To live in a 200 square foot RV required a lot of downsizing and after my clothes, the bathroom was the next thing I had to tackle.
Ugh! Makeup is so expensive that its always great when they throw in a few samples and who doesn’t want to try a new color (even though it rarely works out)? What about those little hotel samples? I’m sure I’ll use those again on the next business trip (not). Then there’s the bath set gifts, which I love receiving. Unfortunately, they seem to pack the bubble bath I love with a lotion I hate for being too greasy. A brand new gift though, I’m not throwing that out! Lastly, we’re always fighting mother nature and that ugly word – AGE. So many skin creams, toners, etc. I’m always looking for the fountain of youth so why not shop around? Maybe I just haven’t found the right cream? LOL.
All of these items – never used, half-used containers, and small samples – really add up and pile up!
Not easy, but I found the best and fastest method for this task was Marie-Kondo style and to really downsize I was brutal – keeping only my favorite of most items.
Here’s a list of what we kept (and keep) in our minimalist (RV) bathroom with some added tips and tricks:
Shower
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Daily conditioner
- Weekly conditioner
- Women’s razor
- Shower puff
General
- Hand soap
- Men’s razor
- Shaving cream
- Razor blades (his & here)
- Hand lotion
- Bath and hand towel (x2)
- TP
- Toilet brush and cleaner (all other cleaners kept elsewhere)
- Deodorizer or candle
Teeth
- Toothbrush with charger (x2)
- Mouthwash
- Toothpaste
- Floss
Skin, Eyes, and Ears
- Lotion
- Sunscreen
- Body spray
- Perfume (x2)
- Mosquito repellant
- Deodorant (his & hers)
- QTips
- Ear plugs
- Contacts (if not daily wear bring solution and case)
- Glasses
- Eye drops
- Lens cleaner and cloth
Face
- Face cleanser
- Exfoliation
- Serum
- Moisturizer with SPF
- Night Cream
TIP #1
The best brands usually develop their skincare line to work together. Buying intentionally from just one skincare line that you love will save you time, money, and space.
Makeup
- Color corrector
- Primer
- Concealer
- Foundation
- Eyeshadow (daily plus evening colors)
- Eyeliner daily & black
- Eyelash curler
- Mascara
- Blush
- Bronzer
- Powder
- Lip liner
- Lipstick (daily plus an evening color)
- Lip gloss
- Brow pencil and brush
- Makeup brushes (shadow, angled liner, blush)
- Beauty blender
- Makeup remover cloth (x2)
- Travel mirror
TIP #2
You know I’m not the authority on makeup, but what I can recommend is that you check out Makeup Geek to create a custom eyeshadow palette. This will keep everything organized in one compact and allows you to replace a single color when it runs out.
Tip #3
Stick with neutrals for your daily wear makeup. The natural look goes with every outfit.
Tip #4
I’ve found that applying a tiny bit of shine in the form of lip gloss over lipstick and Makeup Geeks “whimsical” or “starry eyed” shimmer eyeshadows over my daily look is an easy way to go from day to night.
Tip #5
To help the environment, use makeup remover clothes that are washable instead of disposable.
Nails
- Tweezers
- Nail and tow clippers
- Cuticle remover
- Pumice stone
- Foot cream
- Nail polish remover
- Nail polish (x2)
Hair
- Gel / spray
- Leave-in conditioner
- Frizz control
- Brush, comb, round brush
- Hair accessories – clip, rubber bands, Barrettes, bobby-pins
- Blow drier
- Curler / flat iron
- Scissors
- Microfiber quick dry hair towel
Medicine and First Aid
- Prescribed
- Allergy
- Pain relievers
- Thermometer
- Anti-bacterial ointment
- Lip balm
- Caladryl / bug bite remedy
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Vaseline
- Antacids
- Motion sickness
- Cold/Flu
- Cotton balls
- First Aid Kit (details would require a new post)
Storage is tight in our RV so besides small bins to organize items in the cabinets, we added
- An over-the-door shoe organizer. One with clear pockets helps you see and grab what’s inside. It’s great for hair accessories, deodorant, sunscreen, etc. Be sure to tack it down to the door so your items aren’t swinging around while travelling.
- Razor hanger hooks: One in the shower for my razor and one near the sink for Doug’s.
- A hook in the shower: This holds the shower puff (washcloth if you prefer)
- A small magnetic strip in the cabinet: This holds tweezers and nail clippers nicely.
- Custom shelf-extenders: If you own a Wonder RTB like ours, they put 3 small corner shelves in the bathroom that were really unusable until Doug used press-board to create a higher lip on each shelf. This enables us to actually store things here without them falling out during travel.
Tip #6
Any home stager will tell you to clear those countertops for a pretty bathroom so finding the right storage bins / solutions will not only help with keeping things neat and tucked away, but can make your space prettier as well.
Happy organizing!
