Any time we mention having only one bathroom, our Instagram DMs light up with questions about how a family of four manages. We’re not claiming any heroic feat—many families around the world live happily in smaller homes with a single bathroom—but we do have an outdoor shower we use most of the year, which eases pressure on the indoor space. Still, plenty of people are curious, so here’s how one bathroom has worked well for our family and the practical choices that make it easy to live with.
Below we explain what helped us decide not to rush into adding a second bathroom and the habits and layout choices that keep daily life running smoothly.
What’s right for one family isn’t right for another, and this isn’t a manifesto for everyone to downsize. It’s simply an honest look at how one bathroom functions for us and why we’ve chosen to live with it—for now.
Tip #1: Live With It Before Making Big Changes
We moved from a house with three bathrooms and assumed we’d immediately need to add one. After a full year of at-home learning and living in the new space almost nonstop, we discovered the one-bathroom setup wasn’t a problem. That surprised us, so we postponed major layout projects and focused on other improvements like adding a pool and renovating the kitchen instead.
Living in a home for a while helps you prioritize. If it’s at all possible, avoid making irreversible renovations immediately—what feels essential at first may change once you live in the layout and routines develop.
Tip #2: Differentiate Between Immediate Needs and Projected Needs
Before spending time and money on a renovation, ask whether it’s an actual, current need or just a prediction of some future requirement. We’ve learned that renovating for hypothetical future needs can lead to projects that don’t ultimately serve your actual lifestyle.
For example, a porch off our bedroom initially seemed like a candidate for a future bathroom. After living here, we realized it made more sense to close off the bedroom doors and convert the porch into a covered side entry to the kitchen. That choice gave us functional flow and even an outdoor prep area, and it preserved the option to add a bathroom later if we ever decide to.
Waiting until you know what you actually use and need prevents projects that solve problems that might never materialize.
Tip #3: Our Outdoor Shower Makes a Big Difference
We do have an extra shower—the outdoor shower—which we use almost year-round unless it’s raining or very cold. It’s a game changer: long post-run showers, rinsing off after the beach, or washing up after yard work all happen outside. That reduces indoor shower demand and keeps the main bathroom more available for other needs.
The outdoor shower delivers a luxurious-feeling experience without occupying the indoor bathroom, which helps with both convenience and household flow.
Tip #4: Staggered Morning Routines
Our morning schedules don’t overlap much. The kids leave for school an hour apart, and Sherry and I work from home, so we can usually do our grooming after the kids are gone. That spacing eliminates morning rush conflicts that might otherwise create tension with a single bathroom.
Families where children share schedules closely might have a different experience, but staggered routines help immensely.
Tip #5: Kids’ Personalities and Habits Matter
Children’s habits influence how manageable one bathroom is. Our kids (8 and 12) don’t require long, elaborate grooming sessions, and they’re past the era of long bathtimes. That keeps bathroom demand lower. If your kids are more prone to long styling routines, that can change the calculus—but planning and habit changes can help.
Tip #6: Grooming Happens in Bedrooms
We limit the bathroom to essential activities—showers, brushing teeth, and using the toilet—while hair, makeup, and other grooming tasks happen in bedrooms or closets. Each family member has grooming supplies near their clothes and mirrors installed where needed. That approach keeps the bathroom from being clogged by long grooming sessions and prevents storage overflow in the single vanity.
Designating grooming zones in bedrooms lets people get ready without tying up the bathroom and keeps morning routines efficient.
Tip #7: Communicate Clearly
We simply tell one another what we need: “I’m about to shower—anyone need the bathroom?” That level of communication prevents conflicts and makes sharing a small space easier. When someone is sick, we coordinate cleaning and isolation so the rest of the family stays healthy. Being open and direct about timing and needs goes a long way.
Tip #8: One Bathroom Is One Bathroom to Clean
Only having one bathroom means we keep it in regular use and it rarely becomes neglected. When guests come over, a single well-kept bathroom is usually sufficient even for fairly large gatherings. Maintaining one space is simpler than juggling multiple bathrooms that might sit unused and become messy or need extra cleaning and upkeep.
As someone who previously managed many bathrooms across several homes, I can attest that fewer bathrooms mean less to maintain—and that can be a welcome trade-off.
One Final Thought
A friend who also lives in a small house with one bathroom summarized the mindset well: treat the bathroom as a utility—get in, do what you need, and get out. That practical approach, combined with having other relaxing spaces around the house (pool, hot tub, outdoor shower, deck, fire pit), makes this arrangement comfortable for us.
We’re happy to keep our bathroom functional and utilitarian, and we recognize everyone’s must-haves are different. For us, the combination of an outdoor shower, staggered schedules, grooming in bedrooms, clear communication, and living in the house before committing to major changes has made one bathroom not just workable but comfortable.
