There’s nothing quite as satisfying as finally completing a thorough bathroom declutter, making the space even more relaxing and calm.
It might be one of the smallest rooms in your home, but your bathroom can easily fill with stuff, which can make it feel cramped and untidy – not what you want from a space that should be relaxing.
Just like decluttering your home, having a tidy bathroom can reap many benefits because we demand a lot of this compact space so it's important to make it efficient and calming to be in.
And while a bathroom cleanup is about organising a small space, decluttering a bathroom has its unique challenges – not least what to do with all those bottles and excess towels. A plan to declutter with precision is key for preventing this compact space from feeling overwhelmed. We asked the experts for a little help and some valuable advice to make the whole process easier, quicker, and more effective.
How to declutter a bathroom: 11 professional tips
If you know you have a lot to organise, you needn't feel daunted by the thought of decluttering. We've chatted with organisation experts to find out how to clean and declutter your bathroom easily. After all the cluttered look certainly isn't on this year's list of bathroom trends.
With that in mind, here are their top tips and tricks to tackle your bathroom decluttering fast and effectively.
1. Assess the situation
When decluttering your bathroom, start by taking everything out, so you can see exactly what you’ve got – the same process if you were organising kitchen cabinets or organising a pantry.
"Bring it all out into the bedroom space on a sheet, in case of spillages," suggests Jasmine Sleigh of professional decluttering service Change Your Space. Then you can clean the bathroom, and decide what deserves to go back in.
If you’re finding the number of supplies a little overwhelming, Jasmine has a top tip: "Group types of toiletries together, so you can see all the shampoo supplies in one place, for example."
This is a good way of identifying over-stock, working out if you can prioritise using up the last of some bottles, or whether you can be ruthless with unused toiletries.
2. Purge, purge, purge
Once you can see everything you have, it’s time to purge. This is a great method to use when decluttering your wardrobe too, think of your unused towels like those tops you never wear.
First of all, decide what you use daily and put it to one side, explains Jane Lee, professional organiser, and declutterer at Jane Lee Interiors. Then, start to examine the rest of your supplies.
"Are there towels that always live at the bottom of the pile? Make-up that’s out of date or never used? Numerous hair brushes when you use the same one or two?" Make piles for items that should be thrown out, donated, or recycled.
"Be brutal and realistic," says Craig Hoareau, Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (APDO) member and managing director of A Tidy Mind London. "You will not be using those hotel sample bottles you collected on your travels and they certainly do not belong in your limited bathroom storage space."
Also, take a look at partially used supplies and ask yourself whether you’re ever really going to use them. "It’s hard to stomach just throwing them out," says Craig, "but at the same time, don’t treat your home like a landfill". Either you finish using them, give them away to friends, post them on a free sharing app or websites such as Facebook Marketplace or Olio or they go in the bin, he says.
3. Deal with medicines
It’s easy to accumulate medicines you no longer need, especially if you’ve been living in the same house for a while, so don’t neglect these as part of your bathroom declutter.
“You may have been on different medicines in the past and forgot to throw them out just in case, and they’ve made their way to the back of the medicine cabinet, pushing all the clutter forward,” says Tor Rydder, organizing expert and founder of Organizing.TV. “Go through your cupboards and dispose of anything that is expired or isn’t needed anymore.” Don’t forget that prescription medicines can be taken to the pharmacy for safe disposal.
While you’re at it, you might want to rethink whether you need medicines in your bathroom at all. “Many people keep first aid supplies or medicines in the bathroom, but they could also be stored in the kitchen,” notes productivity coach Juliet Landau-Pope, who looks for better solutions to help organise your life in general.
4. Consider duplicates
If you’re a bulk buyer, bathroom supplies can easily pile up, causing more clutter in your space. Before you can even start utilising bathroom storage ideas, you'll need to question whether you need all these items.
“Consider whether you have the room to store excess items – if you don’t, it may not be worth it,” says Kate Ibbotson, founder of A Tidy Mind. ”Consider keeping only what you need in the bathroom and storing excess items in another room.”
