Nothing is more stressful than trying to get the whole family ready for the day in a shared bathroom, fighting over products, or asking where their toothbrush is.
Luckily, there are some simple yet effective home organizing ideas to help organize a bathroom for a better morning routine and make evening bath times less of a water fight.
This is how to organize a family bathroom so every generation has what they need.
How to organize a family bathroom
Organizing a bathroom with every generation in mind not only helps adults get ready for the day but also encourages children to take more responsibility for their personal hygiene and home cleanliness.
Here’s how to set out the space to get everyone on board.
1. Assign spaces for individuals items
When planning out family bathroom storage, it is a good idea to create a designated area for each person. This could be as much as a whole shelf or cabinet, or as small as a basket, says Stephanie Deininger, professional organizer and Founder of The Organized Flamingo.
‘A great way to keep your family bathroom organized is to encourage all members to have their own bins that can be transported around the room as needed. Similarly, a shelf labeling whose area it is is a great way to keep things tidy in the bathroom when there are multiple people using it.’
The important thing is to ensure that this storage is easily accessible to that family member. You don't want to put a child's toothbrush on the top shelf of a cabinet or an elderly family member’s towels under the sink where they have to bend down. Don’t leave dangerous items in a child’s reach, but ensure the regular items they are okay to use can be accessed without help for a smoother morning routine.
Stephanie has been helping businesses and people get organized for over 20 years. She is also a member of NAPO National and NAPO Colorado Chapter (National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals).
2. Have a hook for each member's towels
Good towel storage and organization are essential in family bathrooms to ensure they are all kept off the floor, and everyone has one when they step out of the shower.
Beth Lennon, professional organizer and owner of Destination Decluttered, recommends using multiple hooks – one for each family member, to keep towels organized:
‘Another stress-saving idea is to utilize the back of the bathroom door for towel storage, assigning a hook for each family member to hang their towel once it has been used. This allows the towels to air dry between usage and also helps to identify the culprit if someone is known for leaving their wet towels strewn about,’ she points out.
Picking up a different color towel for each family member can also help with this
Decluttering Life Coach, Beth Lennon, was raised in a home of collectors, antiquers, savers and creatives, with ADHD thrown into the mix. She knows the thrill of the hunt or a bargain and also knows how overwhelming it feels to be surrounded by too much unorganized stuff that makes it hard to focus or find anything.
3. Consider safety features
When planning a multi-generational bathroom, adding in safety features can not only help future-proof the space but make the room more organized for every generation, says Audra George, professional home organizer at Pretty Neat: An Organization Solution:
‘Add additional features that might be needed to make the bathroom a safe and usable space for each family member, such as grab bars, non-slip mats, and adjustable shelves.’
Audra George has over 12 years of experience working in clients' homes. Her passion is to help others and to organize and help busy families get their spaces in order.
4. Create bathroom schedules
If you find it difficult to organize a small bathroom to fit everyone in, it can be helpful to set out schedules for each family member to stick to. This prevents fighting and arguments first thing in the morning, suggests Audra George, professional home organizer:
‘Determine the best times for each family member to be in the bathroom, for the morning to get ready, and in the evening before bed. With a schedule, everyone will be on the same page and can plan around their specific time. Of course, as needs change, so can the schedule.’
This can carry over to a bathroom cleaning schedule too, helping to share the load between capable family members and keep the space organized.
5. Keep toilet paper readily accessible
One of the most easily avoided arguments in any household is about toilet paper, who used it up, and whose job it was to pick more up at the store. To prevent this, professional declutterer Beth Lennon recommends keeping it all in one easily accessible spot nearby.
‘Having a backup roll of toilet paper stored creatively adjacent to the commode gives peace of mind should the roll in use run out,’ she says. ‘Refilling that one roll from the sometimes enormous “loaves” of TP rolls bought in bulk at warehouse stores means that the excess can be stored elsewhere, leaving more room in what is often the smallest room in the house.’
6. Keep bath toys away from hygiene products
Family bathrooms are usually littered with bath toys that quickly get out of hand and get in the way. Between bath times, these items should be stored in a basket with holes in the sides or bottom to allow excess water to drain. These toys should then be stored away from personal hygiene products to make it easier to get ready without distractions or mess and to keep your bathroom hygienic.
Unless you clean bath toys regularly, they are a hotspot for mold and bacteria.
7. Keep backstock in closed cabinets
Another common cause for untidiness in family bathrooms is having multiple of the same item open at the same time.
‘One way around this is to keep closed back stock products in a less convenient place, such as a basket at the back of a bathroom cabinet so that they are not brought out before they are needed,’ suggests Gabriella Dyson, Solved section editor for Homes & Gardens. ‘To keep this organized, prevent overbuying, and make organizing a bathroom with too much stuff easier, try to have only one product in duplicate at a time. When you get the new one out, make a note to replace it.’
Gabriella Dyson is Head of Solved at Homes & Gardens, editing and writing practical advice for homeowners in the process of cleaning, decluttering, or attempting home improvements and DIY projects. Gabriella previously worked on Homebuilding.com, writing features about issues surrounding historic and listed building projects.
FAQs
How often should a family bathroom be cleaned?
A bathroom that is shared among multiple members of one household should be deep cleaned at least once weekly, with touch-up cleans in between to prevent the build-up of germs or bacteria.
What makes a bathroom a family bathroom?
A family bathroom is usually a space planned with every generation – from young to old in mind. This means it usually has storage on every level that is easy to access, safety features such as non-slip flooring and mats, or even stepping stools, seats, and handles. The fixtures and finishes in these spaces are also often more durable than a standard bathroom to stand up to more frequent use.
As a family bathroom is used much more than a regular bathroom and by more people, it is important to declutter a bathroom regularly to clear out used-up products that have been put back in storage or get rid of broken or expired products. This will instantly make the space simpler to manage and use morning and night.
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