Cramped Bathroom Space? 8 Storage Options for Small Bathrooms!

DO YOU HAVE A CRAMPED AND SMALL BATHROOM SPACE?

 Let’s take a look at 8 storage options for your small bathroom space!

 Some homeowners live in smaller homes or living spaces for a number of reasons whether, it is to downsize or due to affordability, or wanting to live a more minimalist lifestyle.   And there are homeowners who live in larger spaces with more than one bathroom.  Whatever the size or configuration of a living space; this can influence the size of your bathroom. 

 

 

For example in a smaller living space, the bathroom size will be much smaller and a tighter fit for room.  In a larger home with more than one bathroom there will often be one small sized bathroom or a half bathroom.  In both scenarios, this creates a cramped bathroom space with little room to store all of your bathroom necessities and toiletries. 

 

So, we are going to explore some design elements you can add to your bathroom to create both storage options as well as, keeping the smaller footprint from looking cramped.

 

 

VERTICAL STORAGE AND UTILIZING WALL SPACE

 

One of the best ways to maximize storage space without overwhelming your bathroom is to utilize tall, narrow storage units.

 

You can add free-standing units equipped with shelves, cabinets or drawers, which can all provide ample storage space for most of your bathroom essentials without taking up a lot of floor space.   Your open wall space in a bathroom is prime real estate to implement storage as well.  You can install built-in storage surface mounted or recessed into the wall such as linen closets or have large wall-to-wall vanities with cabinets and drawers.

 

 

Or install a mirror that has storage functionality.  Utilize the wall space and install a tall (5 feet tall) mirrored medicine cabinet, which can be surface or recessed, mounted.  You get a ‘two for one’ functional addition to your bathroom with both a full-length mirror plus, storage.

 

 

 

A SPACE-SAVING TOWEL LADDER

 

The towel ladder is not just for blankets!  With its multiple rungs and simple frames; these trendy, low-profile organizers resemble traditional ladders, but they take up very little floor space.  Also, it’s not as bulky and does not extend out too far from the wall such as the case with a traditional storage shelf because it leans, and angles back into the wall.  Even though it’s towel rods or hooks may only be able to manage two or three towels at a time; towel ladders can comfortably accommodate anywhere from three to eight towels or a bathrobe hung on the corner notch.

 

 

Also, if your small bathroom doesn’t have enough space to hang shelves; decorative towel ladders can be a step in the right direction.   They can fit in the corner of a small bathroom easily and looks great with any design style such as the small ‘Shabby Chic’ or Scandinavian inspired bathrooms.  Some ladders have wider shelves for organizing while others feature rungs for hanging towels, wash cloths, magazines or books. 

 

 

 

ADD FLOATING SHELVES, HOOKS AND TOWEL RACKS

 

If your small bathroom has limited counter space, it’s bound to get cluttered and easily messy.  Floating shelves or a shelving unit are easy to install to almost any wall space in your bathroom.

 

 

Add hooks to your wall space as a way to hang towels, jewelry, brushes, hair dryers, curling irons and so much more.  Whether you are looking to display your goods or maximize space efficiency, take advantage of these items’ flexible extremities and hang them up on a variety of hooks.

 

 

Even the smallest bathrooms come with a towel rack, but adding more creates varied organization opportunities.  Additional towel racks or hooks behind the door suit kids’ or guest towels.  If your small bathroom is already stocked on towel space, a simple magnetic or metal strip can do wonders for loose grooming tools and cosmetics.  For example, make-up junkies with an endless collection can add magnets onto the back of their favourite products and put them on a magnetic strip.  This creates an easy-access and customizable way to store make-up while saving on a ton of space.

 

 

 

DECADENT STORAGE ACCENTS AND CATCHALL CONTAINERS

 

In small bathrooms with limited space, it can be difficult to maximize storage while leaving room for decorative accents.  Why not combine them?  Decorate your bathroom with knick-knacks that also serve a functional purpose.  Cotton balls and Q-Tips can be placed in decorative jars or mason jars for a pretty display that also, serves to clear up cabinet and drawer space for your more discreet toiletries.  You can also place small toiletries in decorative storage jars and containers rather than keeping them in their bulky, original packaging. 

