In the past, whenever I've moved, the bathroom's one of the few rooms in the house that is always refurnished. By the time I moved everything feels so tired and used, and bathroom styles and colors vary so widely from house to house, so I never want to spend a ton of money. Whether you're moving into new digs, or gearing up for your first bathroom, these essentials will get you started without breaking the bank — everything is under $40.
The whole room comes in at $150. Clockwise from left:
1. Great Shower Curtain: I like to start with a great shower curtain because it's the easiest way to incorporate color and pattern, and can influence the rest of the space. Everything else is neutral, typically solid, but this is an easy spot to make a big fun statement. Triangle-Chain Shower Curtain, $32 at Urban Outfitters
2. A Coordinated Towel Set: It's easiest to have a base white set, so if you ever need to add or replace within the set white is easy to match. Then, if you really want add in color or pattern, do it with hand towels. Room Essentials Towel Collection - True White, $11.97 from Target
3. Shower Organizer: Placing your toiletries on the small corners of your tub will get old real quick, so get an organizer. There are tons of options and configurations, but most people prefer the over the shower head or corner tension rod style, rather than relying on shelves and suction cups. BLANKEN Shower Caddy, $6.99 from IKEA
4. Countertop Organizer Set: Consider getting a matching set of soap dish, toothbrush holder and pump to reduce visual clutter. I like to get a refillable liquid soap pump and then keep a giant refill rather than always buying the individual use options. LIMMAREN 4-piece bathroom set, $12.99 from IKEA
5. Trash Can:It's pretty easy to find inexpensive ones that can fit under the sink cabinet. If it has to be out in the open pick one that you don't mind looking at every day. HULINGEN Pedal bin, $14.99 from IKEA
6. Squeegee: Wipe down your shower after every use for a simple and easy way to keep your shower clean and mold free. Casabella Clip-On Silicone Squeegee, $9.99 at Bed Bath &, Beyond
7. Bathmat: Definitely necessary for to keep things soft and dry underfoot. Try to just stick with one right outside your tub, but depending on the size of your bathroom you might want more. This one's nice, thick and reversible: Reversible Bath Rug, $24.95 from Crate&Barrel
8. Plunger and Toilet Bowl Brush: It's not glamorous, but it is a necessity. Get a durable set, and one that looks decent since unless you have storage to hide it away, it will likely sit right next to your toilet and you'll see it every day. Polder Dual Bath Caddy, $36.69 from Target
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I thought the squeegee was for glass walls and doors. Do you use it on tile, too?
Recycle the pump your soap comes in if you use gel soap.
I hate when you recommend stuff that is sold out. Target doesn't have the dual plunger/bath brush set. It's sold out on line and not available in stores.
seriously? you are so daft that you can't find another plunger for your bathroom? they give the ideas not the exact solution for you!
Why not buy things that DO go with more than one color scheme? Clear glass containers, neutral colors for towels and curtains, etc. If you buy things of decent quality and take care of them they should last for many many years. Shower caddies shouldn't need to be replaced every time you move. And yes, white towels will look less bright after a while. Maybe don't get white towels?
i bought the ikea set and the soap pump was garbage... would never pump the soap. maybe i just got a defective one, anyone else have trouble with that set?
I agree that you needn't replace everything every time you move, but out of all the things on this list, the shower caddy is the one thing I'm SURE I'll replace. They're incredibly cheap, and even if you spend a little more and get a nice one, they take a beating after a few years (rust, soap scum, etc.). I just don't see the point of moving it.
Another thing I'd suggest if you're outfitting a bathroom you kind of hate is a new shower curtain rod. I replaced the thin white one in my current apartment with a more sturdy brushed metal one, and it makes the room feel much more luxurious. When we move out, the white one goes back up and the nice one comes along.
Yeah, agree with TANYA67. Trashing all your bathroom stuff every time you move seems pretty extreme. Maybe the problem is with buying really cheap things? I was lucky enough to get some really high quality towels as a high school graduation present-- 8 years later they're still going strong and look great! I also chose to buy higher quality countertop accessories which have held up really well for years now.
Pretty sure nearly everything from my first bathroom was from the dollar store.
((googles "polder dual bath caddy" and finds multiple places to buy it aside from Target.com))
Was that so hard, Portlandrules?
Ouch guys, why so harsh on Portlandrules? He/she isn't saying they can't find a similar product... it is just silly to do a product roundup with products you can't actually get (and this happens quite a bit on AT).
I don't know why people still buy toilet brushes.I just use some heavy duty cleaner and a few paper towels or those disposable wipes to clean my toilet bowl. If you need a hard brush to clean the grime off your toilet, then you are probably not cleaning it often enough.
Same with plungers. Why keep them in the bathroom? I keep mine under the sink. I use it about once a year, if that.
^ the kitchen sink, that is.
@ Scoot:
How do clean under the water line of your toilet water with a paper towel? Plus, isn't it wasteful to use disposable products every time as opposed to getting one sturdy brush and keeping it for several years? PS: I clean my toilet once per week.
Also, a lot of new toilets are low-flow and get clogged easily, and thus it's essential to keep a plunger in the bathroom. I like the plastic plunger that Home Depot sells. It's easy to clean. http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-Drain-Openers-Plungers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbqkv/R-100569768/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UEgNoo2PXwk
@Scoot: I clean my toilet bowl at least once a week. I use a basic, reusable, stiff-bristled brush and some biodegradable cleaner that I buy in bulk.
I have no idea why you think that disposable wipes are a better solution than that. ??
i always thought the secondary purpose of a toilet brush was so people could err... "erase their marks" if they left any in the toilet after use.
@Adamwa: I had the exact same problem with the soap pump in the Ikea. It looks great but is not at all functional.
If you do get those towels from Target (which ARE very soft and absorbant at a very reasonable price), make sure you get them in white, because they shed fuzz like crazy. I have them in navy blue and I'm constantly wiping down the tub, sink, myself to remove blue lint from everything.