I grew up in a modest apartment, and my bathroom was tiny. We had a single shelf crammed with mismatched bottles, a plastic shower curtain that never quite closed all the way, and towels that had seen better days. Back then, I didn’t think much about what those details said about us. It was just home.
Now that I live in São Paulo in an upper middle class neighborhood and spend time with people across different income brackets, I’ve started noticing patterns. The bathroom tells you more than you’d expect about someone’s financial situation. Not in a judgmental way, but in a quietly observational one.
These nine items aren’t about shame or superiority. They’re about recognizing where you are and understanding what shifts when your circumstances change.
1. A single set of mismatched towels that never quite dry
When you’re working with a tight budget, you buy towels when the old ones fall apart. You don’t replace the whole set at once. You grab what’s on sale, and if that means your bathroom has a faded blue towel next to a fraying beige one, that’s fine.
The towels are thin because thicker, more absorbent ones cost more. They take forever to dry because you don’t have space for a heated towel rack or even enough ventilation. You hang them on a hook behind the door, and they stay damp until the next person needs them.
2. Generic soap and shampoo from the supermarket
You buy whatever’s on promotion. The large bottles that promise to last longer. The generic brands that do the job without the fancy packaging.
There’s nothing wrong with that. But when you move up financially, you start caring about ingredients. You switch to sulfate-free shampoo because your hairstylist mentioned it. You buy soap that doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight. You start reading labels.
Lower middle class bathrooms have the basics. Upper middle class bathrooms have products with recognizable brand names or niche labels that cost three times as much for half the volume.
3. A plastic shower curtain instead of a glass door
Shower curtains are cheap and easy to replace. Glass doors are expensive to install and require regular cleaning to avoid water spots and soap scum buildup.
When I first visited a wealthy family’s home, I noticed they had a frameless glass shower door. It looked sleek and modern, but it also required someone to squeegee it after every shower to keep it clear. That’s a luxury of time and attention that you don’t prioritize when you’re just trying to get through the day.
Plastic curtains are practical. They do the job. But they also collect mildew in the folds, and you replace them every year or so when they start looking dingy.
4. A single toothbrush holder with everyone’s brushes jammed in
Space is limited, so you make do. Everyone’s toothbrush sits in the same cup or holder, bristles touching, because buying individual holders feels unnecessary.
When you have more money, you start thinking about hygiene in a different way. You buy separate holders or wall-mounted options. You replace toothbrushes more often. You get electric ones that come with their own charging stations.
It’s a small shift, but it reflects a broader change in how you approach daily routines. You have the bandwidth to care about these details.
5. Bar soap sitting in a puddle on the edge of the sink
There’s no soap dispenser. No dish that drains properly. Just a bar of soap that sits in its own residue, getting soft and mushy at the bottom.
I used bar soap for most of my life. It’s economical and lasts a long time. But at some point, I switched to liquid soap in a pump bottle, and I can’t imagine going back. It’s cleaner, more convenient, and it makes the sink area look more put together.
Bar soap isn’t bad. It’s just one of those markers that shows you’re still in a mindset of maximum efficiency and minimum waste.
6. No matching storage containers or organizers
Lower middle class bathrooms are functional, not curated. You store things in whatever containers you have. An old shoebox holds hair ties and bobby pins. Cotton swabs sit in the bag they came in. Makeup lives in a drawer with no dividers.
Organization systems cost money and require planning. When you’re stretched thin financially, you don’t invest in matching baskets or drawer inserts. You make do with what’s already there.
Once you have more breathing room in your budget, you start buying those little acrylic organizers. You label things. You create systems that make your morning routine smoother. It’s not about being fancy. It’s about having the resources to make life a little easier.
7. A medicine cabinet stuffed with expired products
You hold onto things because you might need them later. That half-empty bottle of cough syrup from two years ago. The antibiotic cream you used once. The travel-sized lotion from a hotel stay.
When money is tight, throwing things away feels wasteful. You keep them just in case, even if you know deep down you’ll never use them again.
People with more financial security are more comfortable letting go. They know they can replace things easily if needed. They’re not operating from a scarcity mindset.
I still catch myself holding onto products longer than I should. It’s a habit from growing up without much, and it takes conscious effort to break.
8. A single bath mat that’s seen better days
The bath mat is thin, slightly discolored, and doesn’t quite cover the area where water pools. You wash it regularly, but it never looks truly clean.
Replacing it isn’t a priority because it still works. It absorbs water. It keeps the floor from getting too slippery. That’s enough.
Wealthier households replace bath mats more often. They have extras so they can rotate them while one is in the wash. They buy thicker, more absorbent ones that feel plush underfoot.
It’s one of those small upgrades that signals a shift in how you think about comfort versus necessity.
9. No decorative elements or cohesive aesthetic
The bathroom is purely functional. There’s no artwork on the walls. No plants. No candles or diffusers. Everything in there serves a practical purpose, and nothing is chosen for how it looks.
When you’re lower middle class, you’re focused on getting by. You don’t have the mental energy or financial flexibility to think about whether your bathroom feels cohesive or inviting.
As your income grows, you start caring about aesthetics. You buy a set of matching hand towels. You add a small succulent on the windowsill. You choose a soap dispenser that fits the vibe you’re going for.
These changes don’t happen overnight. They accumulate gradually as your priorities shift from survival to comfort and self-expression.
Final thoughts
I’ve lived in different versions of this bathroom at different points in my life. There’s no shame in any of it. These details don’t define your worth or your character. They’re just reflections of where you are financially and what you prioritize.
What matters is recognizing the patterns and understanding that they can change. You’re not stuck in one place forever. Small upgrades happen over time, and they’re often the result of hard work and smart choices.
If you see yourself in these descriptions, that’s okay. You’re doing what you need to do with what you have. And if you’ve moved past this stage, remember where you came from. It keeps you grounded and grateful for how far you’ve come.
