The Minimalist Bathroom: 7 Products You Actually Need

Most bathrooms are doing too much.

Bottles multiply on the edge of the bath, old products linger "just in case", and drawers quietly fill with samples you never reach for. Before long, the room you start and end your day in feels more like a cupboard than a sanctuary.

A minimalist bathroom isn't about living with nothing. It's about choosing just enough: the essentials that truly serve your body, your routines and your peace of mind. As an artisan soap maker, I'm constantly thinking about how many products we really need around the sink, and how a single well-made bar can replace several bottles.

In this post, we'll look at why simplifying your bathroom helps your wellbeing, what the research says about clutter and stress, and how to create a calm, minimalist setup with just seven core products.

Why a Minimalist Bathroom Feels So Calming

It's not just an aesthetic preference. There is growing evidence that cluttered, chaotic home environments are linked with higher stress and lower wellbeing.

A recent study on home clutter and mental well-being in non-hoarding populations found that higher levels of clutter were associated with poorer psychological wellbeing and lower sense of control at home. The authors describe clutter as a subtle but significant drain on mental resources.

Earlier work has shown similar patterns: a study on clutter and psychological home found that clutter strongly predicted lower wellbeing across several domains of life satisfaction.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners notes that clutter can increase anxiety, disrupt sleep and reduce focus, describing how our physical surroundings shape our emotions and behaviour.

UK-based mental health organisations share a similar view. HeyMind outlines how decluttering can help reduce stress and anxiety and increase a sense of control.

In short: when you clear away the visual noise, it becomes easier to breathe. The bathroom is a natural place to start - it's small, self-contained, and usually full of things that can quietly go.

Start with a Simple Question: What Do I Really Use?

Bathroom manufacturers themselves are starting to champion minimalism. Geberit, for example, suggests that a bathroom can function beautifully with just a basin and tap, a mirror cabinet, a toilet and a shower or bath, with storage kept as simple as possible. They encourage people to ask what they truly need rather than adding more furniture "just in case".

Minimalist bloggers echo this. One family walkthrough of a minimalist bathroom tour shows how a small set of essentials, neatly stored, makes the room easier to clean and surprisingly more pleasant to use day to day.

As a soap maker, I see the same principle in skincare. When people strip their routine back to a few high-quality products, their skin often settles. There is less fragrance layering, fewer competing actives, fewer half-used bottles going off on the shelf.

Let's apply that logic to your bathroom.

The 7 Products a Minimalist Bathroom Really Needs

You can of course personalise this list, but as a starting point, a calm, minimalist bathroom can run beautifully on:

1. A good bar of handmade soap (or two at most)

2. A simple facial cleanser (if your face needs something different)

3. A moisturiser or body lotion

4. A shampoo (solid bar or bottle)

5. A toothbrush and toothpaste

6. A high-quality towel or two

7. One "joy" item — a candle, plant, or small object that makes you smile

Everything else is optional.

1. Handmade soap: the hardest-working product in the room

A well-formulated bar of handmade soap can replace several items:

• Body wash

• Hand wash

• Sometimes even shaving foam and face wash, depending on your skin

Because cold-process soaps retain their natural glycerin, they help the skin hold on to moisture compared with many commercial syndet bars. Dermatology research shows that glycerin improves skin hydration and barrier function, making it a valuable ingredient in cleansers and moisturisers.

In our own range at The Humble Shepherd, moisturising blends are deliberately super-fatted to leave a small cushion of un-saponified oils. If you'd like to understand how this works, you might enjoy our post on glycerin in handmade soap and why it stays in the bar, or our moisturising bar soap ingredient guide.

2. A gentle facial cleanser (if needed)

Not every face tolerates bar soap, especially if you are using strong actives. If your skin is particularly sensitive, rosacea-prone or acne-prone, a separate, gentle facial cleanser can be helpful.

Dermatology guidance on cleansers for sensitive skin consistently recommends mild surfactants and a pH close to skin's natural level to support barrier function rather than strip it.

If you prefer to minimise plastic, a solid facial bar formulated for sensitive skin (rather than a basic body bar) can also work well.

3. One moisturiser to rule them all

Instead of separate hand cream, body lotion and "special" foot cream, a single, fragrance-light, rich moisturiser can often serve for everything from shins to knuckles.

