Smart Bathroom Storage Solutions
One of the biggest issues that makes homeowners call us to renovate their bathroom is a lack of storage. Signs that you are ready for smart bathroom storage solutions include countertops full of products and the appearance of rolling carts from The Container Store on the bathroom floor.
What follows are some of the most functional bathroom storage solutions we’ve employed on our recent projects. These smart bathroom storage solutions include pull-out racks, hidden hampers, integrated trash pull-outs, hair appliance caddies, handy spots for electric toothbrushes, charging drawers, a coffee station and even a bathtub accessories garage.
First, Purge and Organize
Of course, step one is to get rid of items you aren’t using. There may be things lurking way at the very back of the cabinets under the sink that you have not laid eyes on in a decade. Here’s how to get this done in about an hour:
- Bring in a wastebasket, a donation box, and a keep box.
- As you empty your drawers, toss anything expired or unusable into the trash. Check OTC medications for expiration dates as you go.
- If you have a hotel shampoo/conditioner/lotion/soap habit, or if other sample products have stacked up, consider donating unopened items to a worthy organization. For example, here in Atlanta, Hope House always has a need for personal hygiene items. And animal shelters usually welcome the donation of old towels.
- Once all you have left is your “keep” box, organize items by group.
- After you’re done loading everything back up, you’ll have a great idea of the inventory you’ll need to store in the bathroom.
Next, Take Inventory
Now that you’ve purged the excess, take inventory of what you’d like to store. Is there overflow? Will one more drawer or medicine cabinet handle it? Or could you really use an entire linen cabinet?
Also, look beyond your bathroom. Are there things you wish you had space for in the bathroom that you’re currently stashing elsewhere? For example, would you like more space so that you could keep that Costco-sized toilet paper purchase in the bathroom rather than the garage?
If you decide to take serious steps to find smart bathroom storage solutions, you’ll be well prepared with the information about what you’d like to keep in the bathroom. Any good designer will approach you with good ideas for keeping organized, and this post will help you familiarize yourself with what’s available.
Now that you’re organized and taken stock of where your storage is lacking, here are 10 smart bathroom storage solutions.
1. Countertop Cabinets
One great way to find extra space in the bathroom is through a countertop cabinet. These are a good alternative to medicine cabinets, as they keep items just as close at hand.
Inside a countertop tower, we’ll often install electrical outlets for items like electric toothbrushes, shavers, hair dryers and phones. A bottom drawer like the one you see here is handy for the items and products you grab every day, like your hairbrush and moisturizer.
2. Integrated Trash Pull-Outs
OK, so you’ve been seeing these integrated trash pull-outs in kitchens for quite awhile, but chances are you may not have considered them for the bathroom. With such limited floor space in most bathrooms, it’s great to get the trash can off the floor and hidden away.
3. Concealed Clothing Hampers
Another item to get off that valuable floor space is the clothing hamper. Much like the trash pull-out, it’s easy to integrate right into the cabinetry. This one accommodates a full laundry basket.
This tilt-out hamper option is another way to go.
4. Linen Armoires
Many houses built 20 or more years ago have some sort of slim linen closet in the bathroom, with a door bangs into the bathroom door when they are both open. These closets are usually outfitted with those terrible wire shelves that things fall through. Or there’s a closet just outside the bathroom we need to borrow space from in order to expand a bathroom’s footprint.
Linen armoires a beautiful way to make up for the loss of a linen closet. While technically they are built-in, they lend a freestanding furniture and elegant customized feel. This example has six drawers for storing smaller products, cleaning products and toilet paper. Above, there are shelves for storing towels and other linens.
This beautiful linen armoire not only offers lots of smart bathroom storage solutions, it also adds scads of style to the bathroom. The cabinet doors have antiqued glass and beautifully curved muntins, and the marble detail matches the vanity countertop. Feet lend lend the freestanding furniture look of the piece, while crown molding makes it fit into the bathroom seamlessly.
5. Bath Salts Garage
Space in this primary bathroom was tight. To make the most of it, we used space at the end of the bathtub. On top, there’s a linen tower and beneath it there’s a bathtub products garage. Bath salts, bubble bath and washcloths are all within easy reach in this cabinet, which flips up for easy access.
6. Hair Appliance Inserts
This pull-out cabinet next to a makeup table is similar to a cooking utensil pull-out flanking a range in the kitchen. There are metal bins that can handle hot appliances like curling irons and hair straighteners, outlets for plugging these items in and shelves below for brushes, combs, hairspray and other hair-related accoutrements.
7. Makeup Pull-Outs
On the other side of the dressing table, a second pull-out keeps removable bins that corral makeup very handy. These kinds of pull-outs are one of our favorite smart bathroom storage ideas, because they get a lot of space out of a very slim cabinet. The way they pull-out takes advantage of all the depth by making it easily available.
8. Shower Niches
It seems simple, but you should put some thought into how you want your shower niches sized and arranged. Trust us, you’re going to want more space than you think you do. Some things to consider:
- For couples, designate your own niches
- Measure the tallest bottles you like to use so that you can have the niches sized to accommodate them.
- If you like to use bar soap, consider a small separate niche for it.
- For those who shave their legs in the shower, consider a small niche to prop your foot in.
9. Coffee Bar
Some of our clients have no interest in having to go downstairs to get their first cup of coffee. In this case, the homewner had a huge bathroom with a high ceiling and a completely separate toilet room. Thus, the bathroom was the best spot within the primary suite for a coffee bar.
The coffee armoire includes a coffeemaker, a fridge for milk and cream, space for storing mugs and sweetener and a small sink.
10. Bathroom Scale
A bathroom scale can often become a tripping or a toe-stubbing hazard. This ingenious hidden spot for it in the toe-kick keeps it out of the way. (This is also good for those days when you really don’t want to weigh in and seeing it is making you feel bad.)
We hope that this blog post has inspired you to implement some smart bathroom storage solutions you may need!
If you’d like professional help remodeling your bathroom or any other space in your home, please contact us for a free remodeling consultation. Our design team will help you find the most functional and beautiful solutions for fluffing and folding spaces!
If you enjoyed this story, here are a few more links we think you’ll enjoy:
Tour a Serene Primary Bathroom Oasis
5 Bathroom Renovation Questions Answered
