12 Brilliant Small Bathroom Storage Ideas

Choose a tech-friendly medicine cabinet

A medicine cabinet with built-in outlets can be a hidden electric toothbrush (or razor) storage option and help hide the tangle of wires that accompany these items.

Swap towel bars for hooks

A towel bar really limits what you can store—your bathrobe, blow dryer or even a tote filled with toiletries can hang from hooks alongside your towel. And don't stick with one row of hooks; think multi-level. You can hang two—or even three—rows of hooks on the back of the bathroom door, says interior designer Alexis Givens. The lower hooks are the perfect height for kids' towels and robes.

Don't forget the under-sink cabinet

To maximize your storage, use under-sink shelves or a multi-tiered lazy susan. You can stash a ton of toiletries and reach the products in the back of the bathroom vanity cabinet easier.

Turn your shower curtain into more storage

Givens likes to use a patterned shower curtain in a small space for visual pop—and she affixes pockets on the outside for organizational streamlining. Buy a second shower curtain in the same (or a contrasting fabric) and cut it up to create little pockets for soap, bath toys, combs and more. Alternatively, order this neutral pocket shower curtain and use bold colors or patterns elsewhere in the room.

Related: The 11 Best Shower Curtains on Amazon

Sneak in extra shelving

If you're planning a remodel, chances are there's a spot where you could install built-in bathroom shelves. The beauty of built-ins is that they tuck into the wall, saving you valuable space. Larson added shelves behind the shower, providing a convenient spot to stash towels. However, if a renovation isn't in your near future, imitate the look by installing a column of slim floating shelves. They'll take up a bit more space, but will offer just as much storage. Another option is a slim profile rolling storage cart with ventilated shelving for humid bathrooms.

Upgrade basic storage with stylish containers

Keep your bathroom looking pleasing and tranquil (and not like a storage closet) by choosing beautiful vessels for utilitarian supplies, says Carla Aston, a Texas-based interior designer and blogger. "I use containers that are typically not found in bathrooms, like decorative bowls for jewelry, hair accessories, and soaps," she says.

Add a Shelf (or Two) Above the Toilet

Typically, the space above the toilet is an underutilized area. But in a small bathroom, every inch counts. Adding shelves turns a blank wall into an extra storage spot for plants, towels, art, and toiletries. Choose minimalist shelves and pretty brackets to keep it looking sleek and simple.

Move the medicine cabinet away from the sink

Installing a recessed medicine cabinet (which doesn't need to be mirrored) on a non-sink wall has numerous benefits, says Givens. It frees you to find the largest cabinet possible without worrying about sink-to-cabinet proportions; you can choose a special mirror in a beautiful frame for over the sink; and without a swinging cabinet door to worry about, install a glass shelf below the decorative mirror and above the sink faucet (which adds storage for soap dishes, apothecary jars filled with cotton swabs, and more).

Related: 8 Things You Should Never Store in Your Medicine Cabinet—and 7 Things You Should

Use a ladder to create vertical storage

To create vertical storage while preserving precious floor real estate, lean a wooden ladder against your wall and hang wire baskets from the rungs, says Jennifer Lifford, who used this smart storage idea in her own bathroom and documented it on her organizing blog, Clean & Scentsible. Unlike commercial ladder-style shelves, which can have a space-hogging 14-inch depth, an actual ladder can be propped at any angle (use wall anchors to stabilize it). Choose different sizes of baskets to hold toiletries, reading material, and more. Hang hand towels directly on the rungs.

Move your makeup into the bedroom

Heat and humidity create a breeding ground for bacteria in your liquid foundation, powders, and lipsticks—and cause them to degrade faster. Save money and space in the short term by moving your makeup into the bedroom. Then step back and admire all that free space you just gained.

Related: A Complete Guide to Makeup Expiration Dates—and How Often to Replace Every Toiletry You Own

Hang storage baskets

If you've got enough floor space for a wastebasket and little else, grab a hammer and nails and affix square-sided baskets or boxes to walls for storage. Choose ones deep enough to hold rolled or folded washcloths and hand towels, but not so deep that anyone will bang their head (6 to 8 inches is about right).

Hang a shelf above eye level

When you're looking to stash supplies like extra toilet paper rolls and tissue boxes, forget the rule about hanging shelves at eye level and instead hang them a good 6 inches higher, says Lifford. This way, you can tuck supplies in pretty bins or baskets and no one will be able to see inside—yet you'll be able to easily reach for the bin when you need it.

Related: 7 Simple Tricks to Make Your Bathroom Feel Like a Spa