Keeping Bathrooms Clean and Organized

Keeping bathrooms clean and organized can often seem like an overwhelming project, particularly when you stop and think about and think about how much traffic a bathroom sees on any given day. On top of all of the traffic that most bathrooms see, there is also all of the items that are kept within most bathrooms to consider. For example, there are shampoo's, conditioner's, toothpaste, toilet paper, medicines, toothbrushes, towels...well, you get the idea. However if you have a plan in place, then keeping bathrooms clean and organized doesn't need to be all that much of a hassle, the key to this is learning when to get rid of the various products that you may keep in your bathroom.

Start the organizing process by going through all the products that you have in your bathroom. If you find any that are old or outdated dispose of them. It doesn't matter if the product is still half full, get rid of it. Products will lose their effectiveness overtime, and can even become dangerous if held onto for too long. If there is no expiration date look for a "best used by" date that most, if not all, products now carry. This is usually a number that is followed by the letter "M." This will tell you how long the product is effective for after it has been opened. Even makeup has a general rule that you can use to tell if it still good or not:

• Mascara—3 months
• Liquid eyeliner—3 months
• Eye makeup—6 months
• Foundation—1 year
• Lip stick—2 years
• Body lotion—3 years
• Hair products—4 years

Keep in mind thought that if the product is preservative free then it will degrade faster.

It can be hard to remember how long a particular product has been opened, so a little trick that you can use is to place a small piece of masking tape on the bottom of the product. On the tape write the date that it was opened, this will allow you to know when the product was first used. Now, when you begin to suspect that the product is getting quirky you can check this date and easily tell if is about to expire.

Mornings are typically a very hectic time in most households, and as such you really don't have the time to rummage through all your bathroom drawers looking for something that you may have misplaced. One way that you can combat this is to place the items that you will need in the morning on a little tray, or in a small basket. Place this tray or basket out at night before you go to bed, and put it away when you are finished in the morning.

Cosmetics can be a bit confusing for even the most devoted fashionista. The best way to deal with this confusion is to periodically take time to separate your cosmetics. Separate these (and the other items in your bathroom) according to category for an easier time of finding what you are looking for. For example, put all of your lipsticks together, eye shadows with eye shadows, and tooth brushes with tooth brushes. If necessary, get a separate container for each of the categories that you will be separating your products into.

For those items that are considered disposable (such as cotton balls) should be placed into a clear see-through container. Doing this will allow you to not only easily see what you are looking for, but also allow you to know when you need more. Makeup brushes can be places in a glass or other type of clear tumbler, just remember to clean the jars periodically. A fun way that you can use to keep extra toilet paper close at hand is to place the extras into either an open bin or basket.

Basically, there is one simple key to keep in mind when keeping your bathroom clean and organized. That is to think outside of the box. Think about using space that is vertical, not just horizontal. Use items in creative and new ways so that you can get the extra space that you need.