Victoria Nicholson of The Spark Joy Collective agrees, “Unless you live somewhere remote, there’s no need to stockpile toiletries. Shops pay for storage space so you don’t have to.” Also, remember that ditching the clutter now will make your life easier in the future. “The less you have in your bathroom – the easier it is to clean,” says Victoria.
5. Clean up, quickly
Once you’ve removed everything you’ll want to carry out a quick bathroom cleaning routine before you start putting things back.
Mimi Bogelund of The Spark Joy Collective has a quick tip for getting things sparkling: “Let cleaning products do the work for you and start with spraying the sink, bath, shower, and toilet,” she says. “Leave for five minutes, then scrub, rinse, and if you need to, dry with a clean microfiber cloth.”
Also take a look at your cleaning products as part of your bathroom declutter: “Cleaning products and how they smell can either make you dread cleaning or at least not mind doing it,” says Mimi. “It made all the difference when I found a fragrance I like.” Like scent-scaping your home the preferred fragrance will help to make your house smell good as well as leave it sparkling clean.
6. Get the right storage
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to bathroom storage, but there’s likely space within your bathroom that you’re not utilising – a common bathroom design mistake to make.
"Think about the vertical space and whether you can wall mount shelves or cupboards to store toiletries,” says Katherine Blackler, founder of SortMySpace. "Shallow cupboards are often the best to display just one or two rows of bottles clearly on each shelf. But if you already have fitted cupboards and they’re deeper, using boxes like Muji’s PP Vanity Case stackable range to create categories will make life easier."
What to do with all those bottles or products you use daily? "We love to use trays on countertops," says the chief stylist and floristry manager at Alexander James Interiors. "It makes surfaces easier to clean and can add a stylish, practical element to any room."
Another option for your daily items is a bin or caddy you can pull out on the counter for use and then store away, says Mary Jo Contello, of Organized by MJ. "Alternatively, a great item for small bathrooms without storage is an over-the-door storage system or a cart on wheels."
RRP: £12.99 | These storage baskets add warm, natural texture and have handles, making them easy to reach and move around. They have a less stiff structure than other baskets so use slightly less space – we think they look handy for storing towels or even spare shampoos and conditioners.
RRP: £13.99 | Fitted with handles, to ensure they can be easily moved this pack of 5 storage baskets is ideal for inside your bathroom cupboards. Think soap bars, hygiene products and skincare bottles.
RRP: £20 | These are perfect for showcasing your bathroom essentials. When you have open shelves, using something more visually appealing like these gold baskets can make your space look more expensive.
7. Don't forget the door
You might have some extra space on or around your door that could help you if you’re short on storage. "Adding hanging storage to the back of a bathroom door can allow you even more storage space in an area that's often overlooked," says Poppy Duffree, founder and director of Organised Interiors.
"There’s often usable space above the bathroom door to mount an additional shelf to store spare toilet rolls, any extra bulk buy containers, or less frequently used products," adds Katherine. Hooks are another great way to utilise dead space on the back of your bathroom door.
RRP: £9.98 | You get a set of 10 but because they are individual hooks you can use as little or as many as you need, you can utilise the remaining hooks in other rooms. The sturdy white hooks are ideal for hanging towels and bathrobes on the back of doors.
RRP: £8.65 | This chrome finish wire solution boasts 10 Hooks on an anti-slip frame to support towels hanging o n the day of the door.
RRP: £19 | This adjustable set of hooks makes a style statement thanks to the decorative disc design. The 7 round hooks are ideal for smaller hand towels, shower caps and string tied laundry bags.
8. Organise the inside
Shoving everything in a drawer or cupboard isn’t going to help you on your way to a zen, calm, and decluttered bathroom. So you may want to reorganise the inside of your storage, as well.
"Attach a magnetic strip to the inside of your bathroom cupboards," advises Lily Cameron, cleaning supervisor at Fantastic Services. "It’ll save you a lot of space and provide you with a place to store your tweezers, bobby pins, nail clippers, and nail filers. Placing your metal grooming supplies on it won’t only declutter the bathroom space but also give you better access to them."
Drawers can also be tidied up with some simple drawer dividers, the same as you would use to help organise kitchen drawers. "Use wooden or acrylic drawer dividers for different product groupings to create a home for items," says Craig.
