Sure you can go through a whole renovation of your bathroom to improve it, you could also buy new towels, paint a fresh coat of paint or invest in some small space storage. But all those things cost money, so why not try a couple tips that are practically free.
• Clean it: From top to bottom using vinegar, a sponge and some elbow grease. The counters, the floors, the bathtub...behind the toilet, the toilet itself. Get every inch of that bathroom clean and see if you don't feel better every time you step inside. Try some of these common cleaning solutions.
• Clear the Clutter: Here are 5 things that might be cluttering up your bathroom, can you find more. Have at least one surface empty to give your eyes a rest.
• Add a plant or flower: If your bathroom has a window or skylight, add a potted plant to the counter. Don't go out and buy one, just rearrange some houseplants and pick one that can deal with low light. Or pick a flower outside and put it on the sink. Even a single bloom can brighten the feeling in the saddest of bathrooms!
• Wrangle the little things: If you can't eliminate clutter on the counters then grab some bowls form the kitchen and group jewelry, rubber bands, q tips, etc. into their own bowl. Here are 7 tips for organizing the bathroom.
• Move the Litter Box: We keep our litter box in the bathroom since there's plenty of space, but in our old place that normally meant stepping on a spray of crunchy gravel each time we got in or out of the shower. Is there somewhere else you can keep the litter box to give your feet a rest?
• Throw open the windows: It's starting to be spring, so throw open those windows, get some fresh air and feel the changing of the seasons!
• Add an air freshener: We have a lot of ideas for cheap and almost free air fresheners using stuff you've got around the house.
• Fix Something: Does the faucet drip, the toilet run? Door not lock? take the time to fix one of those nagging problems. Chances are you don't need to spend a ton, and might have what you need already in the toolbox.
• Pretend Company is Coming over: Treat your bathroom the way you would if your friends were going to see it. Prep for company even though you'll be the only one enjoying it!
• Make a bath soak: Now that your bathroom is clean and fresh, make yourself a soothing bath soak and take some time to relax! Do you have a candle that sits in the bathroom that you never actually light? This is the time.
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"Move the Litter Box"
This is the number two reason I won't have a cat.
Number one is that I value my furniture too much.
bepsf:
i love my cats, but kitty litter and frayed seams on furniture are the bane of my existence. not to mention, dust bunnies reproduce more quickly than real bunnies, if you have cats. you're a wise one........
where is that garbage can from? am trying to find one that the toddler won't dig into. thx
We switched our litter to Feline Pine. Then we got the special litter box and scoop for it. No smell, no clay litter anywhere, and really really easy to keep clean. My husband even LIKES the cats now. It currently is in the bottom shelf/floor of the built in shelves, when we have our bathroom renovated I'd like to have the contractor build a sliding door for it with a kitty cutout (I saw that on here somewhere, right?)
"Wrangle the little things"
-I bought an inexpensive craft organizer from Target and threw in it all my headbands, hair rubber bands, sunscreen, makeup, perfume, lint roller, comb, hair brush, aim-a-flame (for lighting the gas heater), and anything else that I need to access frequently, but will never bother to put back in the drawer. It's working out great.
I've been blessed with a kittie who doesn't scratch anything in our place but her little cardboard scratcher. We got so lucky! And with a perfect nook in the hallway for our automatic litter box, we rarely think about it.
so, you CAN live with adorable kitties and be happy!! :)
http://www.abbeycatchat.com
I haven't taken a bath since elementary school and probably won't ever feel comfortable enough to take another until I own my place.
I still use shower shoes in addition to bath mats in my rental apts...
One can only dream of moving a cat litter box to a secret area that no one needs to see!
Sadly in a 1-bdrm apartment you really only 1 or 2 choices. For me the litter box in the bathroom is my only option. I sweep the sprayed litter with a mini broom/dustpan every morning before I jump in the shower and that helps in lessening the annoyance of having the litter box in the bathroom.
Where is that shower curtain from? MUST have it.
folkenhouse:
The shower curtain is Dwell for Target.
I actually do keep my bathroom company ready all of the time.
No window to open, no stuff to wrangle, everything is repaired and I'm not into taking a bath in 10 inches of water.
I guess I am good to go.
The garbage can and shower curtain are both from Target, we have them too.
Kinky Gazpacho:
I also rarely take baths even though I enjoy them. But I finally found a way to clean my old cast iron porcelain tub. Mr Clean Magic Erasers have gotten my icky apartment tub as white as copy paper! The yellow-ish ring, that no sprays can remove, that I assumed was a stain, turned out to be a years-thick layer of soap scum, calcium deposits, and lord know what else. It might take 2 of the magic erasers to completely clean the tub the first time but it's well worth it!
