If you are like me and want your bathroom storage to be organized, convenient, and attractive, even though your bathroom may not be large, it can be done. Without taking on the expense of a whole new bathroom remodel, here are some things I did to my bathroom to make that happen. You can do these things, too.
Rule one: Make the most of the space you have.
You have wall space above the toilet tank that you can make look great, without buying one of those generic toilet storage shelving units. I bought a white, three shelf storage cabinet with some character. Hand towels, washcloths, and some miscellaneous lotions and products are stored there. I have a pretty woven basket to corral the washcloths, and that basket adds some color to my bathroom.
Figure out where to best set towel bars. If you install them too low, then you can’t put storage units below them. If they are too far from the shower, they will not be convenient. Figure out the storage first, and then put in the towel bars. Always find towel bars that have an attractive matching hook for the back of the bathroom door for your robe.
I have two deep cabinets, the depth of the shower, situated in a spot where it is not easy for a short woman like me to reach (just a touch over five feet tall). The first thing I did was build two shelves in the bottom one, and then I decided how to best organize it, so I could get things out.
On the top cabinet, I stored large quantities of multipacks of bath tissue and other things that I don’t often need. I can get those down by using a sturdy stick or grabbing the plastic with a comb and pulling it out that way. The loose rolls from the pack then get stored in the cabinet under the sink. The other cabinet needed something more. If you are short like me: I was able to get several of the thick five gallon paint stir sticks, from a big box hardware store, that I have all over the house to help pull stuff from cabinets and shelves. They were free for a pretty smile and some conversation.
I tried towels out in the deep cabinets, but that was not convenient. I live for the most convenience possible in my life, so I needed another solution for bath towels.
Rule two: If the cabinet you needed for storage wasn’t available in the size or type you wanted, you can have it custom made. For less than $150.00, I had a woodworker craft a cabinet for towels, to my exact dimensions and specifications. It sets next to the tub, and easily fits on the wall by the tub, but between where the door swings into the bathroom. I had him put two shelves inside of it. Because I was born on Valentine’s day, I asked for traditional country hearts to be cut into the door panels. He used hardware screen cloth (which is not cloth or flexible at all) to back the hearts, so my cats can’t wiggle their way inside the cabinet. The cabinet has the added benefit of helping me steady myself, by putting a hand on it, when getting out of the tub after a shower.
Rule three: Make storage pretty and fun. I love covered boxes, and whenever I am out shopping for things for fun, I pick up covered boxes in a variety of shapes and sizes, from hearts (because of my birthday) to squares, rectangles, and hatboxes. I use them in a variety of ways in rooms of the house, but in the deep cabinet in the bathroom where it is hard to reach into the depths, I have employed them more than anywhere else. Because I am also a hoarder of supplies, I have several boxes with multiples of the same kinds of products in them. I can grab the edges of the boxes and pull them out of the cabinet when I need something from one of them.
Rule four: Make the storage work for you. I have also bought some things that hold shampoos, soaps, and more in my tub/ shower surround. I didn’t have enough spots in the shower surround walls to hold what I regularly use, so I added these baskets, and small wire shelves, that both come with suction cups that attach to the shower surround walls. That way, I have everything within reach without demolishing my bathroom and starting over. This was much less expensive than a bathroom remodel would have been. Cleaning hint: When these wire containers get soap scum on them, they can be cleaned in your dishwasher on the top rack and come out looking shiny and new.
Rule five: Think outside the box. I love baskets, and I love things that are traditional. I looked online for a place that makes produce baskets with a metal bail, and bought a few in different sizes. One half-peck basket that I liked is on the bathroom counter next to the sink in my bathroom, holding facial scrub brushes, lotions, and hand creams, among other things. I was able to choose the color of the horizontal banding, which allows some personalization of the basket.
Whatever you do with your bathroom storage, keep it organized, convenient, and personalize it to suit your needs, space, and budget, but by all means, make it pretty.