9. Learn the art of folding
Have you considered that the way you fold could be adding to the clutter in your bathroom? Lucy Ackroyd, head of design at Christy believes that folding and storing towels neatly can have a big impact on your space.
"If you have shelf space available, fold your towels into rectangles and stack them neatly with the folds facing outwards to create a spa-like look," Lucy suggests. "If you don’t have storage space in your bathroom, wicker baskets are a perfect solution. Not only are they super affordable, but they’re also aesthetically pleasing – a great way to add a touch of nature to a room."
"The best way to store towels in baskets is by folding them into thirds and then rolling them up. To be extra organised, and if you like everything in its place, you can buy specific baskets for different-sized towels. A small basket next to your sink, for example, would be the perfect place to store your facecloths."
10. Label everything
Once you’ve got everything where you want it, labelling it correctly can help you stay clutter-free. You can use this method when organising your kitchen too, it helps with keeping track of your ingredients and their sell-by dates.
"Labelling not only makes it easier to find things but also makes it easier to know where they go back," says Craig.
Labels can also help keep things tidy if you’ve got multiple people using the bathroom, too. "There will be no excuse for things not being put back where they belong," says Craig.
11. Adopt a 'one in one out' policy
To keep on top of the clutter, Tor suggests a one-in, one-out policy for any room in the home that needs to be decluttered. "This policy is simple," he says, "when you buy something that you already own (a new shirt, new towels, new utensils, and so on) throw out the old one."
It's these simple daily habits that can keep your house clean and tidy long after you've carried out a bathroom decluttering process.
In terms of the bathroom specifically, think about how many towels you need for your bathroom, and donate any excess, he says. Old towels can often be donated to animal rescue charities.
FAQs
Where should toiletries be placed in a bathroom?
- Put the most frequently used toiletries in an easy-to-reach place
- Consider using trays or separate caddies for morning and evening skincare products
- Place toiletries in baskets, trays or caddies to make them easier to lift and clean under
- Keep spare items together so you know what you've got
How do I organise my bathroom with a lot of stuff?
- Use boxes with lids to cut out visual clutter
- Be ruthless in considering what you need to keep
- Keep any spares in another room or out of reach, but labelled
- Label everything so you know what you have
- Place any almost used-up items in your bag, to use while you're out and about
How should you organise a small cluttered bathroom?
- Consider adding storage solutions
- Use drawer dividers to keep drawers tidy
- Roll your towels so they can be easily accessed
- Only keep items you use every day in your bathroom
- If you share a bathroom, buy toiletries you can all use instead of having multiple
How do I get the most out of my small bathroom space?
When it comes to making a small room look bigger, decluttering is a fantastic first step. Not only will it free up much-needed space but it will make the whole room look larger too. There are however other steps you can take.
Lena Gierasinska, Head of Product and Displays at Barker & Stonehouse says, "In a small bathroom, every inch counts. Opt for multi-functional furniture, such as vanity units with built-in storage or recessed shelving to make use of wall space. Hooks, magnetic strips, and tiered organisers can help keep surfaces clear while maintaining accessibility."
She also recommends choosing a light, neutral colour scheme and incorporating mirrors as this will help create the illusion of more space.
What should I remove first when decluttering?
Once you've motivated yourself to declutter, you'll have to figure out where to start. This can be the most daunting part of the process, and more than enough to put you off the thing altogether.
Lena says, "Start with expired or unused toiletries, these tend to accumulate unnoticed. Next, assess duplicate items and consolidate them where possible. Anything that doesn’t serve a daily or practical purpose, such as bulky packaging or decorative clutter, should be reassessed."
"A minimalist approach will make your bathroom feel more spacious and serene. Think about any items that can be stored outside of the bathroom, such as towels or spare toiletries. Ottoman boxes are a great solution to simplistic storage, which goes unnoticed in the home," she adds.
Using the best professional decluttering methods will not only save you time but also a lot of effort. It can be frustrating to find yourself mid-decluttering, surrounded by mess and not knowing what the next step should be.
