organized kids bathroom

happy monday everyone! hope you had a great weekend! this weekend i took a little break from all things home improvement (a little. you know i can't sit still around here.) and went to 2 Giants games - such a treat. actually, if you count the game i attended on wednesday night, that would make 3 games in 1 week. but in my opinion, these were a well deserved break from home stresses. ;-) and hello, the season was ending. why not make the most of it, right?!

as usual, i've been focused in on my very long home to-do list. slowly working my way to each and every space that needs attention. one of the projects i tackled last week? the kids shared bathroom. not only is this bathroom shared by 2 kids, it's also the bathroom guests use.

wow, talk about pressure.

when all 3 kids were sharing the bathroom, it seemed as if i was cleaning it 2-3 times a day. i moved our oldest son to the room formerly known as the guest room for that very reason, among others. i'll share a bit more about those changes soon. this new set-up is going to work much better - just 2 little ones sharing 1 bathroom. and these 2 are best buds so the sharing part works well.

after move in and paint, this is where we were. the space is small so it's hard to get good pics...

for storage i had a towel hook hanging over the door...

and this little built-in behind the door...

there wasn't a shelf for holding their toothbrushes or cups...

like in the master bathroom, there is a farm sink in here with no enclosed storage underneath...

these 3 baskets are from my almost 9 year old's nursery changing table. the baskets came with the table and have come in handy over the years. but the color was making me itch. if you know me, you know what i did to change that!...

after letting the kids use the space for a few weeks and allowing the annoyances to get the best of mom, i figured out a plan. i grabbed a few wall hangings from my stockpile...

yes, the spare room (that used to belong to my 9 year old) looks like this right now...

before digging into this bathroom, there had yet to be any wall hangings placed anywhere. and it's going to be a while. still getting a feel for the place and where things should be hung. but when i need something, this is where i *shop* before i buy.

i grabbed a few items for the bathroom from this stockpile and purchased just a few things. for starters i hung the existing toilet paper holder...

a shelf over the toilet...

a few hooks for robes or towels. these are new and from restoration hardware...

this one is from pottery barn and was left behind by the previous owners. i put it behind the door...

an existing hand towel bar near the sink...

above the towel bar, i added a ledge type shelf for holding the kids cups and toothbrushes...

then i tackled those baskets! yup, with a quick spray of paint. love what spray paint can do to change an item you may have considered donating....

from orangey brown to antique white. and for only a few dollars...

in case you're wondering how i hang items around my house, i'll be talking about this in depth very soon. but for something heavy, like a wall shelf, i start by drilling small holes or hammering in a drywall anchor...

then i screw in the anchor...

add the screw...

then hang the item. in the case above, i was prepping the wall for this wall ledge...

for the towel bar below it, i drilled a few holes then screwed the bar holders in place...

we'll talk more about this soon. hanging items around the house can be daunting. i'm right there with you! but with only a few tools and tips, you'll be good! we'll talk, don't worry.

let's get to the point where i show you the newly organized bathroom! over the window...

over the toilet...

those precious robes are hanging within reach...

a new shower curtain - the morgan from pottery barn. i love this curtain because it looks clean and not so "kid-like". remember, guests will be coming in here too!...

hard to get a good shot of the full curtain in a tiny space.

no more toothbrushes huddled up on the sink....

behind the door storage...

baskets hold washcloths...

hand towels...

and a few extra bathroom items we may need in a pinch...

this is why i love spray paint...

did i make a believer out of you yet?

a few things will change in here over time - lighting (vanity and ceiling) and a few more wall hangings. for now i re-hung the mirror and lights that were here previously...

for those interested in the cups and q-tip holder, both are from the container store...

plastic, but look like glass. i'm all about non-breakables in a kids space!

that's the kids shared bathroom - as it stands now. spending a little time in the space reminds me how much a difference it makes when you use vertical space. nothing is sitting on the sink anymore or hanging over the side of the tub or sitting on top of the toilet. everything we need is within reach, but tucked away somewhere or hanging on the wall.

the kids have a huge storage closet outside this bathroom. i'll be tackling that space soon and sharing all the details. since the space is close to the entry/kitchen, i have a feeling i'll be using some of the shelves for kitchen overflow - think paper towels.

have a great day!

(i linked up with a bowl full of lemons, iheart organizing)