The Bathroom Remodel: A Practice in Less

There’s a curious peace that comes when we embrace less. Not the kind of less that feels like lack, but the kind that teaches contentment, stewardship, and simplicity. This past spring, I found myself with an itch to do something—a restlessness stirred by a long winter indoors and the daily hum of technology. My mind kept drifting to our bathroom—a space that had long needed a little love. A full remodel was too much, but one small area kept calling: the closet.

I figured the closet was safe. If I messed it up, I could just shut the door.

Ironically, the first thing I did was remove the door.

It was one of those clunky slatted ones that never stayed on its track and collected dust like it was its job.

That small act of taking off the door brought a strange sense of freedom—and a jolt of motivation.

The closet wasn’t just holding towels and rags. It held a bit of everything: mismatched storage bins, scattered toiletries, unused nail polish, old curling irons, cleaning supplies, and a laundry tote. It was functional—but far from peaceful.

I started with a deep clean, followed by a fresh coat of paint. That process alone took a week, mostly because I fell into the rabbit hole of paint colors. I discovered that “white” is anything but simple. And that "Chantilly Lace" from Benjamin Moore is not the same as "Chantilly Lace" from Behr.

Who knew?

Once painted, I returned the original shelves, now bright and clean. I had dreamed of new upper cabinets to hide the mismatched chaos. But in the middle of it all, the idea of less kept whispering.

So instead of installing cabinets, I added some decorative baskets to the shelves. Beautiful. Simple. Enough.

Then came the bottom half of the closet. I imagined another new cabinet, but the price tag didn’t match the goal of simplicity. One day, at Hobby Lobby, I stumbled upon a small wooden cabinet—just right. A little varnish, a few smaller baskets, and suddenly it looked like it belonged there all along.

The rest of the remodel—well, that’s another story for another day. But through it all, I kept circling back to what mattered: not perfection, not comparison, but choosing what was needed and no more.

It became more than a remodel. It became a spiritual practice.

“Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” — Proverbs 15:16

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” — 1 Timothy 6:6

This remodeled space feels new, but more than that, it feels peaceful. Each time I step into the bathroom, I’m reminded of the quiet joy of doing with less, the beauty of stewarding what we already have, and the sacredness of slowing down.

Reflection Questions:

🌿What is one area of your life that could benefit from less instead of more?

Is there a space, habit, or responsibility that feels cluttered or chaotic?

🌿How might God be inviting you to slow down and see beauty in what already exists?

Consider how contentment could shift your perspective.

🌿Are you making space for peace, or just adding more to manage?

Take a moment to ask God what “enough” looks like for your current season.

Let your home—and your heart—be a place where less leads to more.