Whether it is a “powder room” off your front hallway, a half bath near the family room, or the sole bathroom in your efficiency apartment, a small bathroom is likely high on use and low on space. Making the most of this tiny space becomes even more complicated when you consider the space taken up by the toilet and vanity, the door, and perhaps a window as well.
Storage may seem like an impossibility, but you can find great solutions for even the smallest bathrooms. Here are some clever small bathroom storage ideas to get you started.
Go High to Use the Wall Space
Small bathrooms are often tight spaces, making it challenging to add floor-based storage. However, there is still much space that can be used. Using the height of your small bathroom offers plenty of storage options to free up floor space and add an extra touch of style and substance to the room.
Over the Sink
The area directly over the sink is a great place to add storage space and create a focal point. Over-sink shelving may be free-standing or mounted to the wall and made of metal, wood, glass, or a mixture of those materials. These shelves are ideal for keeping small canisters, tissue boxes, or even toothbrush holders up off the vanity, freeing the surface area up.
Over the Toilet
Using space over an installed piece in the bathroom includes the toilet. The area above the toilet can be filled with shelves or cabinets, providing plenty of storage for towels, toiletries, or room accessories such as art or plants. Over-the-toilet shelving may be stand-alone or mounted to the wall.
Stand-alone toilet shelving is made from various materials, including glass and metal, wicker or rattan, or wood. You can choose to shelve with clean lines and angles that blend into the room or make the shelving a focal point with bold accents and hardware.
Open shelving offers an excellent opportunity to add color and accents to the bathroom without cluttering the vanity surface. A popular way to store with this type of shelving is to add wicker or fabric bins for storing various items while keeping the look clean and straightforward.
Over-the-toilet shelving may also be mounted directly to the wall, allowing more opportunity to create storage space while adding to the design of the small room.
Over the Door or Window
Another spot with storage possibilities is over the bathroom door or the window. These spaces may not be ideal for items you frequently use but are still worth looking at for greenery, decorative architectural elements, or rolled towels that can be easily and safely pulled down.
Get Low for Hidden Storage
Some of the lower areas in the bathroom offer great opportunities for storage with the added advantage of keeping things out of sight.
Custom-cut shelving can be added under an open vanity, fitting around pipes snugly and adding plenty of space for cosmetics, soaps, cleaning solutions, or anything else you want to keep handy but stored. A fabric skirting can hide the area, adding color and design to the space while keeping everything easily accessible.
Built-in storage may also be an option, especially if you are renovating your small bathroom. Built-in cabinetry, including the vanity itself, can be designed and outfitted for efficient storage. Specialized drawers and cupboards to store hampers, toilet brushes, or anything else larger could be added at this stage.
Decorative Shelving
If your small bathroom has the room for it, you can still free up space and add architectural elements, texture, and color to your small bathroom with decorative shelving units. Decorative shelving units add interest and design to a room of any size, and in a small bathroom, they are also just the thing to increase storage while taking up limited space.
Slanted shelves are a great way to use wall space for storage. With the gradual decrease in size from bottom to top, slanted shelves bring the eye upwards, creating height in the room, making it feel bigger and airier. They are an excellent place for rolled towels, decorative pieces, and greenery.
Wire shelves are another option, creating a sturdier spot for heavy items. As a design element, they blend nicely into most bathroom designs and, with protective coatings on them, are durable enough to endure the bathroom’s humidity without deteriorating.
Learn More About Small Bathroom Storage Ideas and Designs
Working with your limited bathroom space to include the space for storage you need may seem like a difficult task, but there are many ways to add storage to a small bathroom without cramping it. Look at every part of your small bathroom, high and low, to take advantage of empty spaces and make them work for you.
For more small bathroom storage ideas and tips, as well as design tips for your entire home, check out Kristina Wolf’s House of Design and sign up for my newsletter to get the latest ideas delivered right to your inbox.