Research into basic emollient therapy in eczema and dry skin shows that simple, unscented creams and ointments can significantly improve barrier function and reduce flare frequency when used regularly.

I tend to recommend:

• For normal-to-dry skin: a lotion with plant oils and glycerin.

• For very dry skin: a thicker cream or balm in a small jar (which you'll actually finish).

4. Shampoo (and possibly conditioner)

Hair is personal, of course. But many of us keep old half-bottles for years. A minimalist bathroom aims for:

• One shampoo that legitimately suits your scalp and hair

• Conditioner only if your hair needs it

If you are curious about low-waste options, a good solid shampoo bar can reduce plastic significantly, especially when paired with bar soap in the shower. Organisations like Zero Waste Scotland outline the environmental benefits of swapping to bar products and refills in the bathroom.

5. Teeth: one of the few non-negotiables

Toothbrush and toothpaste stay. NHS guidance on preventing tooth decay is very clear that twice-daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste significantly reduces dental problems over a lifetime.

From a minimalist perspective, you simply choose the brush style you like and stick with it.

6. Towels that actually dry

Instead of a stack of tired towels, a minimalist bathroom makes space for:

• One bath towel per person in rotation

• One hand towel

Quality beats quantity here. A couple of well-made cotton towels that you enjoy using are better than a cupboard full you never reach for.

7. One "joy" item

Minimalism isn't about stripping all personality away. In Denmark, the concept of hygge is all about small, comforting touches that make everyday life feel softer. Hygge is often defined as "deep contentment, comfort and connection in simple, everyday moments", as explained in a guide to the Danish art of cosy living at home.

In your bathroom, that might be:

• A small plant on the windowsill

• A handmade ceramic dish for your favourite soap

• A candle you only light on Sunday evenings

The point is that this object earns its place.

A Simple Process for Decluttering Your Bathroom

You don't need to empty the room Marie-Kondo style if that feels overwhelming. A gentler approach can still be effective:

1. Group by category: bring all soaps together, all shampoos together, and so on.

2. Choose your favourite one or two in each category.

3. Check expiry dates and throw out anything clearly off or irritating your skin.

4. Create a "use up" box for still-good items you genuinely want to finish.

5. Donate or recycle suitable unopened products where possible.

Mental health writers often emphasise starting small and working in little bursts to avoid overwhelm. Articles on clutter and mental health recommend gradual decluttering and focusing on the spaces you use most.

Your bathroom is a perfect candidate.

Where Handmade Soap Fits In

From The Humble Shepherd's point of view, a minimalist bathroom is a natural home for handmade soap:

• One bar at the sink, one in the shower — each carefully chosen for your skin and your scent preferences.

• No plastic bottles, no synthetic fragrance cloud, just simple, skin-kind bars.

If you're building a minimalist routine and would like to know when new small-batch soaps are available, you can join our waiting list on The Humble Shepherd Co. homepage by popping your email into the newsletter box. That way, you can keep your bathroom simple and still enjoy variety over the year.

Frequently Asked Questions: Minimalist Bathroom Essentials

1. Won't a minimalist bathroom feel too bare?

Not if you keep one or two items of warmth and personality. Hygge-inspired bathroom design emphasises warm textures, soft lighting and natural materials rather than clutter. The aim is calm, not clinical.

2. Is it hygienic to use bar soap for hands and body?

Yes, for most households. Studies have shown that bar soap does not transfer harmful levels of bacteria between users, provided it can dry between uses. Public health bodies continue to emphasise that the important factor is proper handwashing technique. The NHS outlines clear steps in its guidance on how to wash your hands effectively with soap and water.

3. How do I stop clutter creeping back in?

Two simple rules help:

• Only buy replacements when something is genuinely nearly finished.

• For every new product that comes in, one goes out.

Psychologists studying household chaos and stress have shown that reducing environmental chaos can lower negative emotions and physiological stress. Keeping the bathroom simple is one easy way to protect that sense of calm.

4. What if my partner or children have different needs?

Minimalism doesn't mean everyone sharing the same shampoo. It means being intentional. Perhaps each person has:

• One soap they love

• One hair product that genuinely suits them

You can still store these neatly and avoid multiplying "just in case" products.