11 things designers say to toss from your bathroom now

Interior designers have a short list of items they see too often in bathrooms that should not be there. Some are obvious – stained towels, expired medicine – and some are design choices that quietly make a room feel smaller or busier than it needs to be.

Rachel Street, who hosts DIY Network's "Philly Revival," said the first thing to go is any towel with a stain, a rip, or bleach spots. She keeps two sets of towels per person in the bathroom. The ugly ones get moved to the cleaning-supply cabinet or the basement for washing the dog or the car.

"A fresh matching set of fluffy towels will make your bathroom feel more relaxing and will make it look more put together," Street said.

Bo Keuleers, an interior-design project manager at MVA Home, targets the packaging on bathroom counters. Cotton-swab containers are often large, long, and visually unappealing. She replaces them with glass jars. The same trick works for cotton balls and bath salts. It creates what she calls a spa-like atmosphere while freeing up counter space.

Keuleers also said too many bath mats make a floor feel busy and overcrowded. Most bathrooms have one in front of the shower, one at the toilet, one at the sink. She recommends one simple rug with an inviting texture or a fun pattern.

Lonni Paul, who owns Lonni Paul Design, said the bathroom counter itself should be mostly clear. "A bathroom should feel clean and spa-like at all times – a sanctuary that gives a sense of calm to the start and end of your day," Paul said. She stores larger essentials like cleaning supplies and bulk toilet paper in a linen closet. A few rolls of toilet paper and a packet of cleaning wipes can stay in the bathroom, tucked out of sight in a drawer or a basket on the floor.