Next to the kitchen, the bathroom might be the most hard-working room of the house. In my home, it’s where we bathe, practice good dental hygiene, put on makeup, apply Korean face masks (me), catch up on the news (my husband), and prepare for “Crazy Hair Day” (our kids). Given the bathroom’s multifunctionality, it’s critical that the room have proper storage. But proper storage in the bathroom doesn’t just mean having enough shelving.
There are three issues unique to bathrooms that need to be considered when planning bathroom storage for this space, and other space storage, like kitchen storage, living room storage, need to consider other specific things.
Heat and humidity: Particularly for bathrooms that don’t have proper ventilation (windows, fans), hot showers and baths can lead to mold and mildew.
Lots of little things: Toiletries and makeup products can make organization difficult.
Electrical bathroom tools: Electric toothbrushes, razors, and hairdryers can be a challenge to store and/or charge.
Here, 10 things to consider when figuring out what to put where in the bathroom.
1. Closed storage works best in a small bath.
We love open shelving in the kitchen, but in the bathroom? Not as much. That’s not to say it’s impossible to pull off an organized bathroom with open shelving, but having doors and drawers to hide the bits and bobs and the unattractive necessities of your get-ready routine can be a godsend.
2. Concealed isn’t the same as organized.
An addendum to the first tip: Closed storage is great—as long as you don’t use it as license to clutter it up. Take time to create another layer of organization via baskets, bins, buckets, and bags. For more ideas on how to rein in the mess in the cabinet under the sink, see 5 Tips for Under-the-Sink Organization.
3. Towel warmers are actually not meant for warming towels.
Here’s a clue: Towel warmers are also known as heated towel rails, heated towel bars, and drying racks, as bathroom storage rack. Yes, they will heat up towels so that you can enjoy a warm one post-shower, but what these products are really meant for is drying your towels. So, though a towel warmer may seem like an unnecessary luxury, it actually has a very utilitarian purpose. See Remodeling 101: Towel Warmers for a primer.
4. Rods dry towels better than hooks.
I will always advocate for using hooks in a kid’s bathroom; little ones are much more likely to hang up towels on a hook, like a no damage wall hanging than to drape them neatly over a towel rod. That said, if your bathroom is windowless, go for towel bars. They will dry your towels faster than hooks.