It’s a constant fight against clutter in the bathroom. We have so many personal care products this day that they all compete for shower and counter space.  Of course nothing is a standard size that would just stack neatly together. Instead you have different sized toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, razors, you name it. So it can be hard figuring out how to minimize bathroom clutter. It doesn’t have to be.

Shelving is your friend:

Don’t’ be afraid to install shelves in the bathroom. You can find all sorts of great do it your self designs or pre-made units at the local improvement store. You can find small units that will fit between the bathroom vanity and commode to add some extra valuable storage space. Or if the bathroom is larger you can put in a shelf unit right next to a wall that will store towels, and larger healthcare items.

Invest in organizers:

You can find organizers for a majority of your healthcare needs. There are toothbrush holders as well as shaving kits. By placing like items together things will be more organized and easier to find.

Why you shouldn’t buy in bulk:

Sure it’s great to get a real bargain on a 90-count roll of toilet paper. How long will it take to use it all up though? That toilet paper is wasting valuable storage space. Let it sit at the store instead. By buying smaller packages you can reclaim storage space in your bathroom. You won’t fill up an entire drawer with toilet paper or mouthwash. Just figure out a good quantity to keep on hand and buy when you need to replace it.

These are just a few ways you can help minimize bathroom clutter. Just figure out an organizational plan and your bathroom will look organized and clean in no time.

A lot of times we end up with a smaller bathroom than we would like. You have a toilet, shower, sink and counter all vying for limited space. It’s easy to overwhelm the room with all this large clunky clutter. There are a few tips for making small bathrooms look bigger though.

The first thing to consider is the paint scheme in the bathroom. Darker paint equals tighter space. Use white or light toned paints to brighten up the room and give the illusion of size.

Continuing on with the light toned theme consider buying light colored towels as well. They will still be just as functional but you won’t have the appearance of a heavy tapestry hanging off the wall and crowding the space.

Now consider how the bathroom is lit. Just like lighter colors brighten a room, the more light you have does the same thing. Install light fixtures that give off as much light as possible. You can get even more light into the room by using compact fluorescent bulbs instead of standard ones.  Not only do they use less energy but also they’re brighter!

The next thing you’ll want is to install mirrors. Go for the biggest mirror you can find that will still fit in the bathroom. Consider adding a mirror to multiple walls for increased depth perception.

Consider how cluttered the bathroom is. The more stuff that’s piled up on the bathroom counter the tighter in the room will feel. Invest in some bathroom organizers and you’ll be able to put everything in neat little packages.  This will give nice clean lines to the room and help make it appear larger than it actually is. Plus you have the added benefit of everything being organized.

These few tips can help make any closet sized bathroom appear larger than it already is. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

Your bathroom is the wettest room inside your home. Water vapor from a hot shower, standing puddles as you towel off, showerhead mist, all of them greatly increase the amount of water your bathroom will hold. Unfortunately where it’s damp is where mildew will grow. Not only is mildew unsightly but also mold can be toxic to your health. You need a battle plan for how to minimize mildew in your bathroom.

The best thing you can do to cut down on mildew is to remove the water.  Make sure you have an exhaust fan in the bathroom. If your fan is weak or dying go ahead and replace it. If you don’t have one install one. A bathroom fan is the key to removing moisture from the bathroom.

The fan will suck all the hot water fog from the shower and vent it out through the roof.  If there’s no water present the mildew can’t grow.

Dry the shower after use. You can pick up a window squeegee for a few bucks at an auto supply store or find more decorative ones in the cleaning aisle at a department store. Just run the squeegee around the shower after you get out to remove most of the water.

If you have a shower curtain make sure it’s sitting inside the tub or stall so any water it collects will go down the drain and not onto the floor.

Next time you decide to paint the bathroom make sure you use a paint that has a mildew inhibitor in it. The inhibitor will keep any mildew from growing on the wall. You won’t even have to worry about killing it off; the paint will do it for you.

Installing a fan, drying out the tub and shower, and painting with mildew resistant paint are all proven ways to cut down on mildew in your bathroom. By incorporating these few steps you can keep your bathroom shiny and you healthy.

Cleaning shower curtains is a dirty messy time consuming job. But there are a few tips and tricks you can use to make the process a little bit less painful.

