The prospect of ironing a shirt has you bewildered, just follow these instructions and before you know it you’ll have a perfectly ironed one that would make your mama proud.

The first thing to do is choose a well-lighted area with a clean floor to set up the ironing board. In other words, you don’t want to be ironing next to the dog dish where you might accidentally drag a sleeve through. Place the ironing board so that the wide end is to your right, if you’re right handed, and near an electrical plug. Most ironing boards are adjustable for height. Set yours so that it is about waist level for you.

If the shirt you will be ironing islinen or is very wrinkled from the wash, spray the shirt lightly with water using a spray bottle. Roll the shirt up and wrap it in a towel for five to ten minutes. This will allow the moisture to distribute evenly. You want it to be only slightly damp when you iron it.

Fill the water reservoir of your iron to the full line with cool water. Some irons recommend distilled water, which is a good idea if your tap water is hard. Minerals from the water will build up in the iron over time and cause the steam function not to work properly. Also a mineral buildup can cause the iron to spit and even leave rust-like stains on your garments.

Plug in the iron and set the temperature gauge to the setting specified for the fabric of your shirt. If you’re unsure, check the label on the shirt. Set the iron on its end point up or on a stand while it heats and during ironing when you need both hands to adjust the garment on the ironing board. Set the iron on the square end of the ironing board.

When the iron is hot, turn on the steam feature. Unroll the damp shirt and face the ironing board with the square end and the iron to your right. Hold the shirt by the collar right side of the shirt facing you and spread the collar out on the ironing board. You will be ironing the underside of the collar first. Press the collar from the point edges to the middle. Turn the collar over and press the other side in the same way. Sometimes the collar will have “ease” that allows it to be smooth when it is curved around your neck. Ironing the collar toward the center will prevent you from ironing the extra “ease” fabric into a little crease where the collar is top stitched. If you notice “ease” fabric, just let it run in front of your iron to the center without making a crease. If you like, you can fold the collar down as it will be worn and lightly press it so that the fold is more distinct and the collar lies flatter against your neck.

Next take the shirt and pull it onto the tapered end of the ironing board so that the back yoke is flat on the board and the board extends a little into one sleeve. Press half of the yoke. Turn the shirt around and place it on the board so that the un-ironed half of the yoke is on the board. Smooth the yoke out with your hands so that it is flat and then press it with the iron. If the entire yoke will lie flat, you can iron it without changing its position.

Sleeves can be a little tricky, but the secret is to take your time and be sure the fabric is flat with no big wrinkles before you apply the iron. First flatten one cuff on the ironing board and iron it. Then take that sleeve by the seam and lay the whole sleeve flat on the ironing board. If you can see the crease on the top of the sleeve from previous ironing, try to match it again so that you have a single crease line on the sleeve. Start at the top where the sleeve is sewn onto the shirt and work your way down to the cuff. The placket may need to be held with your free hand as you iron it, but be careful not to burn your fingers. The steam coming out of the iron can be scalding. Turn the sleeve over and iron the other side. Repeat the process with the other sleeve.

Now you’re ready to iron the body of the shirt. With the collar to your left, place the left side of the shirt on your ironing board. On a man’s shirt, this will be the side with the buttonholes. It may be easier to iron the upper portion by turning the shirt slightly so that the tapered part of the ironing board slips into the sleeve a little. Iron around the collar carefully as it is easy to cause a wrinkle here. Pull the shirt flat on the ironing board again and iron the placket and the rest of the front left side. Rotate the shirt toward you so that half of the back is on the ironing board. Smooth it out with your hands and iron it. Keep rotating, smoothing, and ironing until you come to the right front of the shirt. Iron the top section first then the rest of it.

You can now put it on a hanger. Make sure it is hanging straight and that the sleeves are flat and folded softly toward the front. Buttoning the collar button and the first button or two will help the shirt keep its shape. Button the collar buttons on button-down shirts. Hang it in the closet with space around it so that other clothes do not crush your freshly ironed shirt.

