Simple Bathroom Organization With Less Plastic

Our bathrooms have a funny way of collecting bottles.

Shampoo. Conditioner. Body wash. Face wash. Hand soap. Shaving cream. Something that promises to make your hair shinier. Something else that apparently makes your skin happier.

Before you know it, the shower looks like a small retail display.

And while I'm not suggesting you throw everything in your bathroom into the trash, there are some pretty easy ways to simplify things—and cut down on the amount of plastic sitting around at the same time.

Start With What You Actually Use

The easiest place to start is probably the most obvious:

Look at what you have.

How many bottles are sitting in your shower right now?

How many are actually being used?

If you have three half-used bottles of basically the same thing, finishing those before buying another one is an easy win.

You don't have to completely overhaul your bathroom. Just stop adding to the pile.

Give Bar Soap a Chance

One of the simplest ways to reduce plastic packaging in the bathroom is to replace a bottled product with a bar where it makes sense.

Bar soap doesn't need a plastic bottle.

It doesn't need a pump.

It doesn't need a complicated package with seventeen words on the label telling you how "refreshing" it is.

It's just a bar of soap.

And when you're finished with it, there's no empty plastic bottle left behind.

Keep Your Soap Dry

If you're going to switch to bar soap, there's one thing worth getting right:

Let it dry.

A draining soap dish or soap saver keeps your bar from sitting in water and helps it last longer.

This also keeps the bathroom counter looking cleaner. A bar sitting in a puddle of soap isn't exactly an upgrade to your bathroom organization plan.

A little drainage goes a long way.

Simplify the Counter

Bathroom counters seem to attract clutter.

If something doesn't get used every day, consider putting it away.

A small basket, drawer, or cabinet can make a surprisingly big difference.

Keep the things you actually use regularly within reach and move everything else out of the way.

You don't need an Instagram-perfect bathroom.

You just need one where you can find your toothbrush.

Reuse What You Already Have

Reducing plastic doesn't mean replacing everything you own with expensive "eco-friendly" versions.

In fact, buying a bunch of new stuff to replace perfectly usable stuff isn't necessarily helpful.

Use what you already have.

Reuse containers when they're appropriate.

Finish the products you've already purchased.

Then, when something needs replacing, look for an option that creates less waste.

That's a much more practical approach.

Look at the Little Things

There are plenty of small changes that can add up over time.

Depending on what you use, you might consider:

• Bar soap instead of bottled body wash

• A refillable container instead of buying another disposable bottle

• A reusable razor instead of disposable cartridges

• Reusable washcloths instead of disposable wipes

• A simple soap dish instead of a plastic bottle with a pump

You don't have to do all of these.

Pick the ones that actually make sense for you.

Less Plastic Doesn't Have to Mean More Complicated

I think that's the biggest thing.

Sometimes "sustainable" gets presented as a lifestyle that requires buying a whole new set of products.

I'm not particularly interested in that.

I'd rather make small changes that actually stick.

Use what you have. Buy less. Choose products that don't need unnecessary packaging when practical. Take care of the things you own so they last.

That's a pretty good place to start.

And sometimes that means something as simple as replacing one plastic bottle with a bar of soap.

A Simpler Bathroom

You don't need a completely plastic-free bathroom to make a difference.

Start with one thing.

Maybe that's your hand soap. Maybe it's your body soap. Maybe it's simply getting rid of the collection of half-empty bottles you've been moving around for the last six months.

Small changes count.

At Mojave North Star Co., our handmade bar soaps are one simple way to cut a plastic bottle out of your bathroom routine.

Less clutter. Less packaging. Just a good bar of soap.

[Shop Mojave North Star Co.]

Choosing a Soap Dish

 

A soap dish probably isn't something you spend a lot of time thinking about.

You buy one, put your soap on it, and that's the end of the story.

Except there's a small problem: some soap dishes are terrible at being soap dishes.

If your bar is sitting in a puddle of water every time you use it, it's going to get soft. And once the bottom of your bar turns into a mushy mess, you're basically watching your soap slowly disappear down the drain.

The good news is that you don't need anything fancy to prevent that.

The Most Important Thing: Drainage

Here's the big secret to a good soap dish:

Don't let your soap sit in water.

That's really the whole game.

Look for a dish that lets water drain away from the bar. Holes, slots, raised ridges, slats—there are plenty of ways to accomplish it.

The design doesn't matter nearly as much as the result.

Your soap should be able to drain, breathe, and dry out.

Bamboo Soap Dishes

I have a soft spot for bamboo soap dishes.

They look good, they're simple, and they fit nicely with the whole "let's use fewer plastic bottles" idea behind bar soap.

But don't buy a bamboo dish just because it's bamboo.

Look at how it's built.

If the soap sits flat against a solid piece of bamboo with nowhere for the water to go, you've really just bought a tiny wooden bathtub for your soap.

Look for one with slats or channels that let water escape.

And remember that the dish itself needs to dry out, too. Bamboo isn't magic. If it stays wet constantly, it's going to eventually show it.