 

 

Cloth bins, woven and wire baskets, farmhouse-inspired buckets or simple wooden crates can do double-duty as storage units with a stylish flair.  You can roll towels up and fit them vertically in tall woven baskets or neatly pack essentials into crates and place them on shelves.  Wicker and wire baskets are bathroom storage solutions that are always in style.  It’s common to see baskets in small bathrooms for items like magazines, loose toiletries or rolled-up towels.  Keep a basket near the toilet, under the sink or in the closet to make use of your tight bathroom space.

 

 

Unitize your wall space as well!  If floor storage becomes a dust magnet making it difficult to move these storage units around to clean; hang or mount storage options to your walls instead.   Three-tiered hanging baskets are common in kitchens, but are also good options for small bathrooms.  You can hang these baskets high on the wall on top of floating shelves or on hooks or hang these from a towel rack on S-hooks to store items like lotion and hair products.

 

 

EMBRACE A MIRRORED MEDICINE CABINET

 

The space above your bathroom sink can be a valuable space to add storage.  Instead of installing a simple, standard vanity mirror above your sink; install a mirrored medicine cabinet!

 

 

Keep clutter away from your sink and vanity countertop by storing toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries (like cotton balls, swabs, and pads) in the mirrored cabinet.  Modern mirrored cabinets are available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations with functional features and options such as LED lighting to provide overall bathroom illumination, and task lighting for grooming such as make-up application, tweezing and shaving.  And with some of these seamless, luxury and modern designs offered by certain mirrored cabinet brands, there is no need to sacrifice design in the name of storage space.

 

 

These mirrored cabinets can be surface or recessed mounted.  When recessed mounted they hide seamlessly into the wall creating a less bulky profile while, disguising its functionality as being a storage cabinet.   So, what may look like just a standard mirror is ‘more than meets the eye’ with its hidden functional storage!

 

 

SHOWER CADDIES AND CUBBIES

 

Showers and bathtubs have to accommodate bars of soap, bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, washcloths, razors, scrub brushes and loofahs.  Small showers in small bathrooms may not have the built-in shelf space to hold all of these necessities, which can result in disorganized clutter where you can’t access your shower toiletries conveniently.   You can combat this by adding a traditional shower caddy.   Shower caddies are easy to install and can be mounted almost anywhere in or around your shower on the showerhead or by using suction cups.  They are equipped with racks and shelves to hold everything you need for your convenience. 

 

 

The other option is to install built-in cubby holes for storage by utilizing the wall space in your shower or bathtub tiled wall.  You can install 2 to 4 shelf cubbies that blend in with your wall tile in any height or width and location on our wall.  Cubbies are not only functional storage in your bathtub/shower, but it’s also an elegant design accent for your bathroom.

 

 

Both options are great for any small bathroom to help cut down on clutter by giving every item a proper place.

 

 

UTILIZE THE TOILET SPACE

 

Just like the space above your bathroom sink, the space above your toilet can be valuable storage real estate.  Over-the-toilet shelving units are the perfect storage solution for that underused space.

 

 

These storage units are designed to stand freely above a toilet tank in a variety of colours and design styles, and are equipped with a variety of storage features.  These features include cabinets or open shelving, drawers and a towel rack.  You can add free-standing units or use up less floor space by installing wall mounted over-the-toilet storage units and shelves instead.  Storage above the toilet is great for hiding away or displaying neatly folded towels or decorative items or decorative lotion bottles.

 

 

Another way to create storage around the toilet is to utilize the space next to your toilet.  Most bathrooms have a sliver of space next to the toilet.  So, why not squeeze in a skinny magazine rack, ladder shelf or a thin rolling shelf? These can be free standing or wall mounted right next to your toilet. 

 

 

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DOORS AND CORNERS

 

The area behind your bathroom door can be the perfect place to hang towels and robes.  You can install towel rods or hooks to hold any bulky bathroom linen you need to store.  Or combine the two and hang an over-the-door towel bar with hooks on the back of your bathroom or shower door.  Also, corners in small bathrooms can be a valuable place for additional, unobtrusive storage.  Consider adding a fashionable corner-shaped cabinet or wall mount a shelving unit to provide ample storage without taking up too much space. 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

You don’t have to let your smaller bathroom space deter you from coming up with creative solutions to design a space that has storage, functionality and beautiful design for a clutter free zone.

 

Here are some great articles introducing even more ideas for how to style your small bathroom with functional storage and also, some helpful design tricks to make your small bathroom space appear larger.

 

• Good Housekeeping.
• Better Homes & Gardens.
• Country Living
• House Beautiful.