Killer Hacks For Busy Bathrooms
Every room in the house has its own quirk. The living room is where you chill, the kitchen is where you socialise, and the garage is the place to workout when you can’t be bothered going to the gym. The bathroom’s thing is that it’s busy, like super-busy. Whether it’s 8:30 am or 8:30 pm, it’s either occupied or someone is knocking on the door waiting to get in. Where’s the peace people, where’s the peace?
Families tend to have huge arguments because it’s annoying being late for work when your husband is taking a shower. He knows you need to leave the house before 9:00 am yet he decided to go in anyway. And, let’s not get started on the kids who have no understanding of being on time for anything.
What you need are ways to stop the traffic from getting in the way on a daily basis. Then, you’d never have to miss a meeting or sit in a jam on the motorway again. God, that sounds like a pipedream at this point, yet it doesn’t have to be with the following tips.
Share And Share Alike
Because it’s a bathroom and it’s where you do some private stuff, it’s natural to want to shut and lock the door. No one wants to see you sat on the toilet in the same way you don’t want them to watch. However, there are certain things which won’t bother your husband or partner. It’s not as if this is the first time they’re going to see you in the nude. As long as it doesn’t freak him out, let him in if he’s desperate for a number one while you’re in the shower.
The kids are different because the idea of their parents doing anything bathroom-like is disgusting. So, sharing a bathroom with them will only work if it’s for things such as brushing teeth and doing your makeup. Even then they’ll complain, but there isn’t a second bathroom so ignore them and say you’ll only be five minutes (when you’ll be fifteen).
Sharing is the only way to make it fair. Otherwise, you’ll need to start getting up two hours earlier to be on time and that’s not cricket. A girl’s got to get her beauty sleep.
Clear The Clutter
Sharing is difficult when the room is a mess and you can’t move for clutter. It makes it ten times harder and a lot more frustrating. When the bathroom is in disarray, there are bound to be shouting matches at silly o’clock in the morning. So, it’s always an excellent idea to give everything a home. A cool trick to save space is to use multipurpose furniture such as vanities which act as mirrors and storage units. Drench.co.uk has a range of them, from wall mounted to floor standing.
Another option is to get rid of the bulky pieces which don’t get much use. A bathtub is a prime example because most families use the shower. Sure, it might be nice to soak in the tub at the weekend, but can you argue its use when you only draw a bath once in a blue moon? Once it’s out, there are at least a couple of square feet of space free. Homerepairtutor.com has the fine details.
Finally, think about utilising hard to reach areas such as the corners of the room. A corner sink will fit in nicely and leave more space in the centre.
Create A Schedule
To minimise the traffic, you can create a bathroom schedule for everybody in the house. Yes, it’s very Sheldon Cooper-esque and he’s a little OCD, but it’s the only way to make sure the room is free at the busiest times of the day. No one else needs a slot as long as everyone knows that you need to be in the shower for 7:45 am. If this helps to seem less dictator-like, then so be it.
There is no reason to allot times for anything other than the morning. After all, you can’t account for bodily functions, plus no one will be in the house. Also, there is no mad rush once you come home from the office. It’s the getting there that’s stressful. How you advertise the schedule is worth considering. The last thing you want to do is put it on the fridge for everybody to see while they eat their cereal.
Put it on a wall in the bathroom to remind your hubby and the kids that they must evacuate the area in the morning. Mum’s got a busy day ahead!
Renovate A Room
Countystonegranite.co.uk believes in the one bathroom per two bedroom rule. Anything more than three sleeping chambers then needs an extra toilet and shower combination. Even a three-bedroom property might want to knock up an additional bathroom to ease the traffic. The decision is yours but note that it’s not too tricky.
For example, plenty of mums and dads decide to have an en-suite in the master bedroom. That way, the kids can use the main one and there should be no disturbances. Another option is to renovate a room which doesn’t get used often, such as a bedroom or utility room.
Because a two-bathroom house is popular among buyers, it will add to the value of your home so it’s a win-win.
Get Up Early
The idea of getting up early to use the bathroom is a trade-off. On the one hand, you need to have a shower and don’t want to risk leaving it too late, on the other, you can’t be bothered! The good news is there is no reason to wake up mega early while the rest of the house is still sleeping.
For the most part, getting out of bed ten to fifteen minutes before sleeping beauty next to you should put you one step ahead. Plus, the perennially tired can let the warm water wake them up by spending an extra five minutes in the shower.
How busy is your bathroom? Do you think these hacks can help to thin out the traffic?
Disclosure: This is a featured post.
