Overwhelmed trying to overachieve? Here are some quick tips to save you time on your next bathroom decor shopping trip.

Busy, busy, busy… I am with you!

The overwhelmed, overachiever is definitely a fitting description for me most days.

When I’m in a hurry to finish a project or I am a visible tornado trying to slash items off of my to-do list, anything that could help me save time and/or energy is worth knowing.

So, in the spirit of sharing and all that is wonderful, I’m including some quick time and energy savers with you today.

Therefore, the next time you are perusing the aisles for bathroom accessories, it will be a one and done kind of trip.

On to the tips…

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Tip #1: Choose an accent color (or two) before shopping.

You may not need a color wheel to help you here if your bathroom is more of a neutral tone, but, just in case, heres my favorite one.

I like this one because it is pocket-sized and easy to keep in your purse on the go, if needed.

The idea is that you want to make sure the accent color(s) goes with your overall color scheme.

Since I painted the walls in my basement bathroom Rockport Gray by Benjamin Moore, I had a pretty open choice for accent colors.

I really like Navy, so that was my first pick, but I also wanted to bring some life to the basement by adding touches of green/greenery.

It was so helpful to have this idea in my head because when I went to the store, I had laser focus on items that fit my accent colors instead of debating every item I saw that I liked aisle by aisle.

Tip #2: Write down an “I need” list.

Let me save you! The “I need” list is so annoyingly important.

I made three trips back and forth because I skipped this step… ugh, but you won’t have to!

Depending on the type of project, you may have most/some of this stuff already.

Since we built the bathroom from scratch, this is my complete list of the pieces I was searching for:

• Toilet paper holder, fixed to wall
• Toilet paper holder, upright (to hold the spare rolls)
• Garbage can
• Plunger
• Toilet brush
• Towel holder, fixed to wall
• Hand towel holder
• Soap dispenser or cover
• Actual soap
• Toilet paper holder
• Shower curtain rod
• Permanent shower rod holders
• Shower curtain liner
• Shower curtain
• Towels
• Hand towels
• Wash clothes
• Bath rug/mat

Phew! I think that covers it.

It doesn’t really seem like that much until you write it all down.

Now, this list is seriously long because there was literally nothing in the bathroom when I started.

But, definitely something good to hold onto in case you ever have to complete a bathroom remodel project from scratch, too. 

Tip #3: Write down an “I Want” list.

Think of this list as your styling and decor list – the list that helps create the visual appeal in your bathroom.

For instance, I wanted some kind of plant or terrarium of sorts for the greenery part of my accents. I also knew I wanted floating shelves to hold the towels an some decorative pieces.

My list would consist of these two things as well as items such as “something to sit atop the towels” and “books and/or vase(s) for the shelves.”

Whatever styling ideas you have, or areas in which you will need to style, should be written down to bring with you to the store.

With the accent colors in mind and your handy list, you will be sure to finish the full scope of the bathroom in one swoop.

Tip #4: Attempt one trip out to get all of your accessories.

This may seem like a weird tip, but I have it here for good reason.

Because I was unprepared and hoping to cross items off my to-do list, the multiple trips I took on different days made me inadvertently forget what I had purchased from the day before.

Then, if I remembered, I still ended up losing the vibe I was on, so the whole cohesion thing fell out the window.

This made it so I had to do more returns to get it right… not ideal at all.

In my opinion, one of the few exceptions would be when you are looking for a very specific piece that you haven’t found yet.

If this piece is a critical component to the story or vibe you are trying to achieve, try to find that piece first.

That way, when you go to make your other purchases, they can fall in line with the most important piece.

Well, what do you think? Sound like a plan? Is there anything you would add to the list? I’d love to add it in. Leave a comment below. #friendship 🙂