The family bathroom is one of the most fought over features of any house. Ideally, you have more than one bathroom or at least two separate toilets. That way no one ever has to wait too long when they really need to go and one of your teenagers is hogging the washroom real estate for an hour. Having said that, even if you only have a single bathroom, there are things you can do to make it more user-friendly for the entire family.
The bathroom is used for so many things, from bathtime with the kids to teens applying their makeup, but because it needs to work for the whole family, one bathroom can sometimes pose a few problems. Fortunately, it’s often easier to solve these issues than you might think.
A Bathroom Taken Over By Kids’ Stuff
When it’s a family bathroom, you need to find space for everyone’s things. If you have children, and young ones especially, there’s a lot of extra stuff that they need. First, they might need a step to reach the toilet and basin otherwise you’ll be mopping the floor more than you want to. Second, kids love big colorful bath toys, and then there are all the gimmicky items you get to make brushing their teeth or washing their face more fun. To keep things organized, get something to put all the toys inside. Buy a step that will slide away somewhere discreet, and try to keep colorful kids clutter to a minimum.
A Bathroom Taken Over By or Teenage Stuff
It’s not just the little kids who can take over the bathroom. If it’s not makeup or shaving kits, it’s five different types of shower gel and shampoo. If you want to keep things organized, make sure there’s enough storage for everyone. Having some handy baskets or hanging pouches by the bath or shower gives each person somewhere to put their preferred products. You can also encourage other things to be kept elsewhere. Makeup, for example, can stay in bedrooms, instead of cluttering up the bathroom.
No Space for a Bath And A Shower?
Not all bathrooms are large enough for a bathtub, especially not with a separate shower too. Some people compromise with a bath-shower, but you might want to consider having only a shower. Take a look at any bathroom seller website to see how good a new shower could look. If you don’t take baths often, a bathtub could be a waste of space, and you could do a lot more with the room by installing a good sized shower. Even if you have young children, babies can join you in the shower almost right away (as long as it’s gentle and not too hot) and they can shower alone, with supervision, as soon as they can stand too.
The Busy Bathroom
The busy bathroom is often a problem for families. There are times when you’re all trying to use it at once, especially in the mornings. One solution is to make some clear bathroom rules or create a schedule. But this isn’t always ideal if your family finds it hard to stick to a routine. If there’s space in your home, another bathroom could be best. You could convert an existing space, whether it’s a guest room or the attic.
Avoid these family bathroom problems by choosing a solution for them. Don’t let the bathroom rule your lives.