If the shower curtain is just slightly soiled you can probably get away with just spraying it down with a commercial cleanser and rinsing it off.

For more soiled curtains you’ll want to pull them off the curtain rod and take them outside for cleaning.

Remove the liner first and take it outside. Lay it down flat on the ground so you can clean the entire unit at once.

Mist the entire surface of the curtain with either a cleaning product or diluted bleach solution.

Next use a stiff nylon brush to scrub away those mildew stains and water marks.

If you still have built up soap scum then go back and use a soap remover to knock those out as well, repeat the brushing process.

Let the curtain dry then flip it over and repeat on the other side.

One word of warning this process works best for vinyl shower curtain liners. If you have a fabric curtain be sure to check for color fastness before spraying it with any cleaner.

Now you can take the curtain back inside and hang it back up in the bathroom shower stall.

Just use the showerhead to spray off any leaves or dirt that might have stuck to the curtain when you had it on the ground. You can then just pick them out of the tub and toss them into the trash.

One last tip, to prevent soap scum from building up on a shower curtain – use a bath gel or synthetic soap when bathing instead of regular soap. It won’t leave that nasty soap scum residue behind. This means much less frequent cleaning.

The  mirror is the centerpiece of any bathroom. You will want a mirror that’s stylish, easy to clean and functional. Some other features you might be interested in are magnification and an anti fog surface.

How to choose a bathroom mirror is pretty simple when you know what to look for.

• Size: Choose a mirror that balances the bathroom. You don’t want to have to bob your head like a chicken just to see different parts of your face.  Look for a mirror that is roughly the same length as the bathroom counter top.

• Style: Find a mirror that fits your bathroom style. If you have an ultra modern décor look for a chrome frame possibly with lighting built into the sides.  For a wood paneled bathroom choose a frame with a more neutral tone frame.

• Ease of cleaning: You’re going to get spots of soap and water droplets on the mirror. Look for a mirror that has a high quality finish that shines up streak free. You can spend hours trying to clean a lower quality mirror.

• Magnification: If you have the space in the bathroom it’s a good idea to install a makeup or shaving mirror. These typically will screw into the wall next to the sink. The magnifying mirror is typically on a telescoping arm that you can pull out from the wall. This lets you get a close up look at where you’re shaving or applying lipstick, mascara etc.

• Anti-fog: If you’re bathroom doesn’t have the greatest ventilation you might want to consider an anti-fog surfaced mirror. It gets old constantly wiping a mirror down with a towel and then hurrying to get everything accomplished before the mirror fogs up again.

How to choose a bathroom mirror doesn’t have to be hard. Just know what features you want in a bathroom mirror, write them down, so that you get exactly what you need when you shop.

If your old toilet seat is a little worn or cracked then it might be time to consider a new one.

There are all sorts of different types of toilet seats on the market today. Choosing the right toilet seat for your bathroom basically boils down to the type of toilet you have, what your bathroom décor happens to be, and finally what type of seat you’ll be comfortable with.

• Toilet type: Luckily toilet seats are fairly universal. They break down into two styles, round and oval. If you have an oval toilet then look for an oval seat. It sure beats having to lug the old toilet seat out to the hardware store to find one that matches.  All toilet seats attach with a standard back mount. You won’t have to worry about lining up the hole patterns.

• Bathroom Décor: How you’ve decorated your bathroom will play a big role in the type of toilet seat you purchase. You can go the easy route and just buy a seat that matches the toilet, or you can find a unit that works with the bathroom itself. For instance if you have rich wood paneling you can find a wood grained toilet seat to match it.

• Comfort: This refers to the level of padding in the toilet seat. You can go with a standard hard mount seat like what’s found in commercial bathrooms. The other choice is a vinyl and foam padded seat. It’s purely a personal choice. The only drawback to a padded seat is it’s durability. It will wear out and crack sooner than a hard seat.

Comfort, décor, and toilet style are the three main considerations when looking at types of toilet seats.  Luckily they’re all pretty standardized and you just have to find a design you like and not deal with the hassle of trying to find a toilet seat that will fit. So just shop around and you’ll find the perfect type of toilet seat for your bathroom.