We all know how a kid’s bathroom can go from neat-as-a-pin to a complete disaster in less time than it takes to fold a stack of towels. When you have children in the bathroom, some innovative organizing and design tips can help save you time when it comes to keeping things tidy. Here are 6 organizing tips to try out in your child’s bathroom.
1. Labeled hooks for towels
Wet towels on the floor are the bane of many parents’ existence. This can be exacerbated when the bathroom is used by multiple kids.
Ginger Bowie of Ginger Snap Crafts suggests replacing door hooks or towel bars with a hat rack; choose an oversized rack with six or more hooks for more versatility.
If you’d prefer to go with classic hooks, consider painting the name of each child – or better yet – place a picture of them, above their hook. This will prevent arguments (”Who used my towel!?”) and help you keep track of them for laundry day. Plus, how cute would it be to have photos of your favorite littles all in a row?
2. Corral dirty clothes with a bathroom hamper or bin
If you don’t have a laundry chute, you probably keep hampers in each family members’ bedroom. But dirty clothes are likely to accumulate in the bathroom as well. Placing a hamper in the bathroom will give your kids an easy dump zone for soiled clothing.
Plastic hamper bins are perfect for wet clothes after an afternoon at the pool or muddy clothing from playing in the rain. Even better, you can easily carry the bin to the laundry room or even rinse it out in the tub.
3. Keep cleaning supplies close
Your children’s bathroom probably needs cleaning about twice as often as your own. Save yourself some time by making space for your cleaning supplies right in the bathroom. A small caddy works perfectly and often fits under the sink.
And if your kids are old enough to be a part of the clean-up crew, consider including a checklist with the cleaning supplies. That way, they have no excuse for forgetting to clean the toilet bowl or the mirror.
4. Come up with a code or system for toiletries used daily
According to Becky Mansfield of Your Modern Family, one of the most effective things you can do to help the kids keep their own bathroom organized is to set up daily use kits for each child. Fill the kits with each child’s toiletries—deodorant, makeup, hair supplies, or whatever else they might need. This is particularly helpful as the kids get older.
Store the kits out of sight in a linen closet or drawer. If you don’t have the space to hide them, a shelf works just as well. And when it comes time for a move or remodel, your children’s belongings will be ready to go! Just throw the kits together to keep them easily accessible during the transition.
For an added degree of organization, you can color code everything. Each child gets a color. Their kit, toothbrush, hairbrush—even towels—can be the same color, making it easy to find the owner of any item in the bathroom. Color coding also makes packing a snap, whether you are packing for one night or for a move.
5. Add storage to a small bathroom with corner shelving units
Very small bathrooms can benefit from corner shelving units. Many of these are quite narrow, providing just enough space to store extra toiletries or linens. This is a great solution for houses with kids of multiple ages—the lower shelves are perfect for the youngest kids while the older ones can easily access the higher shelves. You can also rent a storage unit to store your bathroom belongings.