We Answer Wednesday: How to add extra storage to a bathroom (without a renovation)

"We live in a small house and the whole family shares a bathroom.  We are managing just fine but the clutter of everyday stuff is getting to me.  What can we do to add some storage to our bathroom and not take on a renovation?"

The bathroom is a busy place and every high traffic area has a lot of stuff collecting everywhere but there are some things you can do to at least keep it under control.

We suggest taking a look at the type of clutter and where it is.  Counter space in a bathroom can often get overwhelmed with products and more and it can lead to spills and just overall disorganization. 

Baskets.  Can keep things look neat and tidy but still at your finger tips.  We often recommend baskets when we stage homes as they are easy to hide and bring out when you need them.  But for everyday, there is no problem with baskets that are 'out' - just having your items tucked away in a small basket keeps things looking (and feeling) organized.



Another great way to use baskets is hanging them - it's pretty and pretty practical.  That space over the toilet is often used for decor purposes but make it functional. These basic baskets (in a coordinating colour) hung on towel racks are a great way to keep everyone organized, so smart!



Towel racks. Think about relocating your towel racks to a location in the bathroom that will allow you to use the other wall space for more small storage. Hanging 2 smaller towel racks on the back of the door makes so much sense and it gives you more room for other important storage pieces and ideas.



Floating shelves. We highly recommend that floating shelves in your bathroom be the small colour or close to the same colour as your walls - this will keep them from looking and feeling bulky in the space.  A floating shelf is ideal for items that you need easy access to like towels or toilet paper.  Adding a few decorative items to an open shelf makes it more pleasing to the eye.  But matching baskets to contain smaller pieces is attractive, too



Small storage pieces. If you move your towel rack you might be surprised to find some wall space that would work for a small storage piece.  We love the idea of a tiered or ladder shelf, the piece itself isn't bulky and it offers lots of storage for everyday items.

              

Hooks and hangers.  Keep your towels (used ones) organized with hooks on the wall.  For your children keep the hooks at their level - this will mean they can hang up and tidy up on their own.



 closed storage piece.  We have looked at a lot of open shelving options but if that won't work for you look into a piece with doors (aka closed storage).  Chances are you will be able to find something that works with your current vanity - it really is best to have something similar we want consistency and flow. Look at the image below - this is a whole set.  It looks clean and streamlined not bulky and messy.  This is a great spot to hide medicine, creams, personal grooming items and more. 



Don't forget about the interior of our vanity for storage....

Try using a kitchen utensil holder to organize costume jewelry or even make up 



Baskets inside of your vanity are very effective too.





A Lazy-Susan isn't just for the kitchen, we love it for inside of a cupboard.  cupboards can get cluttered an disorganized very easily.  A lazy-Susan will help with organization, maximizing the space and gives you easy access. Or even just tiered shelving for inside of a cupboard - try the kitchen organizing department.



Lighting.  A dark room any room will always feel smaller so be sure to check on that lighting.  Are your bulbs working? Are they bright enough? Can you add more bulbs? Think about updating a fixture with more bulbs to add more light if you need it.






 Paint.  A fresh coat of paint can do wonders.  A small space like a bathroom would be a great weekend job for painting and with the right colour you can really brighten up that space.