Tips for Keeping a Shared Family Bathroom Organized

The average three-bedroom home has two bathrooms and four family members. That means that bathrooms are shared by two or more people who may not have the same need for space, organization, or time to get ready in the morning or before bedtime. Not only are family members sharing their bathrooms, but often, those bathrooms aren’t as spacious as would be ideal. For example, if two teenagers are sharing one sink, how can you make that work? Even two adults sharing a small bathroom will pose storage and maintenance challenges. Here are some ways to make your bathrooms work for two or more people who use them daily.

1. Set a Cleaning Schedule and Hand Out Cleaning Tasks

No one person should be responsible for keeping a bathroom clean. It would be best to assign chores weekly, so all family members have their fair share of the least desirable tasks. Make a list of the jobs and have everyone who uses the bathroom rotate weekly (or more frequently). Some jobs need to be done daily, some less frequently.

Bathroom cleaning tasks should include:

• Shower and bathtub cleaning
• Scrubbing the toilet
• Floor sweeping and mopping
• Changing the towels
• Cleaning mirrors and other surfaces
• Sink cleaning
• Restocking toilet paper, soap, and shampoo
• Wash bathroom rugs
• Rinse off bath mat

2. Use Shower Caddies for Less Clutter

Shower caddies are a family’s best friend when it comes to keeping a bathroom clutter-free and keeping the bickering to a minimum. Let your kids pick out their shower caddies and stock them with all of the things they need each day to stay clean and healthy, such as:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Hairbrush and hair ties
• Facial cleanser
• Vitamins or medications
• Makeup

The fewer things that are stored in the bathroom, the less mess there will be. Less clutter means more peace of mind for everyone. Have a designated spot in the bedroom to store the shower caddy, and make sure they are cleaned out and kept well-stocked.

3. Don’t Forget to Utilize Drawers and Other Storage Space

Make the most of the space in your bathroom to maximize storage. Whether you need a place for towels or a home for hairdryers and straighteners or other hair tools, getting professional help with creating an organized space from Art of Drawers is a great idea. If you want to do some DIY organizing, you can use storage items like:

• Baskets
• Plastic bins
• Wall hooks
• Over-door hangers
• Shower organizers
• Medicine cabinet organizers
• Pullout storage for under the sink
• Over-toilet shelving

Bathrooms that multiple people use need as much storage and organization as possible. It’s nice to hang artwork or put pretty things on shelves if you can, but it’s much more important to have as much useful storage as possible. Bathroom items like towels, toilet paper, tissue boxes, and robes tend to be bulky and take up a lot of space. Practical storage is the best thing you can do for your bathroom space. Use every available bit of wall space and shelf space for organization.

4. Always Clean Up After Yourself

For kids and teens, this may be the most difficult rule to follow—and it may be hard for some adults, too. Keeping a space organized and manageable starts with keeping it cleaned up and putting things away. Everyone is in a rush in the morning to get to where they need to go, so if they can’t get the bathroom straightened up before they start the day, make sure family members do it when they are home for the evening.

Teach your family to:

• Hang up their towels
• Squeegee the glass shower door
• Put away the hair tools
• Fold up step stools after they use them
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper, whether it’s in the bathroom or somewhere else

Keep cleaning products that are simple to use, like disposable wipes and a hand vacuum, either in the bathroom or nearby, so there is no excuse for leaving a mess. Store extra liners in the bottom of the bathroom trash can so it’s easy to replace when the trash is full.

5. Invest in Good Storage Solutions from Art of Drawers

With storage solutions from Art of Drawers, you’ll be able to make any shared bathroom function beautifully. Art of Drawers can take any space, from drawers to linen closets, and make them organized, easy to manage, and accessible to everyone in the family. We design customized organization solutions in existing drawers and cabinets to help you and your family find more joy in your living spaces.

With pullout drawers, drawer inserts, and more storage options, your family will find it easy to get the bathroom cleaned and organized every day. For more information or to schedule a free design consultation, contact us online or at 770-800-8410.