Clover Lane

Hi Everyone!

Today is Day One of 40 Bags in 40 Days (all the old posts HERE) and I've made my list and I'm checking it twice!  I started in the farthest corner of my first floor which happens to be the old Master Bathroom.  The kids and I use this space mostly for morning duties, like tooth brushing and hair-do's, and my teen uses it for "his" bathroom.  It's a nice overflow bathroom (my other two full baths are upstairs and I have a TINY 1/2 bath in the older section of the first floor.

1. Check expiration on old medications and get rid of expired medications and those that you don't use or haven't used.  These are the clear bins I bought to organize this all.

2. Old hair appliances like curling rods, hair dryers, all those gizmos-if you haven't used it, or used it once years ago, donate it.

3. Mismatched towels, washcloths, etc.  I just bought two sets from Amazon as my towels down in this bath were college-kid left overs and pretty worn.  I love matching sets, and also just enough.  (I do laundry almost every day.)

4.  I like to keep a very simple shower stock-shampoo, conditioner, soap.  The simpler the better.  Weed out ruthlessly the products you don't use or combine them!  Yes, I do this!  Hair stylists everywhere might gasp in horror but I really believe it's almost all the same.  Getting into a simple, organized shower in the morning feels so much better than one cluttered with bottles.

5. Remember the simpler the bathroom, the easier and quicker it is to clean!

Here are my bathroom tips for organization:

1. Keep a small bin of the same cleaners in each bathroom.  I keep Windex, Clorox bleach bathroom cleaner (for toilets and shower), Clorox wipes, a scrubbie, and a microfiber cloth.  For this bathroom only, I made a mixture of 1 tsp of Dawn and the rest vinegar for spraying on the glass doors and that keep in the bin also.

2. Keep medication and bandages all in the same place in your home.  You will always know what you have and what you need, and older kids will be able to find what they need.

3. For clear counter tops, keep toothbrushes in cabinet drawers if possible. It also cuts down on germs.  (Thanks Erin for this tip!)

4.  Buy a different style or color of towels for each bathroom. That way when doing the laundry, or cleaning a kid's room, you will know exactly what bathroom the towels should be returned to.

5. Keep hair and facial products simple.  Less choice, and brand loyalty is actually a good thing sometimes.  It saves space in your head and in your home!

One bonus tip-For a cleaner look, hide your old shower with a shower curtain!