Going to the Bathroom

Do you know what I found in my bathroom? Colors of lipsticks I can't pull off, Avon samples, bobby pins that don't hold my hair, foot kits for pedicures I don't have the patience to give myself, old medicines, barrettes my hair's too short for, hair products I never use. These days I curl with my straightener but the curling irons were still hangin' around. This room surprised me. I tend to think of bath products as static, like our needs don't change much. Based on what I found in my bathroom, that's not entirely true. 

 We don't have any large bathrooms, so what we have is contained, but our three little bathrooms all had stuff that needed to go. If you're wondering which stuff, Here's some additional criteria that may help. 

Much of what we use in this room isn't used over and over. We use it up. So when minimizing, I was tempted to keep five kinds of something to use up eventually and not have to buy any for twenty years. That's fine if you'll actually use it, but guard yourself. If you (or your family) will not actually use a product because you prefer another one, don't fool yourself. Let it go. Especially if its unopened. Most people who go to community centers need toiletries, so you can donate them and know someone will benefit. I once stocked up on Jergens only to find I was allergic to it. I felt sad until I realized I could give the ten bottles away to someone who couldn't afford it. 

Think about what you pack for trips and scrutinize everything else. This is most helpful perhaps, when it comes to makeup. Which eye-shadow do you bring? Which lipstick? I take my easiest and favorite products on trips. If you get rid of the others, you'll have fewer decisions to make when you're getting ready. I never noticed that I avoided some of my stuff until the underwear drawer. Some things must be avoided like the flu and negative people, but stuff? We can do something about that. Be choosy. If you don't use it or love it, it doesn't make the cut. 

With the excess gone, your items fit more easily and you may have room for things you stored elsewhere, even though it was less handy. This has been a favorite perk of minimizing. In my bathroom, I now store all our bathroom travel bags, toothbrush holders, etc. No more running down to the basement for them when it's trip time. My suitcase now fits in my closet. My queen sheets fit under my bed. My off-season clothes fit in my dresser drawer instead of a tote in the basement. I love having things close to where we use them. 

P.S. If you're a sentimental type, the bathroom is a great place to start minimizing. Most of us don't form much attachment to items in this room. 

P.S.S. I'm enamored by the word washroom. It sounds so clean to me. In real life I say bathroom, but I contemplated using "washroom" throughout this post. 

Have fun whipping your washroom into shape!