7 Practical Small Bathroom Storage Solutions

For a faster, more profitable home sale

Ladder shelving by Pottery Barn.This ladder shelving by Pottery Barn takes up very little visual space

Just because your bathroom is small doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on storage and style!

There are plenty of clever small bathroom storage solutions out there that can store your essentials in clever and hidden ways.

When you add storage to a small bathroom, consider that everything visible should be appealing to the eye.

Anything that you add to a small space can wind up looking like clutter cause your small bathroom to look even smaller.

Keep reading for some small bathroom storage solutions that will add style and function and help you overcome the limitations of your small space.



Small bathroom storage solutions

1. Use open shelving

A floating shelf in the bathroom.This attractive bathroom shelf has two purposes; it's functional and decorative.

Open shelving is a good option for small bathroom storage because they take up very little "visual space."

Contemporary styled open shelving.Clean and contemporary.

Open shelves are also known as "floating shelves."

Unlike solid-door closed cabinetry, open shelving allows your eye to travel to the wall, extending your sight line.

Open shelving has a clean and contemporary look that takes up less visual space than those with heavy corbels or ugly metal brackets.

When accessorizing your bathroom shelves, be sure to space objects apart. This creates an open, airy feeling. 

Focus on using just a few standout accessories on your shelves instead of a collection of small objects to avoid a cluttered look.

Glass shelving can increase a room's sense of space because they appear invisible. Items placed on glass shelves seem to float in space.

2. Use vertical space for small bathroom storage

Vertical space is an often overlooked option in many small spaces, like kitchens and bathrooms.

Vertical towel rack by Pottery Barn.A towel rack is an attractive storage solution. Photo by Pottery Barn
  • Create strong vertical lines with storage that goes from floor to ceiling. This is a home staging trick that can make a low ceiling look higher. 
  • Take advantage of unused vertical space by replacing an ordinary bathroom storage cabinet with a tall one that goes all the way to the ceiling.
  • How about the often neglected area above the toilet? There’s plenty of potential storage space in this area.
  • Instead of hanging a picture above the toilet like some people do, add a storage cabinet. Hide daily essentials inside baskets and pretty boxes with lids.
  • Or mount one of those practical bathroom hotel shelving units for storing towels. Hang a metal combination hotel shelf and towel holder above the toilet or elsewhere in the room.
  • Lean a ladder-style shelving unit over the toilet. Ladder shelving adds a contemporary vertical element to a room without taking up a lot of "visual space."


3. Find extra space inside bathroom cabinet doors

Spice racks can be used inside vanity cupboard doors for extra bathroom storage.Mount spice racks inside bathroom cabinet doors for extra storage. Available at Lowes.com
Bathroom cabinet storage solutionThis product is available at Wayfair.com

If you spend any amount of time at home improvement stores, you have most likely been overwhelmed by the enormous selection of storage products available.

You can spend hours trying to make your selection. Your local home improvement store is a great place to start looking.

  • Mount  racks on the inside of bathroom vanity doors for storing lotions and potions.
  • Install a hanging device on the inside of bathroom cabinet cupboards that will hold a blow dryer, curling iron and other hair styling accessories.
  • If you have an open storage bathroom vanity, be sure to corral the clutter inside pretty baskets and canisters. 
  • Always remember... clutter can make a room look small and untidy and if you are trying to sell your home, this is the last thing you want!

4. Find extra bathroom storage behind the door

Hang towels bars behind the bathroom door for extra storage.Hang towels behind the bathroom door. Photo by Martha Stewart.

Behind the door storage is a practical solution for extremely small bathrooms with no available wall space.

  • Mount a towel bar behind the bathroom door. Or mount multiple towel bars behind the door.

  • Make it a decorative feature by hanging beautiful, color-coordinated towels, as in this picture by Martha Stewart.
  • Install a shelf to fit along the top edge of the door. Store folded towels or pretty canisters overhead.
  • Hang an storage organizer behind the door to hold bathroom essentials like, shampoo, lotions, etc.
  • Or keep it simple. Just mount a pretty hook on the back of the door to hang a bathrobe, clothing or a wet towel.

5. Use multi-functional furniture in a small bathroom

Laundry hamper with seat.Dual-purpose furniture; a laundry hamper that doubles as seating.
  • Select a clothes hamper that will double as seating.
  • Look for a chest, ottoman, or trunk with a lift-top that can provide seating and storage for towels and linens.
  • A picnic bench is narrow enough to fit nicely against a wall in your small bathroom.
  • Place a tall narrow piece of storage furniture in a corner. This will add a nice vertical element to a small bathroom.
  • An old school locker can fit snugly in a corner. Spray paint it a fun color! 
  • Look for a small vintage bedroom dresser or nightstand for holding towels and other bathroom essentials.
Storage locker by IKEA.Use vertical space with this pretty turquoise locker from IKEA.
  • Scour local flea markets, yard sales and antique stores for fun storage solutions.
  • Use one large piece of bathroom furniture rather than lots of smaller pieces that crowd the room. 
  • Too many small pieces of furniture will make a tiny space look cluttered.

6. Do a bathroom renovation

Like kitchen renovations, a bathroom reno can really pay off in the end if you are trying to sell your house.

Here are a few bathroom renovation ideas that will increase the size (and value!) of your tiny space:

  • Steal a bit of space from the closet of an adjoining room. Take only a portion of the closet if you're worried about resale value, because technically, a room without a closet doesn't qualify as a bedroom.
  • Remove the entire wall between an adjoining room to enlarge your small bathroom.
  • If you have a separate shower and tub, remove both and replace with one amazing walk-in shower with glass doors. You'll have that extra space where the bathtub was for storage. 
  • Replace the bathroom door with a sliding pocket door. This will provide more floor space inside the bathroom, as the old door will no longer swing into the room.


7. Add extra storage with these easy small renovations

Small bathroom storage ideasSteal space from inside the walls by building recessed shelving between the studs. Photo by Lowes.

Open up a wall between the studs to make room for a recessed medicine cabinet or gain extra storage by adding shelving, as pictured above.

An open-legged vanity will take up less "visual space."
  • Add a wide ledge to a window sill for extra storage. Place a basket of washrags, soaps or  pretty colored bottles along the ledge. 
  • Gain bathroom storage by replacing a pedestal style sink with a solid bathroom vanity with cupboards and drawers. 
  • If you’re worried about losing the “visual space”, install an open-legged style cabinet, as pictured to the right.
  • Add a shelf at the top of the bathroom door for extra storage. 

Return from small bathroom storage solutions to small bathroom design ideas

Go to home page