It’s that time of year again. School is in session. Early mornings and rushed breakfasts before everyone runs out the door to catch the bus. What could take up the most time in the morning is trying to get everyone in and out of the bathroom as quickly as possible. There’s someone in the shower, someone in front of the mirror, and then someone needs to go to the bathroom. Here are some tips and tricks to set up a back to school bathroom to increase your morning routine efficiency.
Get Rid of the Clutter!
When it’s summer, there really isn’t too much urgency for the bathroom. Kids are sleeping in, the schedule is more laid back, and there isn’t an issue if someone needs to wait their turn. When school begins though? Then it becomes an issue. Everyone needs to get ready at the same time and there is a time limit for getting that done. A missed bus can throw everyone’s schedule off. So, one of the things you can do is to declutter the bathroom! Do a review of what has crept into the bathroom over the summer and remove everything that doesn’t need to be there anymore. Keep the bathroom to school essentials only.
Schedule Mornings
Another way to help is to create a schedule for who is using the bathroom when. Consider what amount of time is required for everyone to be in there and then set up a calendar and daily schedule to show everyone what time is theirs. If there are before school activities for some, then the schedule can be adjusted for busier weeks. An important point to remind everyone of is to leave the bathroom as organized as you possible so the next person is not using their time cleaning up after you.
Increase Storage
With everyone needing to use the bathroom in the morning, a helpful idea is to increase the storage in the bathroom. You can hang baskets on the walls, utilize the space under the sink (if pedestal) by adding shelving or consider removable bins that can hold everyone’s individual toiletries. When it is one child’s time to use the bathroom, they can bring their bin in that holds their shampoo, conditioner, and other items they need to get ready. When they are done, they take the bin with them. This way no one is using someone else’s things.
Look Outside the Bathroom
Additionally, an idea is to set up areas outside the bathroom where people can continue getting ready. You can have an area with a vanity mirror, so people can apply their make-up and fix their hair. This area can also have a full-length mirror for everyone to do a final check of their clothing before walking out the door. You could set up stations so everyone can have plenty of space to get ready.
