Bathrooms may be the easiest room to simplify. What does one really need?
- Toilet Paper
- A Towel
- Soap
- Toothbrush & Toothpaste

Oh, but the reality is, I’ve got more in mine.
I have a hair dryer, flat iron, and hair spray. I also have mascara and a cosmetic compact, with two different colors of lipstick. I’ve got 4 bottles of lotion. (Mea culpa.) My husband has shaving cream, deodorant, and a set of hair clippers. He also keeps a Bible and Euclid’s Elements “on his side.” (I suppose because it’s the only place where he can read uninterrupted??)
There are other things too. I’ve got a household of 9 people to keep track of. Therefore, I tend to buy things in bulk. I’ve got three bottles of contact solution. And a ton of toilet paper below the sink.


In any case, someday I hope to have less. But for now, here’s what I can recommend.
Tips for Less in the Bathroom:
- Limit the number of bottles in your shower. I’ve got 3: my shampoo, body wash, and my husband’s shampoo. Really, we could get by with 1.
- Limit the number of towels and washcloths in your cabinet. The children have 1 towel each in their bathrooms, and my husband and I each have 2.
- Throw that old medicine away. If you haven’t used it in a year, it’s probably bad anyway.
- Throw those old cosmetics away and buy less!
The last thing I’ll recommend for your bathroom is a holy picture or crucifix. I have St. Therese right my by sink, and sometimes, when I’m brushing my teeth or doing whatever, I talk to her. Yes, I might be a little crazy, but she always listens.
What’s by your sink?