4 Tips to Create Your Perfect Bathroom

The bathroom: for most of us this is one of the first spaces we visit each morning, and the last we place we inhabit before sinking into bed at night.

It is such an integrated part of our daily rituals - a place for cleansing, for solitude, for rejuvenation.

It is a place where the senses come into play - there are smells, sights, sounds and textures that can soothe or energise at your choosing. It is a special transitional space between the private and public self, and a space we also tend to overlook.

Fortunately, it is easy to make small changes to your bathroom that can create big differences in your experience. We invite you to contemplate four ways to revitalise your sacred space.

1. KEEP IT CLEAN

Keeping a bathroom clean is not only a matter of hygiene; there are also great energetic benefits. It is said that a room can reflect your inner world, so make sure you take care to keep this sanctuary clean of grime, and clean of clutter.

Make it easy for yourself by cleaning and tidying more frequently - a few minutes invested often will mean a lot less work later on! For a quick way to ward off mildew and build-up in showers and sinks, try this natural cleaning remedy.

Mix together in a spray bottle:
2 cups of water + 3 drops of (organic preferred) tea tree oil

After you shower, simply shake your spray bottle, mist, and you’re done! The disinfecting quality of the natural tea tree oil will help keep mildew at bay between cleans.

2. FOLLOW THE SEASONS

In the cooler seasons, bathrooms become a place of warmth and nourishment - hot showers, fluffy robes, luscious thick towels and earthy scents. In contrast, the warmer weather calls for expansiveness, the cool splash of water, refreshing scents, and soft, light fabrics.

Moving with the seasons keeps us attuned to the cycle of nature; it also helps balance our bodies and minds with the nourishment it most needs.

3. LIGHT IT UP

As we transition through the seasons, one of the most noticeable changes is the light - as well as its effect on our moods.

Creating a dimmer, more cozy and grounding space can be a lovely way to invite introspection, exhalation, and a slow winding down from a busy day (especially during the shorter, darker days of Autumn and Winter.

A bright, spacious bathroom invites the letting go of anxious energies and possibilities of the new. Natural light is lovely, but for those bathrooms with smaller windows or days of cloudy grey, mirrors, light-toned curtains, whites and light neutral colours in wall-art can all help to bring more lightness into your bathroom.

Something as simple as changing your lightbulb to a whiter or warmer hue can also make a big difference. Experiment with what feels good - there are no rules!

4. PLANTS & ELEMENTS

Literally bringing nature into this space is a wonderful way to add a bit of lush greenery to the space as well as freshen the air (the plants do the hard work!)

Some favourite humidity-loving, air-cleansing, easy-care bathroom plants include

The elements you choose to invite in for each season can become great features in the bathroom too.

Choose colours that bring comfort and balance - perhaps earthier neutrals for Winter, fresh whites and brighter hues for Summer.

Have open shelves or cabinets? Roll your towels to create an eye-catching and practical display, or use this as a special place for your favourite trinkets, shells, crystals and memory-filled objects.

Bathrooms are a wonderful space to explore your favourite scents. With a myriad of room sprays, diffusers and natural candles available, the question to ask is: what do you need, in the precious time for yourself? Is it something that refreshes, grounds or energises you?

In our busy lifestyles, we can easily pass off the ‘quick trip to the bathroom’ as a physiological necessity. Yet to have amenities like running water, heated showers and flushing toilets is a luxury we can forget to appreciate. It is an opportunity to reconnect, with yourself, your body, with nature, and with time.

So perhaps it’s worthwhile to take a moment, and consider just how we would like to experience the bathroom as we begin, end, and transition through our day.

What is most important to you in your sanctuary, and what might you change in your own bathroom to build a more nurturing, balanced space?

Now…make that happen, and observe what shifts, in you and in your daily ritual.

We’d love to hear about your experience - leave us a comment below, and feel free to share the love and send this on to friends and family!

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About the Author: Lucy Lawes is an advocate for mindful living.