My bathroom is rarely given the love it deserves. It’s the smallest room in my house, but it still has to work overtime as a practical space for everyone, which means I’m constantly battling mess and clutter. So, I’ve always wondered how people keep their bathrooms tidy all the time.
Recently, I’ve used tips from people with tidy homes to completely overhaul my house and create a pretty-but-practical space that looks good and works for my day-to-day life. But I’ve always struggled with organising a bathroom, as I find it impossible to calm the chaos in a small space that ultimately needs to store all my toiletries and essentials.
That’s why I asked people who always have a tidy bathroom how they manage to do it, and the tools and products they use to maintain order in what can be a very unruly room - especially if you have a large family. The key? Working smarter and not harder, and working with your bathroom rather than against it.
1. Multipurpose furniture
There’s no denying that the bathroom suite - your bath, shower, toilet and sink - takes up most of the space in this room. But no bathroom would be complete without some kind of storage, and this is where multipurpose additions can turn a cluttered, messy bathroom into a tidy one.
I’m talking about mirrors that double up as storage cabinets, radiators that double as towel rails and furniture that has both shelves and hidden cupboard space. By opting for these multipurpose pieces, you eliminate the need for multiple pieces of furniture that would take over the rest of the room.
If you have a smaller-than-average bathroom, it may be worth opting for multipurpose furniture with wheels like this SONGMICS Bathroom Trolley (£28.99 at Amazon), too. The wheels let you move it closer to you when needed, then move it into a corner when not in use to create a more organised, tidy space.
This stunning mirrored wall cabinet offers hidden storage space that is ideal for hiding your essentials in plain sight.
This bathroom unit offers a bit of everything - countertop space for the items you want readily available, large cupboard space for bigger items, and a shelf.
This multipurpose toilet roll comes with a built-in cupboard and a shelf on top for extra storage. It's not the most exciting purchase, but it is practical.
2. A clutter bucket
Although we all want our bathrooms to look perfectly pristine, the reality is that, at their core, bathrooms are designed to be practical. As a result, you need to keep many practical (but often unsightly) items in there, but that doesn’t mean you need to keep them on show.
Just as people with a tidy kitchen always have one (or more) clutter buckets filled with essentials they want to hide, people with a tidy bathroom do too. They include things like toothpaste, face creams, spare toothbrushes, and other toiletries that look extremely messy when shoved next to the sink. By popping them in a clutter bucket, you can keep them on hand while also out of your immediate eyeline.
For a tidy bathroom, it’s best to store these in lidded storage baskets so the clutter isn’t visible. If you already have storage baskets without lids at home, make sure you reserve these ones for bigger items that look less cluttered - like spare toilet rolls or towels.
Woven from seagrass, these storage baskets would make perfect clutter buckets. They even have lids to keep the contents hidden.
Ideal for toiletries and cosmetics or spare flannels or towels, this box will be a timeless addition to a tidy bathroom.
Scalloped and stylish, these storage baskets are extremely affordable and will offer some extra storage space in your bathroom.
3. Vertical and wall-mounted storage
As someone with a very small bathroom, I have very limited floor space. But one thing that’s turned my once-messy bathroom into a tidy bathroom is utilising the vertical space - like unused (but thin) corners, the walls, and even the back of my bathroom door.
Keeping the floor free of clutter makes the space feel much larger, and the beauty of this vertical, wall-mounted storage is that everything now has a home. In fact, I’ve recently removed all my shampoo bottles and toiletries from around the bath and installed the Croydex Easy Fit Shower Basket (£16 at B&Q), which sits around the shower pole.
Other vertical storage options include shelves or ladders for bathroom towel storage, over-the-door hooks for more towels or dressing gown hanging space, and space-saving cabinets that are tall and thin rather than short and stumpy.
This caddy has space for shampoo bottles, soaps, razors, and so much more - and it's made from rustproof materials that will not discolour.
Offering shelf space, a mirror and ladder rungs for towels and clothes, this ladder will help you make the most of vertical space in your bathroom.
Your doors could be working so much harder, and this door towel rack lets you store your towels neatly and tidying when not in use.
4. A good quality mop
I may be biased as Ideal Home’s resident floorcare expert, but I always think that a dirty bathroom floor instantly makes a bathroom look messy. And while the best vacuum cleaners can help to lift dry debris from hard bathroom flooring, it really needs a wet clean to keep it squeaky-clean and germ-free.
That’s where the best mops come into play, and a good-quality mop can instantly freshen your space. For bathrooms, I’d suggest opting for one that ensures you’re only ever cleaning with fresh water, rather than just wiping dirty water around the place.
Personally, I’m in my electric mop era and have found these options to be extremely effective at mopping the tiles in my bathroom. But electric mops are an investment, so I’d alternatively suggest a mop and bucket set that allows you to separate clean water from dirty water - and control how much water and cleaning solution you’re using.
I genuinely couldn't recommend this electric mop more. It cleans twice as fast as a regular mop, continuously pumping out clean (and detergent-filled) water while sucking up the dirty water from the floor.
I recently tested this mop, and can safely say that it's the perfect size for bathrooms - especially if you're storing it in there. It offers the convenience of a mop and bucket, without the hefty size.
If you want some extra cleaning power, the best vacuum mops will tackle dry and wet debris at the same time. This is my top-rated model with up to 30 minutes of run time - and it tackles area rugs, too.
5. A perfectly-sized laundry basket
Nothing will make a bathroom look messier than clothes spewing out of your laundry bin. And while this may be a sign that you need to pop on a load of laundry, it may also indicate that you simply don’t have the right laundry basket for your needs. In fact, those with tidy bathrooms always have a laundry basket that matches the number of people in their house.
So, solo dwellers will just need a small laundry basket, couples will need a medium-sized one, and families will need something much larger. Joseph Joseph is my go-to in this instance, as they have a comprehensive laundry basket size guide to help you. And for families, the Joseph Joseph Tota 90 Litre Laundry Basket (£125 at Amazon) will suit you perfectly.
However, I also think it’s important to acknowledge when your laundry basket just might be too big for your bathroom. And if you’re a large family with products and bathroom essentials everywhere, it may be that relocating the laundry basket will turn a cluttered bathroom into a tidy one.
As well as having separate compartments for your light and dark washing, this laundry basket also has a shelf on top for extra storage. Bonus!
This Joseph Joseph laundry basket is slightly different to the one I mentioned above, as this one has two 45-litre fabric tote bags inside - rather than the three. But it is cheaper.
40L might need emptying earlier, but this laundry basket is ideal for smaller bathrooms where space is limited. Simply slot it into the corner out of the way.
With these small switches, you can have a tidy bathroom in no time!
