Bathrooms can present safety hazards for anyone but if you have low vision or are blind, feeling safe in that room presents even more challenges. Slipping In the tub or on a wet floor is the first thing I think of, closely followed by safely plugging in my hair dryer without it falling into the sink. Knocking over the items on the counter, aiming for the trash can but hitting the toilet instead, using the incorrect cleaning products for cleaning and hair products for hair have all led to what I refer to as my “vision moments.”

My bathroom is all white – floor, walls, tub/shower, closet, sink, vanity, toilet. I still had my vision when I moved in so I also bought a white vanity chair and a white laundry basket.The stackable washer and dryer combination is also white in another white closet. The wall above the sink and vanity is a giant mirror to the ceiling.  White room with a light in the ceiling is bouncing off that mirror making my bathroom one giant glare! 

As with my all-white kitchen, I had to break up the glare and provide contrast so that I could function safely regardless of what I need to do in my bathroom. I need bright colors for contrast and I want to not have to search for items I use frequently. Plus, I want to do my laundry in a way that protects my clothes. (You only have to select the hot water instead of cold water once before finding ways to mark the settings.)

There were two activities that had to be done first:

  • Instead of thinking of the bathroom as one space, I defined segments of the room for what I do in that space. For example, I divided the room into the vanity area; the bathing area, the toilet area, the storage areas, and the laundry area.
  • Next was determining what I need for each segment and what I need to function safely and efficiently in that particular space. As an example, I keep hair products, brush and hairdryer in the cabinet next to my vanity chair. I keep cleaning products in the storage next to the toilet. Laundry detergent is on the floor just inside the door that closes over the washer/dryer. This makes it so much easier for me because everything is in a specific spot in the area I use it.

My additional ideas were:

  • I wanted to keep the white vanity chair so I now have a colorful cushion on the seat so that I don’t run into it when I walk into the room.
  • The white laundry basket still works because it’s on a colorful rug.
  • Hang colorful art on the white walls to break up the white space.
  • Put a colorful placemat on the vanity counter to break up the space and confine the products used at that time on the placemat.
  • Hang a colorful shower curtain to break up the white walls and make the tub/shower area more visible.
  • Use a makeup caddy on the counter so that the items used daily are easily accessible and organized.
  • Use colorful towels so they can be seen against the white walls.
  • Put a colorful rug with rubber backing on the floor to prevent slipping and to also break up the white floor space.
  • Use blue painter tape or some other type of marking item to mark the spots on the washer/dryer for the temperatures you use.
  • Limit the number of items in the tub/shower. I used to have tons of products, but now I keep it to my favorite products only. Keeping the necessary choices to a minimum prevents another one of my vision moments when I used hair conditioner as a bath gel.
  • I’m currently searching for safety handles that are not white or gray to install on the white shower tile to use as I step into the tub to take my shower. It’s a high step and I grab the towel rack now but that’s not my best safety option.

Up next: Bedroom Safety