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1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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Are you drinking the right water? All drinking water is not the same. Even bottled water can contain unwanted impurities, have an acidic pH, or both. If you're looking for water that can offer the benefits of acid-buffering alkalinity with the antioxidant properties of a negative oxidation reduction potential (ORP), LivingWater may be for you. The competitively priced LivingWater utilizes the advantages of Direct Disk Ionization Technology™ (DDI) to deliver great-tasting, ionized, alkaline water while using less energy than conventional plate units.

Clean your bathtub or sink with a wet, used dryer sheet to leave a nice shine and remove the ring.

Remove no-slip decals from the bathtub with hot vinegar. Use a cloth or sponge to saturate them, wait, and they will come off easily with a plastic scrubber.

A bathtub or shower can be cleaned with white vinegar. Spray it on, let it set for 15 minutes, wipe, rinse, and dry.

“Oxygen Bleach” Cleanser will “scrub” away dirt and rust from just about any type of surface (even clothes), but it doesn't scratch. It is also environmentally safe and contains no hazardous chemicals, not even bleach.

Scrub tile grout with a mixture of 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of borax, and enough water to make a paste. Spread the paste, scrub, rinse, and dry. A used toothbrush makes a good grout scrubber. After the grout has been cleaned, spread the paste over the surrounding tiles, wipe, rinse, and dry.

If you wash your face every morning or every night, use the wet washcloth to wipe the sink and counter. Doing this daily should prevent any dirt build-up. Wipe dry for a spot-free shine.

Most shower curtains can be put through the washer, then hang them back up to drip dry.

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1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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Never dry-dust.  Not only do dry clothes scatter dust, they can also scratch surfaces; which will eventually dull the finish.  There are many natural products you can use to polish wood furniture.  So options to consider: olive, coconut, and lemon oils. To get the best results, dampen cloth with the product of your choice and:

• Dust from the top of furniture to the bottom.
• Wipe the front and edges.
• Follow the grain of the wood.
• Gather dust in the cloth to avoid spreading it.

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1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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Clean Clothes without Detergent or Hot Water

•  LaundryPure Owner's Manual
•  LaundryPure Product Sheet
•  LaundryPure Warranty

Without using hot water or detergent, LaundryPure puts the technology of nature to work in the laundry room at home. Based on processes used for over a decade in hospitals, hotels, and Laundromats, cold water is infused with oxygen, peroxides, and other gases to bubble and lift dirt and grime from cloth fibers, leaving towels softer and fluffier, and clothes brighter and cleaner.

Soap and water cleaning is good at removing most germs from surfaces, properly disinfecting can effectively kill germs.  The kitchen, bathroom, and nursery area should be kept in mind.

Vinegar is the go-to product when it comes to disinfectants.  Add a little hydrogen peroxide in a dark colored spray bottle and store in a dark place and you are ready for any job.  This mixture is very effective at destroying salmonella and ecoli bacteria.

You can also mix vinegar and baking soda to in the dishwasher and this is a good way to remove streaks.

Click here to learn how to make an organic cleaning product.
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1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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Lemons

The acid in lemon juice removes dirt and rust stains. It’s especially effective when mixed with salt, which makes “an excellent scouring paste,” says Karyn Siegel-Maier, author of The Naturally Clean Home ($9,amazon.com).

Price: About 50 cents a lemon.
Use Them to Clean Your…

Counter tops: Dip the cut side of a lemon half in baking soda to tackle counter tops; wipe with a wet sponge and dry. Don’t use on delicate stone, like marble, or stainless steel (it may discolor).

Cutting boards: To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.

Dishes: To increase the grease-cutting power of your dish washing detergent, add a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Faucets: Combat lime scale by rubbing lemon juice onto the taps and letting it sit overnight. Wipe with a damp cloth.

Garbage disposal: Cut a lemon in half, then run both pieces through the disposal. “The lemon cleans it and makes it smell great,” says Linda Mason Hunter, a coauthor of Green Clean ($13.50, amazon.com).

Grout: Spilled morning coffee on your tile counter top or back-splash? Here’s how to tackle grout stains: Add lemon juice to 1 or 2 teaspoons cream of tartar (an acidic salt that acts as a natural bleaching agent) to make a paste. Apply with a toothbrush, then rinse.

Hands: When you touch raw fish, the smell can linger on your fingers. Rub your hands with lemon juice, which will neutralize the odor.

Laundry: To brighten whites, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle for a normal-size load.

