Happy Tuesday, sweet friends! I know I have been a bit sporadic in posting lately, but I have SO many things to share, so I hope to slow down a bit and share some of our latest projects with you! Meanwhile, come see my list of must-have items for a powder room! (Or guest bathroom!)
We are expecting dinner and over night guests in a few weeks and nothing spurs me into action more than company coming! Are you the same? I always want to make sure the spaces that people see and use the most are first of all tidy and clean. But I also like to provide those little extras that help our guests feel more at home. And really and truly, you don’t want your guests to have to ask an embarrassing question, like is there more toilet paper or air freshener? So, preparation is the key~as in most things. So, here are my top 5 must-have items in a powder room. (Or guest bath)
1-Extra Toilet Paper! Now that TP seems to be somewhat in stock in our stores again, this is the cheapest thing to have as extras in your powder room or guest room. We have a vanity in our powder room so we have ample storage for extra toilet paper-in addition to a full roll on the holder. If you happen to have a pedestal sink or little storage, a pretty basket under the sink with a few extra rolls, or a decorative holder stashed in the corner will do nicely!
2-Nice hand soap dispenser! I love picking up pretty liquid hand soap at places like Trader Joe’s or Pier 1. They seem to have the nicest scents and the containers are pretty too. Consider buying the prettier dispensers and then refilling them with dollar store soap refills. TJ Maxx and Homegoods are also great places to shop for designer-looking soap and lotions.
3-Several clean cloth hand towels or disposable hand towels. During the pandemic and flu season, it’s nice to have a few fresh towels on hand so everyone is not reusing the same towel. (I know several germaphobic people and this totally wigs them out.) Lately my choice is linen-like disposable hand towels. These usually can be found at most grocery stores.
Like many paper products, these have been harder to find. But,I recently found a pack of 200 disposable hand towels for $25.99 on Amazon. That’s only about twelve cents per napkin, and more sanitary than a cloth towel. You can buy decorative holders in a variety of colors and styles for under $20.
I store extras towels in the vanity drawer for easy refills.
4-A waste basket! After all, you need a convenient place to toss the disposable napkins. (And other items of a delicate nature I won’t discuss.) It doesn’t need to be fancy, just a simple trash can will do. When possible, I like to line the waste baskets with plastic trash can liners for easy disposal. Tip: Keep a few new and unused bags underneath the liner in the basket so when you empty one, a new one is handy. This woven waste basket is by Pottery Barn and sells for about $34. But, you can find them anywhere for relatively little money.
5-Air Freshener! Again, my favorite go-to for air fresheners is Pier 1, but sadly they are going out of business. So, I guess I’ll need to stock up! But, don’t discount the pretty grocery store scents, as well as Febreeze. I like to tuck a can discretely in the bathroom within easy reach. Just in case. (I KNOW you know what I mean.) It’s really a must for when you have multiple guests or a party. Sometimes the exhaust fan just doesn’t cut it! There is also a product called Poo-Pourri, which is a “before you go toilet spray”, which is also nice. This 4 ‘ounce spritzer retails for about $14.99 but lasts a long time and comes in pretty spray bottles.
Have I left anything out? What are your must-have items in your powder room or guest bathroom? These are really the essentials in my book, but if you are feeling especially Martha Stewart-esque, throw in a scented candle and some fresh flowers! (Be sure to keep an eye on the open flame for safety.)
Thank you for stopping by and please let me hear from you! Soon I’ll be sharing some DIY projects my son and daughter-in-law have been doing at their beautiful new home. Hint: It may include painting and chandeliers! Yippee~Stay tuned! xoxo Dell
