4 ways to schedule bathroom time better

I'm Karen from Washington state, USA.

Do you know any tricks for those of us in older homes with only one bathroom? I have a teenage son and a disabled husband who spends 2 hrs in there each morning. I can't get up any earlier (5:30am to let the caregiver in).

The smallest bathroom in the world

Karen, here's what I'd do to organise the time better:

1. Allocate each person set "bathroom time" daily. The fastest person goes first so that the schedule is not thrown off if there are delays :)
2. Everybody doesn't have to have their main bathroom time in the mornings. Can someone not do theirs in the evenings?
3. To make the time more efficient, dressing must be done in the bedrooms.
4. Have a bathroom caddy for each person which they bring into and take out of the bathroom when it's their time. This way the bathroom doesn't have to store unnecessary things.
   

Do you have one or more bathrooms family members have to share? How do you get everyone in and out quickly in the mornings?

This week's organising challenge - declutter your bathroom toiletries

I thought it would be fun to issue a challenge this week on something relatively easy to do - declutter your bathroom toiletries.

You all know that I have the smallest bathroom in the world so I don't have enough storage space in there.

I use a drawer inside our bedroom to store excess bathroom toiletries.

This is my decluttered drawer....


and this is what I managed to declutter from the drawer and from the bathroom itself. 11 items


Right, over to you.

Are you up for the challenge? Let me know how many items you manage to declutter.

Organising medication in the bathroom

We recently had a situation where a pipe leading to our geyser burst.

Can you imagine the damage?!

The diningroom was flooded and so was our bathroom, which resulted in a messed-up bathroom vanity.

The guys finally came to replace the vanity and because of all the unpacking and repacking, I decided to reorganise the cupboard.

I had our medicines in two cooler bags like these and now they're all organised in one of my favourite organising tools, Ziploc bags, like this:



My categories are in the order - most used to least used

• painkillers
• cold and flu - I swear by Degoran and it goes EVERYWHERE with us :)
  
• Marcia's stuff
  
• Dion's stuff
• skin (sunburn - remember we live in Africa, other burn (I have a tendency to burn my arms when I'm too quick removing things from the oven) and mosquito repellant)

Here you can see them peeking out of one of the drawer's.


Where and how do you store your medication?

Decluttering hotel toiletries

This week I decluttered a whole lot of hotel toiletries.

I always have good intentions to use them all, either for us or for guests, but when we get back home, I revert to my normal-sized bottles.

After I had a good sort through our guest bedroom, I decided that this is crazy. We really don't have people staying over that much and these things are piling up.

So I donated two bottles of body lotion because I like specific lotions :) and put the shower gels and some other shampoos in the shower.

And wouldn't you know it? I'm actually using them. It feels really good to throw away a bottle every two days.


What did you declutter this week?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please link to the post on your blog where you show off your pictures or talk about the declutter. Or if you don't have a blog, tell me in the comments about ANYTHING you decluttered this week.

It can be anything - physical, electronic, mental clutter or even the need to be a certain way. Like perfectionism! :)

What did you declutter this week?

August declutter challenge - day 28

It's the last little stretch now - get ready to link up week 4 tomorrow and then the entire month on Sunday.

I've been threatening to declutter my make-up for awhile and when I saw someone's nicely organised make-up drawer (was it you, Amanda?), I was inspired.

So here's stuff I decluttered from that green triangular thing I use to organise the smallest bathroom in the world. Lotion, old shower cap, lipsticks, make-up brushes (because who am I fooling, right?) and some other tubs of questionables.

After (from L to R) - eye stuff, lip stuff, miscellaneous stuff and eye shadow in the front, all nicely containerised :)

I used to have two tubs on the middle shelf - one is now completely gone. I LOVE SPACE!!!

Have you decluttered your make-up yet? How about your bathroom junk?

Tweaking your organising systems

One of the most important parts of organising is tweaking your systems.

It's perfectly normal to organise a space and find that it's not quite working the way you envisioned.

That doesn't mean you throw out the whole thing! Please don't do that :)

All you need to do is a little tweak here and there.