Plastic food-storage containers: To bleach stains from tomato soup and other acidic foods on dishwasher-safe items, rub lemon juice on the spots, let dry in a sunny place, then wash as usual.

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1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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By: Pharice Brown


We are all in a time crunch it seems these days.  With the never-ending demands on your time how do you stay ahead of the curve?  By doing a little more each day to remove clutter you save cleaning time.  Cleaning does not always need to take hours when you begin to think E.C.O.  You will be amazed how 15 minutes of straightening-up a couple times a week will make your home look and saves you time during your regular cleaning routine.

Here are some ideas to get you started on the path to being clutter free and gain more of your valuable time.  I know you have more, post them below.  We like sharing tips.

1. Pass along your subscription to publications you no longer read by calling the subscription department and change the name and address to have it delivered to someone else like a friend or family member.
2. Hang photographs on the wall to minimize tabletop clutter, preserve furniture longer, and save on cleaning time.
3. Keep a pair of scissors in the car and kitchen.  They are a huge time-saver when opening bags, cutting scallions, roadside emergencies, or opening bakery boxes tied with string.  They travel better than a knife.
4. Clean out your closet twice a year to support a local homeless shelter or friend them along.  Not only will you have more closet space you may save money by adding your new-found fashions.
5. If you open and read all of your mail daily, you will save a pile up on dinner table.

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ABOUT US

1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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Without using hot water or detergent, LaundryPure puts the technology of nature to work in the laundry room at home. Based on processes used for over a decade in hospitals, hotels, and Laundromats, cold water is infused with oxygen, peroxides, and other gases to bubble and lift dirt and grime from cloth fibers, leaving towels softer and fluffier, and clothes brighter and cleaner.Plus, every load helps save energy and money. Reducing or eliminating detergent means less residue and abrasives to weigh down and wear out fabrics, and of course, less detergent to buy. Washing in cold water reduces the weekly demand on the household water heater and the energy bill.

So how does it work? LaundryPure incorporates the power of our revolutionary, exclusive ActivePure Technology with the cleaning action of activated oxygen to lift dirt and grime… Read More »

Without using hot water or detergent, LaundryPure puts the technology of nature to work in the laundry room at home. Based on processes used for over a decade in hospitals, hotels, and Laundromats, cold water is infused with oxygen, peroxides, and other gases to bubble and lift dirt and grime from cloth fibers, leaving towels softer and fluffier, and clothes brighter and cleaner.

Plus, every load helps save energy and money. Reducing or eliminating detergent means less residue and abrasives to weigh down and wear out fabrics, and of course, less detergent to buy. Washing in cold water reduces the weekly demand on the household water heater and the energy bill.

So how does it work?  https://www.myvollara.com/(1stgreenclean)/Site/LaundryPure

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ABOUT US

1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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Baby Nursery / Children's Room

We are increasingly becoming the go to organization to help expecting families to get ready for a new Baby's arrival.

Increasingly we have many bookings involving organizing children's bedrooms, clothing and storing unused belongings properly that your children may have out grown. Maybe another baby will be expected to come at a later date and you don't necessarily want to let go of everything.

Children grow so fast, keeping on top of their belongings is important I'm sure you'll agree. Before you know it you have closets full items that may have never been unused or needs to be donated or discarded.

• We can help you set up the Baby's registry
• We can help set up the nursery and organize clothes.
• We can assist in ordering any items still needed.
• We can sort through old clothes and toys for use or donation.
• We organize playrooms.
• We can put you in touch with Baby list services.
• We can help create your memory boxes to keep sentimental items.

We are extremely versatile so please ask if there is service you may need we haven't listed.
Please email your inquiry or consultation request and we are will be very happy to tailor a system to meet your exact needs.

NOTE: A confidentiality agreement is available so you know matter what we come across you have no concerns.

Move from clutter to clarity before your new bundle of joy arrives.  We are here for you.

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ABOUT US

1st Green Clean – A Leader in Home Management Services
1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service.

OUR VISION
Our mission is to become a leader in small and medium size business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful industry leaders.