Soap Savers

A soap saver is another simple solution.

Instead of replacing your entire soap dish, you can put a small draining insert underneath the bar. It keeps the soap elevated and gives the water somewhere to go.

They're particularly handy if you already like the soap dish you have.

No need to reinvent the bathroom.

Wall-Mounted Soap Holders

If you're short on counter space, getting the soap off the counter altogether can make a lot of sense.

A wall-mounted holder keeps the bar out of standing water and gives it plenty of opportunity to dry.

They're also nice for smaller bathrooms where every inch of counter space seems to disappear.

Just make sure the holder isn't sitting directly in the path of the shower.

There's no soap dish in the world that's going to save your bar if the showerhead is blasting it every morning.

What About Those Flat Soap Dishes?

They can work.

But I'd be a little picky.

A completely flat dish gives water nowhere to go if it gets trapped underneath the bar. That means the bottom of your soap can stay wet for hours.

If you like the look of a flat dish, look for one with raised ridges or grooves.

Even a little bit of separation between the soap and the surface can make a big difference.

Where You Put It Matters

The best soap dish in the world won't help if you put it in the wrong spot.

Try to keep your soap:

• Out of the direct shower spray

• Away from a faucet that splashes constantly

• Somewhere water can drain

• Somewhere air can get around it

And if your bathroom gets particularly humid, giving the bar some extra room to breathe is even more helpful.

So What Should You Buy?

Honestly?

Whatever you like—as long as it drains.

You don't need a $40 designer soap holder.

You don't need some complicated soap-storage contraption.

A simple bamboo dish with good drainage can work great. So can a basic plastic or ceramic dish with holes. A soap saver can work great, too.

The important part is keeping your bar from sitting in water.

A Bar of Soap Is Not a Houseplant

It doesn't need to live in a puddle.

Give it a place to drain, let it dry between uses, and you'll get considerably more use out of your bar.

That's good for your wallet, good for your soap, and—if you're trying to cut down on disposable bottles—good for the whole reason you bought a bar in the first place.

Mojave North Star makes handmade bar soap, and we think a good bar deserves a place to dry properly.

Keep the bar dry. Let it last.

https://etsy.me/4yJhOE4

 

How to Keep Your Bar Soap Dry Between Uses

 

A good bar of soap doesn't need much to do its job. But there is one thing it does need:

A chance to dry out between uses.

Leaving a bar of soap sitting in a puddle of water can turn even a good bar into a soft, mushy mess. Fortunately, keeping your soap dry is pretty simple.

1. Let the Water Drain Away

The biggest thing you can do is keep your soap out of standing water.

A soap dish with drainage holes, slots, or a raised surface lets water escape instead of collecting underneath the bar.

If your soap dish doesn't drain, consider replacing it with one that does. Your soap will thank you.

2. Keep the Bar Raised

A bar sitting directly on a wet surface stays wet longer.

A raised soap dish, soap rack, or soap saver creates space underneath the bar so air can circulate and excess water can drain away.

This is especially helpful immediately after a shower, when both the soap and the surrounding area are wet.

3. Don't Store Your Soap in the Shower Spray

It sounds obvious, but it's easy to overlook.

If your soap sits directly underneath the showerhead, it's getting rinsed every time someone takes a shower.

Try placing it somewhere that stays relatively dry while the shower is running. A corner shelf or wall-mounted soap holder can work well.

4. Give the Bar a Little Room

If you have multiple bars of soap, avoid stacking them together while they're wet.

Give each bar its own space whenever possible. This helps them dry more quickly and keeps the bars from sticking together.

5. Rinse Off Excess Soap

After using your bar, a quick rinse can remove loose soap and residue from the surface.

Then place it somewhere that allows it to drain and dry.

You don't need to scrub the bar or do anything complicated. Just don't leave it sitting in a pool of water.

6. Let Your Soap Dry Before Storing It

If you're putting a bar away for travel or storage, let it dry completely first.

Wrapping up a wet bar traps moisture around the soap and can leave you with a soft, sticky bar the next time you open your bag.

For travel, a container with some ventilation or drainage is much better than sealing a dripping-wet bar inside an airtight container.

Why Does Keeping Soap Dry Matter?

Handmade soap naturally contains glycerin, which is produced during the soap-making process. Glycerin is one of the things that gives handmade soap some of its characteristic feel, but it also attracts water.

That means handmade soap can soften when it's repeatedly exposed to water.

This isn't necessarily a problem with the soap. It's simply one of the reasons proper storage makes such a difference.

A well-draining soap dish can help your bar last noticeably longer.

The Simple Rule

You don't need anything complicated.

Use your soap. Rinse it if needed. Let it drain. Let it dry.

That's really it.

A little airflow and drainage can go a long way toward keeping your bar in good shape between uses.

And if you're using a handmade bar, taking care of it means you get to enjoy it a little longer.

Looking for a place to keep your bar?

Mojave North Star offers handmade bar soaps along with simple accessories designed to make everyday soap use easier.

https://etsy.me/4yJhOE4