Wow, this post sounds like mom pleading with kid to simply clean up after one's self. ... and yet I've seen bathrooms of those who consider themselves clean and I have to wonder.
This is the number two reason I won't have a cat.
Number one is that Bepsf is kind of a c**t. Thank Jeebus a cat's not under Bepsf' care.
I think people over complicate cleaning the tub/shower because we get dazzled by all the fancy (read, expensive) products pushed on us in advertising.
In my experience, the best products for this purpose are a scrubbing sponge and/or scrub brush and a grease-cutting liquid for hand dish-washing like Dawn. Think about it -- the crud that builds up in the tub is a combination of oils from your body and soap -- a product made from fats. Give these tools which you probably already have around the house a try and see if they don't work better than cleaners made for the purpose.
Bepsf doesn't have a cat, doesn't want one. So why the drama?
Love the tips-- open the window and then use some air freshener.
Slow tip day, huh?
Can you paint a formica countertop? Ours is fading in spots and its ugly.
With regard to other posts:
We made a cat litter box hide-away from a wooden trunk. Cut a cat flap hole (bought the cat flap at PetCo.) Added seat cushions. I lift the top to scoop, and ours is big enough for two litter boxes (or to seat two people or one posessive cat.) The interior is big enough for them to move around comfortably, and the odor is contained, although we also use a good scooping litter and there is usually odor only immediately after they use it -- in a room away from food. (I put one of those mats made of something about the texture of astroturf inside, too, which helps keep the litter from tracking out.)
As for painting formica, I asked a painting professional that exact question the other day, and he said yes, you just need to use proper technique, the right paint, and the right primer. My use is vertical though, and on a countertop you would have a higher risk of scratching. So I would ask the paint store pros for detailed instructions, let it properly cure, and then always use a cutting board.
Seriously, the worst thing about having the cat litter in the bathroom, is they do a fresh one while you are in the shower... it's like being dutch oven'ed by your cat!
For the litter box, find one of those plastic doormats with "holes" or similar in them and place it at the exit of the litter box. That way, the gravel usually stays away from the floor.
(Sorry for the bad description, not sure how to describe it in english.)
@thorndale: i'd love to see photos of your clutter free bthroom (i'm jealous!)
@cassielynn: did you go to Target to purchase the trash can? can't find it online; it'd be great to keep my doggie out of the trash.
sometimes I switch out my kitchen towels for my bathroom towels...they are more fun and vibrant.
I'm putting a litter box containment cabinet in my bathroom for just that reason. My cats seem to need to leave the litter box at top velocity, so the little mat I put out does nothing-- they zoom right over it. I vacuum it twice a day, but it's never enough! I don't have a problem with smell, though. Tidy Cats Small Spaces does the job for me.
I am SO all the way with Chickenfries. Feline pine (the pellet form) is the best!I swear by that stuff. Kitties can pee all day long like it's going out of style, and there's nothing whatsoever to clean up or smell. The stuff also never makes a mess unless you have a kitten who insists upon getting SOMETHING outside of the box. When my boyfriend saw how much cleaner and easier it was to deal with kitty offal we went ahead and switched all our litter boxes to it :)
Also? Feline Pine is made out of repurposed pine sawdust, which is ever present, and way more renewable than clay, and no strip mining! Yay!
Cleaning up sounds a lot easier than it is... ;)
Unfortunately I'm not good with fixing things.
Anybody got a good idea how to get rid of mold around the window when you have like no money? What to use?
BTW since I love cats I do of course value them more than my furniture.
We have a litterbox in the hallway, but the cat usually goes outside.
Junowl; Chlorox in a spray bottle, paper towels, Q-tips and elbow grease work great to get the mold out of the window moldings and off the glass. I had to do the whole house after the Milgard window people say my build up warned me of toxic problems. They said the mold was eating the carbon in the plastic polymers used in the molding and releasing noxious spores. He said to use Chlorox and gloves. When i got through scrubbing the mold off all the windows, the house smelled so much better and i could breath easier with fewer headaches.
Thanks a lot Lona! I will do the best I can.
The hole Apartment always feels kind of damp no matter what. The landlord says we would not air right. Well, anyway, can't wait to get out of there.
I like to add essential oils to the cleaning water when I clean the bathroom. Usually Mint. It makes everything smell fresh and clean. I also occasionally add a few drops (and vinegar if it's stinky) to the toilet bowl in between cleanings.