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It is almost that time of year.  The smell of the grill grabs your attention and sends your taste buds into a frenzy.   Oh the smell, oh the sweet smell.  But, according to The EPA, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are listed as dangerous pollutants that damage the ozone and the traditional charcoal grill is the worst offender.

The desire Americans have to fire up the grill each Summer, releases over 14,000 tons of VOCs into the atmosphere.  While using about 46,000 tons of lighter fluid to fire up the grill every year. So what do you do?

Put down the lighter fluid.  By minimizing and even cutting out the use of lighter fluid can greatly reduce the grilling related pollution.  Although self lighting charcoal is not much better for the air, switching to an electric charcoal starter or using a natural ignition agent like "fat wood".

"Fat wood Fire starter consists of two parts:  pinewood and the resin created in that very tree; It’s 100% all-natural. As the tree matures, this natural resin moves downward, collecting in the stump.

With this high concentration of natural resin, we don’t need to add chemicals or additives like so much of our competition." - Source: www.fatwood.com 

Non-traditional methods of not using lighting fluid is also safer considering lighting charcoal is the cause of barbecue related injury.  Now you can be safe and kinder to the environment without sacrificing that sweet smell of Summer. 

~ Here's to environmentally friendly and safe grilling!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 This is some great information, don’t forget to share it. 

Do you have green or Eco-friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier environment.

Imagine how much better you will feel to have a pristine and healthy working environment and all you did was make a phone call.  1st Green Clean can transform your life.  1st Green Clean is a professional firm here to manage with a superior level of detail to the cleanliness of your business.  You can also brag to your customers about your commitment to their health, office experience, and supporting the environment by going chemical free.  We work with a goal of exceeding your expectations and increasing your value.  


P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

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By: Chloe Wilson
Photo credit: theswedish via sxc.hu

Imagine your tub filled with hot bubbly water and a glass of bubbly waiting for you to sip whilst you indulge in your peaceful and relaxing bathroom.


But do you open the door to your bathroom and see every flat surface covered in lotions and potions and wet, damp towels?

Don’t despair – a bathroom oasis is not that difficult to obtain.

The main clutter points in a bathroom are:

• the sink and vanity unit,
• the tub surround,
• the shower cubicle,
• towels,
• the medicine cabinet and
• any drawers you may be lucky enough to have.

Let’s take each one at a time and think about some bathroom organization ideas that could help achieve your perfect relaxing oasis.

First the organizing rules

But first let’s remember the overriding organizing rules to guide you through each area:

Declutter first – throw away anything that you do not need or love, in other words those lotions you haven’t used in the last 6 months or that rusty old razor. When in doubt, throw it out!

Check the expiration dates on cosmetics – they go off you know. This great post from Beauty Top To Toe will tell you all you need to know about how long you should keep make up for.

Relocate - duplicates by moving them to your excess storage area (this may well be under your sink if you have room) or stuff that doesn’t belong in the bathroom (eg, I had loose change in mine – why??!!).

Group like items together – there are plenty of different things to be found in a bathroom, such as mouth care, hair care, skin care, cosmetics and nail care items to name just a few. Make sure each group is stored together to give easier access to your items and also so you know when a certain item is running low and needs replacing.

Plan out how to use your available space in the most efficient way - this may involve choosing the most useful place for each group of items to be stored or adding organizers to help ‘create’ extra space.

OK, OK, I’m getting there – here are the ideas for how to organize these key areas of your bathroom:

THE SINK & VANITY UNIT Keep in mind your daily routine when organizing your sink area. Things that you use daily should be stored within easy reach. This maybe in a pretty dish or basket on top of the counter, in the top drawer of your vanity unit or corralled in a plastic bin under the sink.

Things that you don’t use very often should be stored in the less accessible places. Either on high shelves or at the back of cabinets.

1  Attractive countertop storage

Apothecary jars, glass tumblers and other glassware are ideal for your countertop or on a shelf above the sink. They are stylish so can be left out in the open and you can mix and match shapes and sizes, from low bowls to wide mouth jars to suit whatever you want to store.

Items such as cotton wool balls, soaps and bath salts all look attractive if left out and the glass jars offer easy access as well as allowing you to see when things are running out.

You should always keep makeup brushes upright in a tumbler to stop them from dusting up your drawers.

