In my family, there are four: Me, my hubby, our toddler, and our teenage exchange student. We have one small bathroom upstairs, in which resides the only shower/tub. The actual floor space is about 5’ by 8’, and we make it work.
- Schedule: Each person should have a consistent time for showering and getting ready for the day, as well as getting ready for bed. One of us is a morning bather, while two are evening bathers, and I get my showers whenever I can fit them into my day. (Fellow mamas, you know exactly what I’m talking about)!
- Organize: Each person should have a drawer, a shelf, or a cabinet area for his or her stuff. Ladies get more space for makeup and hair stuff, guys get less. If your space starts to overflow, you have too much stuff.
- Share shower products. Shampoo, conditioner, and bottles of face or body wash can be community property. This helps save space in the shower. I still prefer to have my own razor and bar of chem-free soap.
- Make use of vertical space. Use shelving on walls, provide hooks for towels. Use baskets on shelves to hold clean towels, toiletries, and bathtub toys.
- Clean up daily. Small bathrooms get dirty and cluttered quickly. Each person should get into the habit of wiping up any smears, crumbs, splashes, stray hairs they leave behind, and pick up towels and clothing from the floor before leaving the room. Even my toddler knows this routine, and will put her bath toys away in her drawer after her bath. Praise your family for their efforts.
Do you share a small bathroom? How do you make it work? We’d love to hear your funny stories, tips, and questions below in the comments!