Like this:
The other night I was doing my whole face routine and realised that I was slightly irritated by a tiny cabinet above my basin. Remember, I have the dubious honour of having the smallest bathroom in the world. My Private Platinum Clients actually love seeing it - I should charge admission :o

This is how it looked before. There are tiny mirrored doors which open to the left and yet, I use the Yardley Oatmeal range on the left.


It took me about 5 seconds to do a quick tweak and move the bottles to the other side, like this:



Much better! Now when I slide the doors open, I can get to the moisturiser immediately and I don't have to slide the doors an extra 10 cm open.

It's about the small things. In the coaching world we also call these small things tolerations - they drain you just a little bit every time you think about it.

If there's a space that seems just slightly off to you, think about making a tweak here and a tweak there until it's organised just enough for your lifestyle.

What are you going to go tweak and re-organise?

Favourite organising tools#10 - baskets (3)

For more WFMW posts, visit Shannon


Wow, I haven't done one of these for a while. And then I found the last of the basket posts in my drafts!

here is post 1 and here is post 2 on organising with baskets. There are more great ideas in this e-course.

This is how I organise the smallest bathroom in the world. Honestly, I'd love to know if you've ever seen anything smaller :) I certainly haven't!

baskets on a 3-tier tray keep different categories of toiletries together

this blue one holds Dion's toiletries separate from the rest of the stuff in the bathroom vanity

my bedside table - night cream, hand cream, bookmarks, pens, etc.

spare socks and pantihose - I stash the closed packs in this space between my two piles of clothes

P.S. Guess who bought 12 cute baskets at Pick & Pay? That's right - at only R4,99 each, can you blame me?!

Are you sold on baskets yet? Make me happy and tell me YES! :)

Blog about the contest and you can win $25 Stacks & Stacks gift card

Organising your medicine cabinet

Dion and I have been together for 15 years today! Married for 12 1/2 of those years :)

A reader emailed this question:
How do I sort out a medicine cupboard? How do I store the contents? What do I keep in a first aid box in a family situation?

Lots of great questions!

1. First off, I would unpack everything and clean the cupboard.
2. While the inside of the cupboard is drying, go through all the medicines and throw away any that have expired. When you repack them, put those that are about to expire in the front.
3. I only have one smallish bag for all our stuff because we’re not sickly. I have Strepsils, Cepacol, Degoran (my favourite – now I sound like a druggie), Nurofen, Panado, burn ointment (because I always seem to burn myself when I use the oven), Tabard, Imodium, cold sore ointment, plasters and Savlon, Norflex and something for gastro cramps.
4. I have a separate travel medicine bag (an old make-up bag) with just a few of each of these main things. I set up this little bag after we once drove 40km to the nearest town for medicines on one long weekend away. Lesson learnt thanks to Lichtenburg!

this looks a bit messy but it's not really - I think it's my bad photography

My medicine cabinet is the corner bathroom vanity cupboard and it has five main sections...

1. medicine (grey bag)

2. Dion’s toiletries (top blue basket and little round thing)

3. cleaning stuff (green basket)

4. extra toilet rolls and air freshener (not visible in this pic)

5. all the bath stuff (bottom blue basket and top right) (candles, bath salts, bath foam, etc) because this is the only bath we have in the house. Our en-suite only has a shower.

I think first aid boxes vary according to your family’s needs so I would buy a standard one and customise it for my family's needs.

What do you keep in your first aid box?

Works for me - double-duty items

I recently came across this two-in-one dust pan and bathroom bin at Pick & Pay for about R15. They had them in lime-green (pictured), hot pink, yellow and blue.

I love it because when it stands upright (like in the picture), it is a bin and when I want to sweep the bathroom, I just turn it on its side and it scoops up the dust. I also like that it can fit into my small bathroom's awkward corner so I use less space.

I've had this for a few weeks now and it certainly works for me.

Works for me Wednesday - storage for small bathroom

Works for me Wednesday home

Loooong ago, I posted about the smallest bathroom in the world - mine!

