This post might reveal a little too much about me. But I’m ok with that. Today we’re tackling an area of your home that you probably share with one or more people. Because of that, you may need to recruit the help of others. We’ll think through why it’s not only beneficial to have a cleaned up and cleaned out space to shower, but also how little hang ups cost money in the long run. And ironically, they cost very little to repair or replace. Overall, I don’t think this challenge will take you as long as some of the others. But I promise you’ll be breathing a sigh of a relief when you’re done.
Just as a reminder, each of the Financial Decluttering assignments should only take 10-15 minutes and you’ve only missed assignments to Clean Out Your Wallet, Clean Out Your Refrigerator Door, Clean Out Your Car Console, Clean Out Your Sock Drawer, Organize Your Coupons, Clean Out Kids’ Backpacks, Clean Out Your Purse or Bag, Clean Out ONE Pantry Shelf, Clean Off Your Desk. Then check out Clean Up Your Phone’s Apps, Clean Out Your Inbox, Clean Out the Junk Drawer, Declutter Your Shoes, Clean Out Your Freezer, Count Your Change, Clean Out ONE Clothes Closet, Clean Your Cleaners, and Clean Out Your Linen Closet. From there, head to Clean Out Old Bills, Clean Out Jewelry, and Organize One Garage Shelf.
Just a reminder, don’t forget to join the Financial Decluttering Facebook Group of close to 1500 people for ideas and encouragement. You’ll love the photos of the clean wallets, clean refrigerator doors, car consoles, coupon binders, backpacks, purses, desks, shoes, inboxes, and more!
Now, on to the challenge!
Day 22: Clean Out Your Shower
I think I may have mentioned in an earlier challenge that we live in a 1950s house. I love so many things about our little mid century modern home. One thing it’s taken me close to 15 years to love is the small bathroom situation. We have 1 and a half baths here for 4 people (2 adults, 1 teen, 1 tween). Now, this is not the end all, be all of the modern world. I understand that people have functioned with much less. Hello, outhouses.
However, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges when it comes to sharing the bathroom well. Don’t even get me started on the week when one of our toilets went out and we were a one potty house. That is some real family love right there.
Anyway, our tub/shower combo houses everything all of us need to get spit spot clean. And it can be a bear to both clean out and clean up. There’s not much space for extra bottles of soap or shampoo. And the 1950s grout isn’t always receptive of my homemade cleaners. Just in the last year, I found a cleaner combination that keeps the shower/tub clean without too much work. Hit me up with an email or a message if you want to know what I’ve found works.
Today’s challenge focuses on getting clean where you get clean. I know it might not seem financial on the surface but hang with me.
Why It Matters:
More than likely you long daily time in the bathroom and specifically your shower. There’s nothing like a hot shower after a long work out or to wake you up when you’re dragging your feet to get to work. Your shower effects your attitudes which basically effect how you work, spend, and interact with money in more ways than you know.
Beyond that, you may have duplicate bottles of shampoo stocked in the cabinets and the corners. Or you could be leaking water in the tub due to clogs.
The best money I spent in 2018 was on a new set of shower curtain rings for less than $3 and a new heavy duty shower curtain liner for $10. The old rings kept getting caught on the curtain rod. And the old curtain liner would blow in at you while shower. Both of these things drove me cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs and constantly side tracked my day. I wasted time every day hassling with the shower. And it took me longer to get on with the rest of my day.
Let’s get to work on making your shower an enjoyable experience, bringing life and the opportunity to manage your money well instead of draining it (like what I did there?).
How to Do It:
- Take inventory of what’s in your shower.
- Eliminate empty bottles and products you know you won’t use.
- Spray down your shower with an all purpose cleaner while you’re at it.
- Clear drains of hair and fix drippy faucets (or schedule someone to come and do so).
- If you want to, clean out a vanity drawer or two, too.
- Take an inventory of other areas of your house where you store shampoo, soap, and conditioner.
- If you need to, order a new shower curtain or curtain rings. Seriously changed my life forever, friends.
- When you’re finished, take a photo and post it to the challenge post in the Financial Decluttering Group. We’ll celebrate your victory. And/or post on Instagram with the #FinancialDecluttering Hashtag.
- You’ll get bonus points and virtual fist bumps for interesting discoveries.
How to Keep It That Way:
It’s probably going to take some intentionality to keep things straight in your shower. You may need to purchase some sort of organizer. And you have to be intentional about removing items you no longer use. After all, left unused they’re likely to grow mold which could cause illness or permanent damage (hello extra dollars out the window).
A Few More Thoughts:
I can’t wait to see all we achieve together this month. I’ll continue sharing my own journey in the Financial Decluttering Facebook Group and via e-mails. Be sure you subscribe for both.
Post a photo of your shower organization victories and tips in the comments! I want to see what sorts of systems you use to organize.
Our new book Your Money, Your Marriage is now available! Be sure to check out videos on managing money together on Facebook.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.
[…] Just as a reminder, each of the Financial Decluttering assignments should only take 10-15 minutes and you’ve only missed assignments to Clean Out Your Wallet, Clean Out Your Refrigerator Door, Clean Out Your Car Console, Clean Out Your Sock Drawer, Organize Your Coupons, Clean Out Kids’ Backpacks, Clean Out Your Purse or Bag, Clean Out ONE Pantry Shelf, Clean Off Your Desk. Then check out Clean Up Your Phone’s Apps, Clean Out Your Inbox, Clean Out the Junk Drawer, Declutter Your Shoes, Clean Out Your Freezer, Count Your Change, Clean Out ONE Clothes Closet, Clean Your Cleaners, and Clean Out Your Linen Closet. From there, head to Clean Out Old Bills, Clean Out Jewelry, Organize One Garage Shelf, and Clean Out the Shower. […]