13 Design-Friendly Storage Solutions for the Bathroom
The secret to tidy towels and beautifully organized bottles? The right storage. Sample this smorgasbord of ideas
Jo Simmons
July 30, 2019
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
Adequate storage is crucial to the success of any room, and the bathroom is no exception. In fact, we often overlook the need for storage in this much-used area or are challenged by the small dimensions of the space. But whatever the size or style of your bathroom, there are nifty ways to work in storage, whether it’s built-in drawers around a bath, handsome shelves or vintage baskets.
1. Wire Up
A wire shelf unit makes a great addition to a bathroom. It adds both storage and display space, brightens up a dull wall and is lightweight and easy to hang.
A wire shelf unit makes a great addition to a bathroom. It adds both storage and display space, brightens up a dull wall and is lightweight and easy to hang.
2. Squeeze in a Drawer
A bathroom often contains little pockets of underused space. Think about exploiting them by building in neat little drawers. As many bathroom products are small, even a sliver of additional storage can be really useful.
Find a bathroom remodeler on Houzz
A bathroom often contains little pockets of underused space. Think about exploiting them by building in neat little drawers. As many bathroom products are small, even a sliver of additional storage can be really useful.
Find a bathroom remodeler on Houzz
3. Pack a Basket
Baskets do vital storage work around the house and make a wonderful addition to a bathroom. The perfect vessel into which to heap towels, a basket will also bring a softly rustic note, warming up marble or a pale palette.
Look for baskets in the Houzz Shop
Baskets do vital storage work around the house and make a wonderful addition to a bathroom. The perfect vessel into which to heap towels, a basket will also bring a softly rustic note, warming up marble or a pale palette.
Look for baskets in the Houzz Shop
4. Add a Side
Now this is clever! Any built-in bath unit contains dead space within its supporting structure, so why not convert it into storage?
This cabinet has a hinged side revealing slim compartments, which the homeowner uses to store slippers but which could equally handle washcloths, spare soap or bottles of cleanser.
Now this is clever! Any built-in bath unit contains dead space within its supporting structure, so why not convert it into storage?
This cabinet has a hinged side revealing slim compartments, which the homeowner uses to store slippers but which could equally handle washcloths, spare soap or bottles of cleanser.
5. Pop in a Pullout
Forget rummaging in the back of a cabinet for that tiny bottle of nail polish and opt for pullout shelves instead. This storage solution has long been used in kitchens, but it’s perfect for a bathroom too.
This style of storage can be built into a narrow space (ideal in a small bathroom), and since most bathing essentials are fairly small, it’s just the right size.
Forget rummaging in the back of a cabinet for that tiny bottle of nail polish and opt for pullout shelves instead. This storage solution has long been used in kitchens, but it’s perfect for a bathroom too.
This style of storage can be built into a narrow space (ideal in a small bathroom), and since most bathing essentials are fairly small, it’s just the right size.
6. Float It
Wall-mounted storage, floating off the floor, keeps a bathroom looking light, and this space demonstrates an alternative to the solid vanity with sink and drawers often seen today.
Here, the sink and countertop are one integrated piece, with a storage unit installed just below. This creates lots of pleasing horizontal lines (rather than one block), and the surface of the drawers becomes an additional shelf.
Wall-mounted storage, floating off the floor, keeps a bathroom looking light, and this space demonstrates an alternative to the solid vanity with sink and drawers often seen today.
Here, the sink and countertop are one integrated piece, with a storage unit installed just below. This creates lots of pleasing horizontal lines (rather than one block), and the surface of the drawers becomes an additional shelf.
7. Go Big
This wall of storage perfection is like the bathroom equivalent of a walk-in pantry. Open shelves, clever compartments — it’s all here. It’s proof that, when well-organized, anything from toilet paper to hand towels can look gorgeous.
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
This wall of storage perfection is like the bathroom equivalent of a walk-in pantry. Open shelves, clever compartments — it’s all here. It’s proof that, when well-organized, anything from toilet paper to hand towels can look gorgeous.
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
8. Take It to the Top
If you have a spacious bathroom with a blank wall, capitalize on the vertical space and build in floor-to-ceiling storage. It can function as a closet or provide overflow storage for other rooms, and can easily hold all your bathroom essentials.
