What you absolutely should remove from your bathroom

Bathrooms: the final frontier. Every beauty lover’s mission: to explore strange new worlds, to boldly go where no one has gone before – into the black holes of shelves and cabinets. Because it’s there where unknown dangers lurk, and beauty products go to die. A handy guide for decluttering and to learn which things to remove from your bathroom asap!

If you’re one of those super organised individuals who can snap a pretty bathroom shelfie without organising and cleaning said shelves for at least one hour before you even take a pic, I congratulate you. I’m, sadly, not one of those. I instead find unopened products from five years ago, a stash of perfume vials, and half-used sunscreen from that last vacation in there easily, plus a years supply of cotton rounds (don’t ask). To finally de-clutter, I wrote the following handy guide on what to absolutely, never have on your shelves and cabinets.

Backups

Self-explanatory, isn’t it? Products you’re hording (sorry, storing) for that point next year when you might need them – best not to do that in a room that’s alternately hot and cool and humid. Backups always belong in a cool and dark space, because you might never know how long you’ll be storing them. (Personal experience seems to suggest it might be a lot longer than it might seem when you backed that HG product up.)

Powder products

I know, I know – small apartments are a pain. Nevertheless, even if you can’t help it and store some of your makeup products in your bathroom, go through them and remove all powder products and relocate them. Humidity and powder products don’t mix well, and you’re inviting all kinds of nasty things like mould. And you don’t need that. (Also, that LE eyeshadow palette deserves better.)

Sponges

While we’re on the topic of mould (why you’re here, obvi), get rid of that old puff, sponge and loofa that’s hanging inside your shower since the beginning of time. It’s the best breeding ground for mould and bacteria. Store it in a dry place instead (I hang mine on towel hooks). (Also, your razor shouldn’t be in the shower as well.)

Retinols, Vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide

Active ingredients don’t do that well with your bathroom’s micro-climate. Retinols in all forms, Vitamin C in all forms, and benzoyl peroxide react both to light and heat. Not only does both turn them inefficient, but also downright harmful – the antioxidant properties of Vitamin C, for example, becomes not only ineffective. Instead of fighting off free radicals, it attracts them. You don’t want that. I store these products in the fridge.

Perfumes

Speaking of fragrance – never, ever store your perfume bottles in your bathroom. Perfume doesn’t like a warm environment, and being that those bottle have been very likely quite pricey (because perfume is just that), you should definitely treat them like the little special snowflakes they are. They’ll be living a much better life in the relatively cool environment of your bedroom.

Old sunscreen

Yup, things accumulate in my bathroom, and sunscreen seems to be one of the top offenders. Bottles I used last year during that beach vacay, but don’t reach for during my daily forays into the city? The ones I simply didn’t like? The ones my OH didn’t reach for but that I placed strategically on his shelf for him? (Favourite sunscreens here!)

The thing is, sunscreen is the one cosmetic product that you really diligently should throw away after the indicated expiration date. Sun protection disintegrates after exposure to heat and air, and both it’ll get plenty – both on that vacay, and on your shelf.

Old skincare you don’t longer like/need

The ghosts of skincare past! Not as insubstantial as ghosts, these old bottles and pots are more likely to clutter up your bathroom space. Tested a new lotion that you abandoned half-way through when you found a better one? Old fave that got upstaged by a brilliant new contender? If it’s old and you don’t need it (anymore), it’s just clutter that sitting uselessly on your prime-estate shelf space. (If you want to find out what to do with skincare you no longer like, have a peek into this post!)

New skincare you’ve never used

Oh, all the things I’ve never used! Gifts, samples, that luxury item that you’ll use one day for a special occasion… Even if it’s new, ask yourself – will you use it in the next few weeks? If you don’t, give it away. You’ll be happier. (And your shelf much neater.)

Old samples

By now you know where this is going, right?! I’m totally guilty of it, because I seem to be incapable of letting go of accumulated samples. Maybe, maybe one might need them? Some day? Maybe? – No. At one point, it’s time to let all those fragrance vials, hotel amenities etc. go.

 

Any organisation top tips you might want to share?