You may think you know everything that you need to about what to keep in the bathroom. It seems pretty obvious, after all. But what you probably don’t know is that the heat and humidity from your bathroom sink and shower might be putting some of your belongings in danger. Check out this list of storage do’s and don’ts for your bathroom!
Don’t Store:
Makeup
It might be tempting to store makeup in the bathroom. After all, that is where your morning routine likely takes place. However, makeup needs to be stored in a consistently cool and dry place to avoid ruining it, and a bathroom is anything but consistently cool and dry.
Medicine
Like makeup, medicine can be ruined by high humidity and fluctuating temperatures. More importantly, storing medicine in your bathroom can put others at risk, especially if you have prescription medications. Prescriptions, and even over-the-counter medication, need to be stored so that they cannot be easily accessed by children and guests. Keep medication in a high, secure, private location- preferably one with a lock.
Jewelry
Humidity can be problematic for jewelry as well; jewelry exposed to high or frequent humidity will tarnish quickly. Try storing your jewelry in the same place you keep your makeup, and both will stay safe and beautiful longer!
Electronics
This one might be a no-brainer, but electronics that aren’t waterproof are at risk in your bathroom. Invest in waterproof speakers, if you listen to music in the shower, and keep all phones, iPods, and other devices out!
Towels
Believe it or not, the bathroom is not the best place to store your spare bath towels. Towels are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungus, so storing these in a linen closet outside the bathroom is a much healthier choice.
Old or unused toiletries
This one slips our mind often, because cleaning out our bathroom cabinets does not feel as urgent as cleaning out the fridge or kitchen cupboards, but old, half-empty bottles and tubes really start to stack up and take up space. Clean out and wipe out your cabinets at least once a month to keep the clutter down.
Do Store:
Plenty of toilet paper
There is nothing worse than running out of toilet paper right when you need it most- except maybe running out of toilet paper in a bathroom that isn’t yours. Spare your guests (and yourself) the stress of an empty-roll situation and make sure that your bathroom is WELL-stocked. A safe rule of thumb is to keep one or two more rolls in your bathroom cabinet than you think necessary. Do this and you’ll thank us later- trust us!
Extra soap and shampoo
We’ve all been there- running out of soap or shampoo mid-shower is a pain. Avoid a drippy dash to a faraway closet by making sure you are stocked up. Follow the same rule with shampoo as you do with toilet paper and keep more than you think you need in the bathroom, and you’ll never find yourself in an empty-bottle crisis again.