As well as glass containers, you can also choose attractive baskets to leave out on the counter. If you ever want to clear the counter, perhaps if guests are coming, you can always just put the containers inside the vanity.

I would probably avoid plastic jars if you are going to leave them out on show as they are not the best look, but you should be able to find a wide range of affordable glassware online or in second hand stores.

2  Be original with your containers

To keep your bathroom storage interesting, look for uniquecontainers to corral your items. You can then leave them on display or keep them inside cabinets. You can pick up inspired pieces when you see them at yard sales, on offer in home stores or at online auctions for example.

Ideas include metal sand pails, kitchen platters, cottage style jugs and mugs, garden planters, wicker baskets and tiered cake stands.

You could also make your own tiered storage by sticking two different sized dinner plates to either end of a candlestick.

3  Not much counter space?

If you do not have much counter space around your sink, think about installing a shelf above it or choose a mirror that has a built in ledge. You could even hang an attractive bucket next to the sink which would easily hold all the items you use on a daily basis.

If you’re into DIY, why not consider installing some shallow drawers or cubbies into the wall space. Find the gap between the drywall studs and make use of it.

There are also plenty of sink type organizers available to help give all the standard bathroom items a home. These include toothbrush holders, soap dishes etc. And how about a piece of corkboard covered with fabric on your wall to hang up your jewelry?

4  Plumbing issues?

As I discussed in my ‘how to organize under the kitchen sink‘ post, if your sink is mounted into a cabinet, organizing underneath may be tricky due to the plumbing fixtures. If your sink is on a pedestal, your problems are increased as you have no hidden space, although you could fit a ‘skirt’ to give an area where cleaning products or extra toilet paper could be stored neatly.

If plumbing pipes are your problem, pretty baskets or buckets to corral similar items are the cheapest solution. This way you can pull out the basket for whatever you are doing, say your hair or nails, have everything to hand on your countertop and then put it away quickly and neatly once you are finished.

For organizers designed with plumbing fittings in mind, you can find stepped shelves that are narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. There are also others on brackets that slide in and out. These work well as they give you easy access to items stored at the back of the cabinet.

5  Under modern sinks

Modern sinks and countertops tend to float out from the wall. Skirts that are suitable for pedestal sinks do not tend to look good in this environment. Instead you need to make use of the floor space with attractive storage options or tools.

Large wicker baskets packed full of fluffy towels is an easy option but my favorite is to use multiple wooden magazine racks and to stack about 4 rolled towels on each one.

You could also just use the space to store a pretty trash can or a step stool if you are making use of your vertical space with high shelves above doors and windows.

6  Small cabinets

If your cabinet is quite tight for space, organizers such as shelf expanders, slide out organizers and lazy Susans are a good idea as they offer easier access to all areas of the cabinet. They can easily double the useful space within.

Don’t forget the back of the vanity doors too as they are ideal for storing items such as hairdryers and flat irons which can be hung on hooks. You can also get over the door hanging racks, shelves and baskets to make the best use of the space.

Try not to waste the space at the side of the vanity as well if it is not fitted wall to wall. Fix a towel bar or shelves to it.

7  No vanity unit?

If you don’t have a vanity unit in your bathroom, consider buying a freestanding unit instead or repurposing a dresser or bookcase that you no longer use or have picked up at a yard sale. Just use polyurethane to protect the wood from moisture damage.

You could also use a chest or bench seat. These are ideal for storing larger items such as towels or your extra supplies of toiletries. These are nice to have on hand if you have the room.


8  Lots of bathroom users?

If your bathroom has a lot of different users and if you have the space, you should consider using a shelf or basket for each family member. That way everyone will know where their items are and where they should be returned to.

9  Cleaning supplies

Under the sink is a great place to keep a caddy of cleaning supplies. Keeping them close at hand, perhaps with a hook for cleaning cloths on the back of the door, makes it easier to have a quick wipe round every day, reducing the time taken for a big clean later.

THE BATHTUB

10  The tub surround

Depending on how much of a surround your tub has, will determine how much you can store there and whether you need to look for alternative storage options.

If you have the room, then keep your lotions and potions grouped together to look neater, either in chrome racks or baskets, in attractive bins or just on ceramic platters. Maybe use a few chrome hooks to hang your wash cloths, mitts and bath sponges.

