Currently, we’re living with one functional bathroom – the master bathroom. The other bathroom {the kid/guest bathroom} is completely gutted awaiting renovation. Hang in there lil’ bathroom! We’re coming to the rescue in a few months.

How are we making one bathroom work for our family of five? Easy.

1. We’ve given up on modesty.

2. We’ve perfected the bathroom shuffle.

3. We keep the vanity organized.

Numbers 1 & 2 are difficult to discuss online without being mistaken for an X-rated website. So I’ll skip right to #3.

Our vanity is IKEA’s GODMORGON in high gloss gray. I had wanted a floating vanity and HH wanted something with closed storage. This floating cabinet was the perfect compromise. With a little editing and organizing, we’ve made it functional for the entire family. When we moved in, I condensed our toiletries down to only the absolute necessities. I snapped some pics of the opened drawers and their contents, took a few measurements and made a quick trip to Target to pick up plastic caddies to organize the vanity.

The top drawer is divided into two sections.

The left side is all HH’s. {He doesn’t really use two toothbrushes. One is for cleaning his hair trimmer. We don’t dare put that one in our mouths.}

The right side is what I like to call the community section. Items here are used by more than one person. {Okay, I’m the only one who uses the eye makeup remover in the pink bottle and the Clarasonic Mia.}

The bottom drawer is divided into two sections as well with the left side being a smidge bigger than the right. {The vertical drawer dividers came with the vanity and are adjustable.} This drawer is a few inches deeper than the top drawer so it can house taller items.

The left {i.e., bigger} side is mine. It takes a little work to make me pretty, okay? The caddy I bought for my section was too long to fit all the way down into the drawer but it turned out to be a happy accident. It sits snug in the top half of the drawer, freeing up the bottom of the drawer for a hair dryer that I rarely use. Layne uses it more than I do. I think I’ve used it once since we moved in. In the middle section of the caddy is my hospital bracelet and Mabrey’s anklet from her birth nearly eight months ago. After we were discharged from the hospital, I snipped them off, threw them in with my toiletries and have kept them there ever since. I like seeing them in the morning and remembering her birth. It was a really wonderful experience. FYI – I’ve kept all of my kids’ birth ID anklets. Is that weird?

The right side of the bottom drawer is a catchall. I have backup rolls of toilet paper, sanitizing wipes for quick cleanings {because with two young boys and a bigger boy there are always messes in the bathroom, ifyaknowwhatimean} and chargers for HH’s electric razor and toothbrush. Now that I’m thinking about it, I should probably move the chargers up to HH’s section. Ahhhhhhh! I’m so Type A about these things. Reminds me of elementary school, organizing and reorganizing my school box. Whatever happened to school boxes anyways?

That’s how I stay somewhat sane in the bathroom with one husband, two boys and one baby. Thank goodness Mabrey doesn’t require toiletries yet. Hopefully, we finish the other bathroom before she starts into makeup and hair accessories. Which might be sooner rather than later. That girl’s got a headful of crazy hair!

I’m off to move HH’s chargers! And the answer is yes. Yes, I will sleep better knowing our toiletries are arranged properly.

P.S. – A few readers have asked for pictures of the vanity’s plumbing bits. Here you go. Damn. We in a tight spot. Name that movie.

Plumbing porn. De nada.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Moving day is quickly approaching so most of our recent purchases have to do with function. We need a few rooms to work for us right away. Decor and styling can wait.

1 – PAX BERGSBO This wardrobe is typically found in bedrooms acting as a freestanding closet. The Underdog is seriously lacking closet space so we purchased two of these to use in the mudroom for extra storage.

2 – Kashmir white granite We’re having the same company that installed the {Absolute Black} granite in our previous house install this granite along the perimeter of the Underdog’s kitchen. We considered butcher block, concrete and other solid surfaces for the perimeter but kept coming back to granite as we liked it so much in our last house. It’s a light gray granite with bits of black, garnet and gold mixed in.

3 – Walnut butcher block The kitchen island is getting topped with a walnut slab. We want the island to feel more like a table and gathering place than a food prep area so we like the idea of a wood top. To save money, we bought an unfinished slab that we’ll finish and install ourselves.

4 – Vigo stainless steel faucet We never regret spending a little extra money on a high quality kitchen faucet since it’s something we use many, many times on a daily basis. It makes the mundane feel less so.

5 – Kraus undermount single bowl sink Ditto – what I just said about the kitchen faucet. In addition, I like an extra deep, single bowl for washing up large pots, pans and the crockpot…things we use frequently.

6 – Liberty hook with porcelain knobs The master bathroom will be the only functioning bathroom we’ll have when we move into the Underdog so it needs a few finishing touches to make it work. We don’t have the wall space for a traditional towel bar so I picked up two of these hooks to hang our bath towels on.

7 – AKURUM LIDINGÖ Two of these cabinets in the 18″ x 39″ size are going in the laundry nook above the washer and dryer. I love the look of open shelving in a laundry area but we need some closed storage. I plan on pairing the cabinets with an open shelf or two as a compromise.

8 – Alexandria towel ring This towel ring is for the master bathroom. It has a touch of porcelain and should tie in nicely with the hooks in #6.

A few other items we’ve purchased in anticipation of moving that are worth mentioning {but not worth showing a picture of} are:

*Levolor room darkening shades for all the bedroom windows. I had them cut in-store to fit within the window frames. I’ll be adding other treatments to the windows in the future and these will remain to block out light.

*Shower caddy for the master bathroom…self-explanatory.

*Over-the-tank toilet paper holder for the master bathroom. It holds four rolls and, after I tried it out, I discovered it’s too big for our teeny bathroom. It won’t fit between the toilet and tub. I’m exchanging it for something else.

I think that’s it. I still haven’t nailed down lighting fixtures for the master or boys’ bedrooms. We might have lone lightbulbs in place until I make up my mind. Not the end of the world. I’d rather wait than hastily buy something that I don’t like later.

Alright gotta run, baby’s crying.

images: Polyvore collage by Dana Miller, linked within