathroom, replace your bathmats as needed, and open up a window to let in some extra ventilation. Through all of these small-scale acts, your bathroom will keep its clutter-free look with minimal effort.