Your Game Plan for a Better Bathroom in Just One Day

My morning bathroom ritual is so important to me. I splash my face and put on makeup while I listen to synthy pop music and it puts me in such a good, confident mood for the rest of the day. Those morning minutes (sometimes five, sometimes 50) truly form the foundation of my day, and by extension, my life.

The problem is that private spaces, like the bathroom, usually don’t get as much housekeeping attention as the areas where you spend the most time, or rooms where you might have guests. Bathrooms tend to be spaces where we let things collect and get messy—which is fine, sometimes. But you deserve a peaceful place to get ready in, to set the tone for a peaceful life.

Give your bathroom a quick little spruce-up, both inside and out.

If you have a bathroom on the larger side, you may want to set a timer or some other hard limit so this project doesn’t get too unwieldy; the goal is to focus on a few high-impact projects that’ll make the bathroom figuratively and literally shine.

Start by clearing out your storage areas. You can either choose one messy drawer, for example, or try to tackle the whole thing, if your bathroom storage feels doable in one swoop.

You can watch the video above to get some tips and watch me clean my bathroom “junk drawer,” but here’s a quick rundown:

1. Take everything out.
2. Clean the drawer or shelf while it’s empty.
3. Sort through your items. Dispose of anything expired, or opened items that you aren’t going to use. Be careful about how you dispose of medication and sharp objects—there are ways to do so safely.
4. Replace the items in your drawer or on your shelf. If anything looks dirty or dusty, wipe it before you set it back into place.
5. Repeat the process for each storage area.

Once you feel like you’ve made some progress on your storage areas, give the “outside” of your bathroom a little shine. You probably have a routine you like, but here are some spots I always make sure to handle:

• Wipe the mirror.
• Wipe down the sink faucet and handles.
• Clear and clean the counter.
• Clean the toilet.
• Wipe down the front and sides of your bathroom cabinets.
• Scrub the shower and tub, if there’s time.

Don’t stress if you can’t get your entire bathroom spotless and clutter-free in one day. If, after today’s assignment, you’d like to revisit some other cleaning or decluttering projects in here (or in a second bathroom, if you have one), add that to your list for 2020.

• Sign up for email updates
• Visit the 2020 January Cure Page and catch up on assignments
• Download and save or print the January Cure calendar
• Share your progress on Instagram: #thejanuarycure
• Join the conversation in The Apartment Therapist Facebook group

The Cure doesn’t just happen in January. If you want to take your efforts to the next level, any time of year, pick up a copy of Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure book.