While having a clean bathroom is great and everyone’s end goal, it is important to not overlook a very important step – decluttering! In this post, you’ll learn how to declutter your bathroom so that you can actually clean it. I’m also including a bathroom cleaning checklist at the end of this post so that you don’t have to memorize each step to ensure you have a clean bathroom!
The importance of a decluttered, organized, and clean bathroom
Bathrooms are a place of releasing the day or getting your day off to a great start, so you want to set it up to help you accomplish this. Having a decluttered, organized, and clean bathroom will change the atmosphere of your bathroom.
I personally prefer to feel like I can have a spa night whenever I wish, so I keep up with my bathroom cleaning checklist as if my health depends on it [because sometimes it does].
Related Post: How to Declutter Your Bedroom
Why is decluttering first important?
In order to have an organized and clean bathroom, you must first remove what doesn’t belong, is empty, or you won’t use. Bathrooms are easy to clutter up and decluttering helps prevent that.
The space you create with decluttering is what breathes new life into your bathroom and creates an enjoyable experience.
Wouldn’t it be great to enter your bathroom in the evening, get out any products you need without having to search for them, enjoy pampering yourself, then put it all back because it is effortless, then wake up to the same experience in the morning?
Your other option is to be frustrated because your bathroom is cluttered and you can’t find that mask you know you have so you opt for a scrub, even though you didn’t really want to do a scrub. When you are finished, you leave it on the counter, because you don’t want to deal with the mess in your cabinets. You aren’t enjoying your bathroom to the fullest and it’s dissappointing.
You deserve a truly great experience and that starts with decluttering your bathroom.
How often do you declutter and clean the bathroom?
I’ve found the best schedule for decluttering is every three months. This allows you to switch out your mascara with each season, because it is only good for three months after being opened. Also, you ensure that less products go to waste, if any at all, because you are consistenly reminding yourself of the products you have.
When it comes to cleaning, there are things you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly to ensure your bathroom always feels like a lovely experience.
Related Post: Minimalist Cleaning Routine to Maintain a Tidy Home
What supplies do I need to declutter and clean the bathroom?
There are a lot of misconceptions about what cleaning products you actually need to clean your bathroom, so let me tell you what you actually need.
1. All-purpose cleaner – I use and highly recommend Thieves by Young Living [I don’t sell YL. Just believe in this product wholeheartedly.] I use this for everything in my bathroom, even the mirrors! The best part is that you won’t suffocate when using this like you do with conventional products.
2. Baking soda – This is great for when you are dealing with hard water stains or stuck on grime. I don’t always have to use this, but it works well when I do!
3. Cleaning rag, scrubber, and toilet wand – Cleaning rags are great to wipe down surfaces and a scrubber is great for the bathtub/shower. I also have a separate scrubber specifically for the toilet so that it gets in all the hard to reach places.
That’s it! If you have a separate cleaner for each and every little thing in your bathroom, the great news is that you can finish those up and replace it all with one cleaner. It is decluttering by default at its finest!
How to declutter the bathroom and clean it at the same time
Spring cleaning shouldn’t happen just once a year and it is actually really easy to do each time you declutter your bathroom! Let me show you the easiest way to declutter and clean your bathroom!
Step 1 // Pull everything out of the cabinets and drawers, off countertops, and out of the bathtub/shower area
Start by pulling everything out of the cabinets and drawers, clear off the countertops, and clear out the bathtub/shower area. You can put them in the floor for now.
Step 2 // Clean your light fixture[s], mirror[s], wipe off countertops, and deep clean your cabinets and drawers
Since everything is out of your way, this is the perfect time to clean this area. Start at the top with your light fixtures and work your way down to the bottom of the cabinet.
Step 3 // Organize by product type, linen size, etc.
Now focus your attention to the things you pulled out of the cabinets and drawers and off the countertops. Organize by product type, linen size, and so on until everything is sorted.
This will help you see what all you have and make it easier to declutter.
Step 4 // Declutter by category
Decluttering by category is the easiest way to declutter. I’ll provide a list of all the categories I personally recommend and declutter in my own bathroom, but first, you need to know what to declutter.
Declutter expired products, products you won’t use / don’t like, tools that don’t work, and empty bottles [yes, that happens].
Declutter by these categories:
- Medicine
- Makeup
- Skin care
- Toothbrush & paste
- Linens
- Hair products
- Nail products
- Body care products
- Toys
- Cleaning supplies
- Personal care
- Travel products
- Grooming tools and products
You don’t necessarily have to go in this order, but make sure you work your way through each of them.
Step 5 // Clean the bathtub/shower BEFORE putting anything back into it
Now that you have everything decluttered, it is time to clean your bathtub/shower before putting anything back into it.
Step 6 // Clean the toilet and toilet area BEFORE putting anything back into it
This is self-explanatory, but now is the perfect time to really get all the toilet paper dust cleaned out so that you can enjoy a dust-free area.
Step 7 // Put all products back into their home as organized as possible.
If you were honest with your decluttering, this should be pretty easy to accomplish.
One thing I do want you to consider is keeping your countertops clear of anything besides your soap dispenser or bar. It may feel foreign to you at first, but I promise you’ll appreciate it!
Having clear countertops really make a space feel inviting and open, so give it a try!
Step 8 // Wipe down any surfaces that remain untouched
If you have a shelf or towel rod that needs a quick cleaning, do that now. Otherwise, you can move onto step 9.
Step 9 // Wash floor mats
Toss them in the wash for a completely refreshed and clean bathroom experience.
Step 10 // Sweep and mop floor
Now that you have cleaned everything starting from the top, it is finally time to clean the very bottom – your floor! Sweep and scrub your floors well.
Step 11 // Put floor mats back in the bathroom
I know this goes without saying, but you aren’t finished until the floor mats are dried and put back into the bathroom. After this, you can soak in the feeling of a refreshed, decluttered, and clean bathroom!
When it comes to organizing your bathroom
The simpler your organization is in your bathroom the better. Make it to where things are easy to access.
If you have an organizer that is difficult to use and products don’t fit well in it, remove it altogether or replace it with something easier to use.
Shop your home before going to the store for more organizers, because after you declutter, you may find you already have everything you need. Never shop for organizers before decluttering, because you will definitely find yourself returning some, if not all, of them.
Tips for after decluttering your bathroom
- Take your time organizing and finding the right home for your things.
- Focus on keeping your bathroom tidy.
- The more that is out of sight, the more relaxing your bathroom is.
- What is even more relaxing is knowing that your cabinets and drawers are organized, too!
- Remove labels if possible.
I’ve found that labels busy up any space and it is better to not have them distracting you. A tip for remembering the exact name of something is to take a photo of it with your phone before and after you remove the label. This ensures that repurchasing things are effortless.
Take action
I promised at the beginning of this post that I’d have a bathroom cleaning checklist so that when you are in between decluttering your bathroom, you can reference it to ensure your bathroom stays clean and tidy! To get the bathroom cleaning checklist, click the photo below to gain access to my FREE Resource Library, which is where the checklist can be found.
Final thoughts
Now that you know how to declutter and clean your bathroom all at the same time, this process should be easy to maintain. With the added bonus of the bathroom cleaning checklist, your bathroom should always feel like a spa or oasis that helps you release the day or prepare for an amazing day ahead!
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The post How to Declutter and Clean the Bathroom + Bathroom Cleaning Checklist appeared first on The Tannehill Homestead.