10 Things to Toss : Bathroom edition

10 Things to Toss:

Bathroom Edition

For me, decluttering is a way to relieve stress. I feel a weight being lifted when I eliminate things from my home that don’t serve me purpose.

With us currently spending more time at home, our space shouldn’t be adding to our stress.

I know the last thing people want to do is spend hours cleaning or organizing their space. Let’s focus on small areas at a time .

Stretched out hair ties

You know the ones I’m talking about. You reach in to pull out a hair tie, it’s stretched out so you put it back and pull out another one. Let’s just go through them once and for all and eliminate those dreadful hair ties that don’t serve us any purpose.

Expired Medication

Personally, I don’t keep my medication in the bathroom because heat and moisture from the shower/bath can actually decrease their potency but I know many who still do. I mean, there’s even a “medicine cabinet” right in the bathroom, so I understand the confusion. Definitely have a look through your medication, regardless of where you store them and take out the expired ones. Separate them until you can safely dispose of them at the pharmacy.

Ratty old Towels

You won’t use them, so why are you still holding on to them? Remove those ratty old towels from your linen closet and save 2-3 for rags or gross spills. Donate all the rest to an animal shelter or vet. They are often under equipped and towels definitely come in use for lining their cages and wiping up spills.

Samples

Who else loves samples? I have a ton that I usually get in the mail, or at Sephora and I just forget about them. Just get rid of them. We all have our favourite products anyways. If you were going to use them, you would have by now. Toss, save that space for something else.

Old Makeup

So I’m guilty of this. I love buying makeup, but when it comes time to wear it, I have my go to products that I use and rarely touch the rest. Makeup has an expiration, especially once it has been open and exposed to air.

Here is a rough guideline.

Mascara: 4-6 months
Lipstick: 12-18 months
Pencil Eyeliner: 1 year
Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
Foundation: 12-18 months
Concealer: 12-18 months
Eyeshadow/blush: 1-2 years

Bathroom Cleaning Products

Take stock of what you have. Keep what do you actually use, throw out what you don’t. If you have multiple bottles with the same product, combine them.

Old Loofahs/bath mitts

When you exfoliate, dead skin cells can get trapped in the folds and the warm humidity can just cause bacteria to multiply. Dermatologists recommend to change out your loofahs and bath mitts every 3 weeks.

Bath toys

If you have kids at home, you surely have some bath toys lying around. Sort through the ones they actually still play with. Make sure there is no mold. Throw out the worn out ones.

Unused bath products/creams

Bath sets are always a popular gift to give. Sometimes we tend to have a little collection start up without us even realizing. Go through them. If it’s not something you have used in the past year - chances are you won’t miss it if you get rid of it. No reason to take up valuable storage space on something you won’t use. Same goes for creams. Yes, they cost money. If it didn’t suit you, or you just prefer another product - it’s safe to say, get rid of it.

Shower area

Last but not least, go to your shower area. Dull razor blades, little bits of soap, basically anything that looks old and unused - let’s toss it and keep only whats in use.

Maintain a sense of routine

Is 2020 over yet? How surreal is this situation we find ourselves in? Self-isolation, social distancing, quarantine – all these terms have become the new norm.  Whatever you may be feeling now, just remember you are not alone.

 Many cities have gone into lockdown with bans on social gatherings, travel, as well as work and school closures. While we may not have control over when we will be allowed back into the real world, what we can control is how we spend our time while isolating.

 As far as possible, try to maintain as much of a routine as you can.

Wake up and go to bed at healthy times to ensure you get enough sleep. Even though you are at home, get out of those PJ’s so your mind knows it is time to get started for the day.

 A healthy routine will require you to try and schedule tasks/activities throughout the day. Make sure to include these key points:

• Fitness. Get your heart rate up, even though you are at home and unable to go to the gym. YouTube has some great Zumba and yoga videos you can follow along as well. Most gyms are even posting daily online workout videos on their social media.

• The state of your home directly effects how you feel. I strongly believe in outer order brings inner calm. Keeping a neat and organized home will make you feel tranquil and energized. A little bit a day is all you need.

• Remain connected with family and friends. Have an online coffee date with them. We need each other more than ever now.

• Go outside for some fresh air. Go for a short walk around the block or even in your backyard.

• Click “next episode” on your shows, read that book you’ve been meaning to get around to, or take on a new hobby – when else will you have this much free time?

 Finally, test out your schedule. It’s not written in stone. Go along with it for a few days, see what works, what doesn’t and make the necessary changes.

See below for the schedule I’ve created for my kids and it’s working well so far.

 At the end of the day, do your best, but cut yourself some slack. This situation is not something we expected or prepared for. We’re all struggling but this will all be over soon.

Don’t forget to follow me on my social media. I’ll be posting more tips and tricks to keep you motivated.