11  Use the wall

If you are short on space, one idea is to use the wall. Most wall mounted solutions use suction cups to stick to the wall so they are easy to mount and easy to move about. Designs include racks and shelves which are ideal for shampoo, conditioner, soaps and shaving accessories.

But why not take inspiration from your kitchen organization and mount a sturdy metal rod (often used for utensils or pots and pans) on the wall along the length of your bath? Use the included hooks to hang individual racks or bins to corral your items like this one from BHG.com.

If your tub is boxed in you could also use a chrome shower curtain tension rod to hang things on.

A more complicated but integrated wall solution is to use the space between wall studs to create a recessed storage area.

12  Over the tub

An alternative to wall storage is to use an over the tub rack. These balance on either side of the tub and can be positioned anywhere along the length. I particularly like this one by Umbra made from bamboo and chrome that has a soap holder, book support and wine glass holder. Now that’s what I call a relaxing soak! It costs about $40 (check current price).

13  Built in

If you want a minimalist look, why not build some bathroom storage into your bath itself. This would be perfect for a small bathroom.

14  Use uniform bottles

Wherever you store your bathing supplies, you may find that just lining up the manufacturer’s bottles of bath salts and body wash may not look that attractive. So instead it may be worth decanting your bath products into uniform bottles.

15  On the floor

Fresh fluffy towels add a cosy, comforting touch to any bathroom. If you have the room, keep a stock by your tub in a huge wicker basket.


THE SHOWER CUBICLE

 Another notoriously messy place, the shower cubicle, is often home to a collection of half empty bottles of shampoo, body wash etc. There may also be surplus bottles, soaps, shaving supplies and even cleaners laying about. But why? There are many shower organizers available.

16  Wall suction

For a quick to install solution look no further than the wide range of caddies, baskets and other organizers that simply stick onto your shower wall. They come in a range of shapes and sizes so one or a few of them are bound to fit your needs. His and hers comes to mind.

17  Hanging

Another option is a hanging organizer. You can find those that hang over the shower head, over the taps, over the door or shower rail as well as from the ceiling. Wherever you fancy grabbing your supplies from, you can find an organizer to fit.

How about this shower caddy octupus which, if you ask me, is just plain weird – not to mention expensive at $35 each.

18  Built in

As with the sink and the tub, you can also build recessed storage in between the studs on your shower wall. Install shelves or a rod or whatever takes your fancy.

19  Tension pole

For a bit more stability than perhaps is offered by suction cups, tension pole organizers expand to fit perfectly in the space between the shower floor and ceiling. Often coming with 3 or 4 shelves or baskets, they are ideal to store all of your shower supplies conveniently in the corner.

This one from OXO has received rave reviews despite being somewhat pricey at around $130 (cheaper on Amazon). If that’s a bit expensive, they also do a nice 3-tier shower caddy for about $30 that hangs from the shower head and uses suction cups for stability (see #16 above).

20  Freestanding units

If you have a large enough shower with a flat base, you can find free standing shower organizers that fit neatly into a corner. Look for ones with rubber feet to prevent sliding.

Tips:

• Limit the number of toiletries you actually keep in the shower cubicle. One bottle of shampoo will do – keep your spares in the vanity unit.
• When looking at shower caddies, choose those that are quite deep so that your shower supplies don’t slip out.
• Also look for those that are made of wire mesh or have large drainage holes to save you having to empty stale water out every day.
• For something really functional, organizers that hold bottles upside down are perfect for getting out that last bit of shampoo or whatever.

BATHROOM TOWEL STORAGE 

I love big fluffy fresh towels don’t you? The soggy, used ones – not so much!

But it seems to me that unless you wash your towels daily, you need somewhere to store both – fresh and soggy.

21  Fresh towels

The fresh ones are easier to store. They can be rolled or folded and stored in any number of ways. Ideas include wicker baskets, high racks above the sink or tub (like in hotels) where you can stack them or hang them, towel ladders and wall mounted magazine racks.

My favorite unusual idea though is to use a wine rack to hold rolled towels.

22 Soggy towels

Those towels that are in use and potentially soggy are a different matter. Folded or rolled they are not going to get dry and there’s nothing worse than drying with a damp towel.

