Historically, toilets and tubs were often kept separate, with bathing and excretion being separated for hygienic and aesthetic reasons. Toilets, flush or otherwise, were often kept in small rooms known as closets to provide people with privacy. With the development of compact flush toilets, some architects began combining all of the devices that required plumbing in a single room, allowing people to bathe, wash their hands, and eliminate waste in a single room.