I know that for many of us, cleaning and organizing a kids’ bathroom can be a dreadful task.
So whether you are dealing with a toddler’s bath toys or a messy teenager, you will find step-by-step instructions below for getting this room looking good.
You’ll also find recommended organizers and storage solutions as well as tips for maintaining a clean bathroom.
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Decluttering the Kids’ Bathroom
1. Empty, Declutter, & Purge Their Bathroom
The first thing you’ll want to do is to completely empty the bathroom. Remove any toys and hair/soap products from the shower/tub area.
Empty items on top of the vanity as well as those under it. If your vanity has drawers, empty those as well.
Next, have a trash bag handy to get rid of anything that is broken like hair ties or has expired. You’ll also want to get rid of any bath toys that are showing signs of mold.
If your children have any bath toys they no longer play with, get rid of them. Refrain from donating these unless you want to thoroughly clean, disinfect, and sanitize them.
2. Give Their Bathroom a Good Clean
Now that the bathroom is empty, this should make it a bit easier to clean.
Remove any washable items such as shower curtains, rugs, and toilet lid/tank covers and toss them in the washer while you do the next set of tasks.
Give the shower/tub area a good scrubbing – I found this awesome bathtub cleaner recipe that easily removed dirty rings and stuck-on mildew stains in my kids’ tub.
Wipe down walls and baseboards.
Clean the inside and outside of the toilet and sink/vanity – for a chemical-free cleaner, try this product that is safe for kids.
Wipe down and vacuum inside of vanity drawers to remove dust and any bits of trash.
Clean any mirrors and windows.
Dust off other surface areas including any wall decor.
3. Sort Their Items
Now that you’ve cleaned the bathroom, it’s time to return the items you removed and relocate others.
Begin sorting and categorizing like items. This will make it easy when choosing the best organizer to keep some of these items.
If you come across items that do not need to be in this room, then consider relocating them to a linen closet or to your child’s room.
For example, if your teenager has a vanity in her room, relocate hair accessories and/or makeup to their room.
Do not keep medications in any bathroom. Most should always be stored in a dry place. Options include a linen closet, bedroom, or kitchen.
If you come across duplicate products like body wash or shampoo, see if you can consolidate them into one container.
4. Find Extra Storage Space
After you are done sorting, take note of the size of your keep piles to determine what kind of storage organizers you may need.
Below are some tips for finding extra storage in their bathroom.
- Try a behind-the-door organizer. This will free up space and makes it easy for small kids to store their items. Teens will love how easily they can find their things.
- An over-the-toilet shelving unit can double storage space if needed.
- Have your children use shower caddies that they can tote back and forth freeing up even more space especially if the bathroom is particularly small.
5. Use Space Organizers
Below are some tips and organizers for certain spaces.
VANITY DRAWERS
There are many organizers you can buy for inserting into drawers but you can also create organizers out of small boxes and bins around the home. Get creative and decorate them with designer Duct tape or even washi tape.
Under the Vanity
Use organizers with drawers like this one to help tame your kids’ items from Pull-Ups to pantiliners.
You can also use an over-the-cabinet door organizer.
Medicine Chest
A clever way to keep a medicine chest tidy is to use the door. You can place these stick-on organizers to hold toothbrushes and makeup. Just remember to place them so that the door is still able to close.
Shower Stall/Tub
If there is limited space in the shower/tub area, consider using an organizer that hangs over the showerhead. This is only recommended for kids that can reach items kept there.
With that said, there are organizers that stick to walls and you can place them at any height. And no, these are not those ‘suction cup’ organizers that always come off.
If this bathroom only has a stand-up shower, a tension-rod shelving organizer is great for holding lots of items. And items can be kept on the lower baskets for smaller kids.
And let’s not forget all those bath toys. You can find lots of mesh bags that will keep the toys contained as well as allow the toys to dry properly so they don’t get moldy.
Helpful Tips for Your Kids
Tots and Small Kids
When it comes to tots, make a game of putting their bath toys away. If they have those foam letters and numbers, you can call out a letter, number, or even color.
For both tots and small kids who have started brushing their teeth, purchase a sturdy step-stool. This should lessen the mess on the vanity or at least keep it contained to the basin part.
Big Kids, Tweens, and Teens
As I mentioned earlier, consider purchasing each child a shower caddy. This is especially recommended if there is a big age gap between your youngest and oldest child. A toddler would have a great time using a deodorant stick on the walls.
They are also great if you have children of the opposite sex using the same bathroom. You can use a simple basket or plastic bin as a caddy.
Because we don’t keep much in their bathroom, the boys keep their caddies in the vanity instead of schlepping to and from their bedrooms.
For All Kids
If you have multiple kids using the bathroom, forget the towel bar which usually holds one towel. Get hooks and assign them to each kid. They can use it for their towels, robes, clothing, or stringed tote. Label if necessary.
If you have the space, keep a hamper in this bathroom. This should keep their dirty clothes from ending up on the floor.
What Your Kids Can Do
Helping Your Kids Maintain Their Bathroom
While your kids are young, you will need to do all of the bathroom cleanings. Try to maintain the cleaning and organizing by giving it a daily five-minute check. Make sure everything is placed where it should be and quickly wipe down surfaces.
When your kids are bigger, keep surface wipes nearby. As soon as you think they are old enough to tidy up after themselves, teach them how to use the wipes to clean the occasional toilet sprinkle and/or toothpaste sprinkles on the mirror.
You can also create rules and post them in the bathroom. Here is a list of rules for our boys. You can find this in our resource library as well if you’d like a copy.
If dealing with multiple kids, create a chore chart for them to follow. If their ages span between tots to teens, simply assign the younger ones with doable tasks.
Younger kids can stock the bathroom with toilet paper, soap, and toothpaste. Bigger kids can do mirrors and surfaces and teens can take care of the toilet and shower areas.
You can find lots of free chore charts on Pinterest.
If you can create a cleaning checklist, go for it. Kids forget. Teens try to forget. Write down all the cleaning and tidying jobs that need to be done in the bathroom and write/type this out.
Then, frame/or laminate the checklist so that it can be used over and over with a dry erase marker.
Final Thoughts on Keeping Your Kids’ Bathroom Clean and Organized
Don’t underestimate your children’s abilities to clean and organize. Start them out young and they will get used to having a clean space.
If your kids are in their teens, consider giving them the responsibility of cleaning it once a week. Not only are you free from this chore but they will learn to take better care of their bathroom throughout the week.
Below are pics of my boys’ bathroom that they have kept clean. I haven’t touched it in two weeks.
Now, it’s time to put these steps into action and get your kids’ bathroom organized!
Related Articles on Organizing Bathrooms
If your kids’ bathroom is small, read my post, How to Easily Organize and Maintain a Small Bathroom, for tips that can help you deal with limited space.
Need help with your half/guest bathroom? Click here.
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