Find a cabinet maker to create custom storage
If you have a spacious bathroom with a blank wall, capitalize on the vertical space and build in floor-to-ceiling storage. It can function as a closet or provide overflow storage for other rooms, and can easily hold all your bathroom essentials.
Find a cabinet maker to create custom storage
9. Add a Hook, or Three
So simple, so effective: Hooks offer essential and easily accessible storage space. They’re perfect for robes and clothes discarded before a bath, towels hung within grabbing distance of the tub and anything that has a loop, from a back brush to old-school soap on a rope!
Shop for towel and robe hooks
So simple, so effective: Hooks offer essential and easily accessible storage space. They’re perfect for robes and clothes discarded before a bath, towels hung within grabbing distance of the tub and anything that has a loop, from a back brush to old-school soap on a rope!
Shop for towel and robe hooks
10. Use a Free-Standing Piece
The key ingredients of a bathroom are a given (the tub or shower, sink and toilet), but if space allows, have fun furnishing the space with additional pieces, just as you would any other room.
Here, a handsome shelving unit stores essentials, such as towels, and has room left over for displaying favorite pieces too.
The key ingredients of a bathroom are a given (the tub or shower, sink and toilet), but if space allows, have fun furnishing the space with additional pieces, just as you would any other room.
Here, a handsome shelving unit stores essentials, such as towels, and has room left over for displaying favorite pieces too.
11. Raise Expectations
Just look how much storage you can work in along a single bathroom wall. To get maximum drawer space, this sink was installed slightly higher than conventional waist height, but for adults, a higher position can actually be easier to use. No more stooping to wash your face!
13 Storage and Organizing Ideas to Optimize Your Bathroom Vanity
Just look how much storage you can work in along a single bathroom wall. To get maximum drawer space, this sink was installed slightly higher than conventional waist height, but for adults, a higher position can actually be easier to use. No more stooping to wash your face!
13 Storage and Organizing Ideas to Optimize Your Bathroom Vanity
12. Slim Down
This bathroom in a London apartment is very small, but that doesn’t mean it’s a storage desert. Each of the mirrors fronts a slim but tall cabinet, providing crucial space for stashing all manner of lotions and potions. The sink sits on a built-in surface that creates room for more toiletries, while the shelf below can hold towels.
That shelf is a great choice of storage in this narrow room. Unlike a unit with doors, which would block off the space, a shelf helps to create a feeling of depth.
This bathroom in a London apartment is very small, but that doesn’t mean it’s a storage desert. Each of the mirrors fronts a slim but tall cabinet, providing crucial space for stashing all manner of lotions and potions. The sink sits on a built-in surface that creates room for more toiletries, while the shelf below can hold towels.
That shelf is a great choice of storage in this narrow room. Unlike a unit with doors, which would block off the space, a shelf helps to create a feeling of depth.
Mix It Up
A combination of rails, hooks and shelves can answer a great many bathroom storage needs, as this setup shows.
Of course, bathrooms need storage for bulky items, such as bottles of shampoo and towels, but compact storage with plenty of compartments is the perfect solution for all those smaller things typically kept in a bathroom. Think toothbrushes, dental floss, cotton balls and small tubes or jars.
Tell us: What kind of bathroom storage do you find handiest? Share your ideas in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more about bathroom storage
Browse bathroom photos for inspiration and ideas
Shop for a bathroom vanity
A combination of rails, hooks and shelves can answer a great many bathroom storage needs, as this setup shows.
Of course, bathrooms need storage for bulky items, such as bottles of shampoo and towels, but compact storage with plenty of compartments is the perfect solution for all those smaller things typically kept in a bathroom. Think toothbrushes, dental floss, cotton balls and small tubes or jars.
Tell us: What kind of bathroom storage do you find handiest? Share your ideas in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more about bathroom storage
Browse bathroom photos for inspiration and ideas
Shop for a bathroom vanity
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Where do people put their hair dryers? hair irons? hair straighteners? and their cords?
Most people do not appreciate the amount of aerosolization of toilet bacteria that occurs with each flush. For that reason, I would not want to have toothbrushes, or even towels in an open basket anywhere near the toilet.
Just renovated a very small bathroom with little wall space, solved the dilemma of where to hang the hand towels by mounting a refrigerator door pull on the panel on the vanity just below the sink. Low profile, large enough for a hand towel.
Bathroom pantry... what an idea!