As you can well imagine, storage is a problem so we do a couple of things to maximise the space:

1. we use a shower caddy for shampoo, shower gel, soap and so on
2. I keep hooks in the shower for facecloths and loofah sponges
3. I keep a medium-sized plastic basket in the shower for my cleaning supplies
4. I have hooks just outside the shower for the towels (you can just about see the towel if you click my original link)
5. I use this 3-tiered plastic basket. A vegetable rack would serve the same purpose.

Top - all my make-up (in lots of containers to keep the space organised). The purple mesh bag is if I have appointments after work and I have to take some of my "serious" make-up with me

Medium - lesser-used items, some hair stuff, etc.

Bottom - spare toilet rolls

What kinds of solutions do you have for small spaces?

Works for me Wednesday - cheap shower gel

This week, my tips are more money-saving than organising.


1. I don’t ever buy the normal shower gels. Of course I get some sometimes as gifts but that doesn’t count.

If I have to buy any shower gel, I get some foam bath. Even kiddies foam bath (like in the picture) will do. Here in South Africa, they are about half the price of shower gel, even cheaper than that sometimes.

They work exactly the same as shower gel but at far less expense.

2. Then, when you’re done with the shower gel, there will be a few droplets at the bottom. Put a little water in the bottom and shake it up to make foam. I then squirt this on my hands for soap. It’s good for at least 3 hand washes.

3. Another quick tip – if you have shampoo you don’t like, use it for liquid handwash. You can use the conditioner (diluted with water) for fabric softener.


For more great tips, go visit Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer.

The smallest bathroom in the world

A few months back in one of my mailings I told you I would blog pictures of the smallest bathroom in the world.

Well, here it is, my en-suite bathroom: From the front - the shower is to the right.

See how I use my wall space well...

And this view is from the top... in the corner, is a set of stackable green baskets - I use the top one for my make-up, the middle one for less-often used things, and the bottom one fits 3 spare toilet rolls very nicely

Of course, to balance this minute bathroom, for my main (guest) bathroom, we have one of the biggest bathrooms I've seen.

Only in Kensington!

Sept 2006 - organising challenges

Week 1 – Organise your paper & plastic goodies.

This week, we're going to sort out all the cling wrap, foil, sandwich bags, bin bags, etc.

Dedicate a drawer or shelf for all these packs. If you have a wine rack you're not using, the bottle compartments work nicely to keep it all organised.What other ideas do you have?

You know those metal/paper ties you get in each pack of freezer bags? The ones that pile up because you only ever use 2 - 3 out of every packet? This week, we're throwing them out.

Week 2 – Organise your sideboard OR crockery & cutlery you use to entertain.
Really evaluate all the stuff - if you have 3 sugar bowls and you only ever use 2, give the other one away.

If you have 50 plates and the most guests you ever have over is 20, then use some of them as your everyday plates and get rid of the old, ugly ones. You get the picture...

Do the same for everything you keep in the sideboard but don't obsess - do 15 minutes a day so you're not overwhelmed. You can easily do a drawer or a shelf in 15 minutes if you don't get obsessive compulsive.

Remember, we're decluttering and organising, not detail cleaning.

Week 3 – Declutter and tidy your dressing table or any flat surfaces in your bedroom.
I want you to look around at any and all flat surfaces. Basically, we're targeting all those common dumping grounds like the bedside table, dressing table, top of chest of drawers, chair, etc.

Starting with one "hot spot" at a time, remove everything. Decide what you would like to keep there. Move all the other stuff to a box or basket in the meanwhile. Do not start putting these things away in the rest of the house - you'll get sidetracked!

Now organise the keepers. Do this same process for each of the other hot spots.

When you've done, you can then remove the box or basket and restore the other things to their rightful places, even if it's just to the laundry!

There - you're done. Now doesn't that feel good.

Week 4 – Declutter and organise your bathroom vanity and corners of bath.
A bathroom can be a place of peaceful tranquility or it can be a messy, cluttered space. And you don't have to have a big bathroom to have it feel peaceful. Trust me - I have one of the smallest bathrooms in the world so I know what I'm talking about (when I figure out the digital camera, I will show you what I mean).

Is your bathroom vanity cluttered with lots of stuff - knick knacks, soaps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, etc, etc? See if you can't mount a holder on the wall to use up some of that vertical space.