So the first thing to make sure is that you have enough hooks or racks for each family member. That way each towel has its own drying space.

You then need to know whose is whose. I’ve come across a few ideas including putting a piece of different colored ribbon on each one as well as my favorite – putting a framed picture of the person above their hook. This looks very cute in a kids bathroom.

Obviously there are tons of towel hooks, racks and rails to choose from but here are some fancy ideas I’ve noticed whilst researching these ideas: shower curtain rods that have a double rail – the second being for towels, door handles mounted to the wall (not just knobs but the whole plate too), faucet tops fixed into a dado rail, rope towel rails, upside down wooden hangers and a coat stand. You could also just hang towels on pants hangers from your shower curtain rail if it’s strong enough. I’m using this idea for my bath mat after seeing the idea at Joyful Homemaking.

THE MEDICINE CABINET

OK before we start with ideas as to how to organize the medicine cabinet, let’s be clear that medicines should not be in it. Bathroom = humidity and medicines don’t like humidity so get them out of there!

The bathroom is a high traffic area where storage space is limited. As such, you should only use premium space, such as the medicine cabinet, for items you use regularly. If you like a clear countertop, the medicine cabinet is the place for your everyday items. Here’s how to make the best use of it:

23  Use every square inch

You can do this with suction cup and/or magnetized organizers.

Small flat backed cups, bins or racks are quickly mounted to the inside of the cabinet door or the side or back walls via their suction cups. These can be used to hold combs, brushes, toothpaste and the like. Just be sure you can close the door properly.

Magnetized organizers are more readily available in the smaller sizes needed for the inside of a cabinet so these can be a better idea. Just glue a pre-cut sheet of galvanized steel to the interior and then buy some magnetic hooks or glue some magnets onto small plastic containers with lids and you’re away. Use the hooks to hold scissors etc and corral hair or nail accessories in the plastic tubs.


Magnapods are a brand that specialize in this sort of thing and they have a whole range of magnetic cosmetic holders including toothbrush holders and nail polish organizers.

24 Be efficient within

Choose a cabinet with removable shelves. That way you can fit all your tall bottles in at the bottom and corral small accessories in pots or tumblers at the top.

Buy your cosmetics in bulk or larger bottles but decant them into smaller bottles so that you can keep your daily supplies in the cabinet. Store the original larger bottles in the vanity unit.

If a few members of your family are using the medicine cabinet, aim for one shelf each so that you can each take responsibility for your shelf.

BATHROOM DRAWERS

Drawers have a tendency to turn to chaos because their insides are unseen and because the items within move about over time and merge together into a jumbled mess. As such the golden rule of your bathroom drawer is not to let things overlap. But how do you achieve this?

25 Divide & conquer

Take heed from your kitchen drawers and invest in or make some drawer dividers. Silverware holders, multi-part expanding drawer divider sets, little baskets or interlocking bins, small margarine tubs or even homemade cardboard dividers will do the job admirably.

How about baby food jars to contain hair bobbles, muffin trays, egg boxes or even plastic take out containers? Glass bowls, ceramic plates … the list is endless.

Just remember whatever containers you opt for need to be small enough to fit into the drawer but large enough to hold a particular group of items.

Makeup bags could work if you have a few small ones – one for each group of items. The trouble with them is that they tend to be bulky and you can’t easily see what is inside.

Dividing your drawer will allow you to categorize your beauty products, making finding them and returning them to their home much easier.

Check it out in practice here at Clean And Scentsible.

Just remember to use a thick plastic liner at the bottom to protect your drawer from spills and stains. A rubber mat is ideal if you are using glassware in the drawer as it will stop things sliding about.

Implement one of these bathroom organization ideas today

Your bathroom may sound like a small room to get organized in one session, but when you break it down into these problem areas, you begin to see that the task is bigger than you first thought.

As such make a start – pick one area and declutter it today. When you see what you’ve got left to organize, I hope some of these ideas will help you take back control and leave you with a bathroom where you can occasionally take some time to pamper yourself.

If nothing else just knowing where your bathroom items belong will probably make you put them back as you go, helping to avoid long drawn out cleaning routines later on.

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