B&Q's new research has found that we have 140 million more products in our bathrooms than five years ago. In light of this, decluttering expert Vicky Silverthorn has shared her tips for organising this space in your home to bring you clever storage solutions and make space work more efficiently.
Vicky Silverthorn
LET YOUR SPACE BE YOUR GUIDE – With so many storage solutions out there, there’s no excuse for cluttered bathroom surfaces and bulging cupboards. Use available storage in your bathroom and neatly store any extras out of sight. Additional products could be a sign of unnecessary purchases.
DECLUTTER WITH EASE - To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the decluttering task ahead, get your tools ready before you start.
You need:
o A clear space to lay everything out in categories (the bathroom floor is fine!)
o A rubbish bag
o A recycling bag
o A wet and dry cloth to give the cupboards a once over before replacing items back again
POSITIONING IS KEY - Position your belongings in the correct place within your bathroom to ensure maximum efficiency and enjoyment. Store the items you use most frequently in the most accessible area of the bathroom and any spares tidied away.
PRACTICAL THINKING - Always place newer items at the back of your cupboards so you use things up in order of when you bought them.
YOUR BATHROOM IS NOT A SHOP! You don’t need to store endless numbers of the same product because that’s the job of the shop. There is nothing wrong with having a backup or two of your essential items but any more is an inefficient use of precious space.
MONITOR YOUR SPARES - Designate an area where you store your spare products and toiletry items. I store my spares in baskets, which complement the style and design of my bathroom. My favourites are the Form Natural Water Hyacinth & Seagrass baskets from B&Q which come in a set of three and are neutral so they suit any bathroom.
FEEL DESERVING NOT GUILTY - Use up what you have before buying more and check your spares BEFORE you go shopping for more.
The feeling you get from buying when you need to as opposed to when you want is a far more positive one. Take a moment to see how you feel once you have decluttered…. I bet it’s a far better feeling!
KEEP TIDY, KEEP CLEAN – Creating a bathroom you love and feel good about takes work. When you have completed a bathroom improvement project, why ruin your hard work with unsightly products everywhere? Clutter-free bathrooms are easier to clean and maintain, so your feeling of bathroom pride lasts longer.
THROW SHADE – Not only will your bathroom look better with products tidied away, but the toiletries and beauty products you love so much will last much longer when kept out of direct sunlight.
LET GO OF THE PAST – Products expire and whilst everyone has a different view on how long to keep toiletries once their ‘use by’ date has passed, in general a product won’t work as well once expired. A good opportunity to declutter is to get rid of out-of-date products that you don’t need.
Tagged in Decluttering