Get a rubbish bin and look in that bathroom cupboard. Throw out all old medicines, shampoos, anything you're not using. You can donate some things like the shampoo you used once and don't like, and the old medicines must just be thrown out.

Decide to use your bath salts, bath oils and so on or give it to someone who will use it. When you remove all these things from the corner of your bath, you can finally see all the dust that has gathered there. If you do have a decorative bottle, wash off the dust and wipe it down.

This challenge won't take you longer than 20 minutes but it is going to make you feel so good! You can reward yourself by having a nice, long, bubble bath (men too)!

***introducing something new***
If you're seriously doing these challenges, then please take before and after pictures, and send them to me. I'll post the best ones on the blog to encourage the rest of the subscribers.

July 2006 - organising challenges

Week 1 – Organise your shower/s.
Go through your shower caddy and throw away empty bottles of shampoo, shower gel, bits of soap, etc. Look at each item and ask yourself if it needs to be there. Make a commitment this week to use up the bits of shampoo and conditioner.

Do you have to put some Handy Andy and a scouring sponge in the shower? It takes just 2 minutes to clean a wall every morning and by the end of the week, you’ve done the whole thing. Might as well do something useful while you’re in there!

Week 2 – Organise the inside of your fridge.
Label the shelves of your fridge. I did mine about 3 weeks ago after reading about the idea on one of my favourite blogs. I thought I’d see how well or badly it went before telling you guys about it. And... it is working great.

I did mine on blue post-it notes (medium size cut in half length-wise) so that if I wanted to change things, it would be easy.

I have labels for bread, milk, cheese, prepared vegetables, food to be eaten (this is the best one - lots of stuff used to grow mould in the fridge because we didn’t know what there was or what had to be eaten. Now it is sooo easy and I have not thrown food out for weeks), etc.

It is easy to pack things away in their proper place and you can immediately see if you need to replenish any foodstuffs.

Try it - you’ll be hooked.

Week 3 – Declutter your make-up and toiletries.
Let's start with the toiletries first. Set your timer for 5 minutes and go through everything in your bathroom. Gather all the stuff you don't enjoy using or that you only have little bits left. Maybe you were given some as gifts and you don't enjoy the fragrances. Take them to a shelter for homeless people or an orphanage. [I went to a Shape workshop recently and they asked all the ladies to each bring a toiletry item for someone less privileged. I think this is a wonderful idea and might just use this for my future workshops. It's R10 - R15 for us and means SO much to someone who needs it.]

Set your timer again and now go through your spare toiletries in your bathroom cabinets, or those from hotels, or in your suitcase (if you keep a travel bag packed like I do).

If you have lots of foam bath and don't have the time for long baths, then use it as shower gel or liquid hand soap. Old shampoo can also be used as liquid hand soap.

Now, onto the make-up. You gals know the drill - any eye make-up, especially mascara, older than 6 months and definitely older than a year should be thrown out. Also toss all old lipsticks and really anything that you don't love, that doesn't look good on you or has changed texture, shade, etc. Thick nail polish belongs in the trash.

Week 4 – Organise and clean your car.
Remove everything from your cubby hole, boot, side pockets, etc. and remove anything and everything that doesn't belong. Return items to their correct places and throw the rubbish away.

Now, give your car a good clean or take it to the car wash. Once clean, repack only those things that belong in your car. Make a point of doing a quick maintenance run every weekend when you're filling up with petrol.

In my car, I have my service manual, map book, sunglasses, CD case, notebook & pen, wet wipes and a few plastic bags. I also have my two canvas shopping bags in a box in my boot so my shopping doesn't tumble around. It is a good idea to keep a couple of plastic bags in your cubby hole for anything you need to throw away. Whenever I drive back from the gym, I always have a fruit (usually apples, my favourite) on the way back home and I throw the core or peels in a little plastic bag. At the end of the week, out it goes.

People often say how clean my car is and that it still smells new - that's because I don't allow eating (except for the fruit) or smoking in my car :)

P.S. I’m compiling these challenges into an e-book, which will be available at the end of the year.