24 Storage Ideas for a Very Small Bathroom

Any small bathroom design should start with a good declutter, and by moving any items that you don’t need to access on a daily basis off site to a closet or other out-of-sight storage area. But there are plenty of clever and good looking small bathroom storage solutions that will make your small bathroom look and feel larger than it is.

Whether you’re decorating a small apartment bathroom or powder room, here are some ideas to help make your small bathroom functional, stylish, and zen.

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Maximize Vertical Space

Design by Space Factory / Photo by Hervé Goluza

In a small space, running cabinetry all the way to the ceiling creates the impression that the space is larger than its footprint. In this Paris bathroom from Space Factory, slim custom-built wood shelving touches the ceiling to maximize vertical space and provide open storage for everyday essentials.

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Use Retro Pegboards

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Reid Rolls

Adding storage to a small, unusually shaped room is both a challenge and a decorating opportunity. In this country cottage bathroom from Leanne Ford Interiors, the walls flanking the sink are lined with wooden pegboards that don't encroach on the space in the way that shelving would and create a timeless look.

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Make It Disappear

Fantastic Frank

In this small bathroom from Fantastic Frank, a tall clean-lined white storage cabinet without visible hardware provides ample and easily accessible storage while fading into the background, allowing other decor to take center stage.

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Hang Open Wall Shelves

Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Christy Q. Photo

Adding storage to a very small bathroom can be as simple as adding a floating shelf to house those bathroom-related items that you enjoy looking at and having on display. In this small bathroom from Cathie Hong Interiors, a pair of modern black floating shelves with a narrow profile match the plumbing fixtures and create a polished look.

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Utilize Every Inch of Space

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

When adding a vanity to a small bathroom, sometimes bigger is better. If you have a narrow space to house the sink, ensuring that your vanity runs from wall to wall will maximize storage and make the room look custom built, like this blue-and-white bathroom from Chango & Co..

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Float the Vanity

Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Christy Q. Photo

In a small bathroom with a limited footprint like this one from Cathie Hong Interiors, a floating vanity can create the impression that there is more space and allow light to flow.

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Add Adjustable Shelving

Most Lovely Things

Blogger Annie Diamond from Most Lovely Things added a DIY plywood pegboard shelf high on the wall of a small bathroom which she chose to decorate with plants. But you could take advantage of vertical space in your small bathroom to add a pegboard wall with adjustable shelves to store bath supplies, towels, toilet paper, or anything else that needs organizing.

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Hide Clutter With a Curtain

Lobster and Swan

To create more storage beneath a freestanding sink or a vanity without built-in cabinetry, add a simple curtain to hide clutter, like this small bathroom from Lobster and Swan. A linen curtain in a light neutral shade hung beneath a reclaimed wood countertop topped with a modern square sink makes this classic move feel timeless rather than old-fashioned.

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Lean a Decorative Ladder Against the Wall

Design by Mindy Gayer Design Co.

In this narrow bathroom from Mindy Gayer Design Co., a painted white decorative ladder provides towel storage and looks good empty. Using lightweight Turkish or honeycomb weave towels will also take up less visual space and make the space feel fresh and modern.

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Use Decorative Baskets

Design by Raili CA Design / Photo by Karyn Millet

Never underestimate the power of a decorative basket. In this small bathroom from Raili CA Design, decorative baskets on a low shelf can be used to house supplies or serve as a clothes hamper, and add some warm natural tones to the room's industrial black and gray palette. You can also place stylish flat-bottomed baskets directly on the floor to store toilet paper or other items.

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Repurpose Vintage Pieces

Design by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Tramp-Ligorria

A small vintage rattan bar cart is repurposed as a rolling storage unit for towels and bathroom supplies in this light and bright bathroom from Emily Henderson Design.

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Paint Everything White

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Reid Rolls

Using repurposed vintage decor items is a great way to add storage to a small bathroom. In this small bathroom from Leanne Ford Interiors, a white floating shelf creates space above the sink for towel storage and a vintage painted white mirror with a tiny built-in shelf creates a seamless wall of white storage. Black accents on the plumbing hardware, toilet seat, and striped penny tile mosaic floor add contrast.

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Work Your Window Ledges

Design by Emily Bowser for Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Many people use a bathroom window ledge to store things that won't fit in the cabinets. This bathroom designed by Emily Bowser for Emily Henderson Design takes things a step further, turning the window into an open-faced cabinet with the addition of shelves. Using amber or other colored glass jars will add a decorative element, especially when the sun shines through.

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Incorporate Stealth Storage

Design by Caroline AndrÃ©oni Interior Design Studio / Photo by Laura Jacques

Adding a suspended toilet is a simple way to modernize a small bathroom while reducing visual clutter since the hardware is hidden away in the wall. Paris-based Caroline Andréoni Interior Design Studio took advantage of the space above the toilet to build in seamless cabinetry running all the way up to the ceiling that provides a place to store toilet paper and cleaning supplies, keeping the focus on the bold wallpaper and floor tiles.

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Find Your Niche

Design and Photo by Malcolm Simmons for Emily Henderson Design

Built-in niches are a very small bathroom's best friend. Use existing niches if you're renting, and look for places to incorporate niches if you're remodeling. And be sure to style them handsomely like Malcolm Simmons, who designed this small bathroom for Emily Henderson Design.

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Use a Curved Corner Cabinet

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

If your bathroom has a tight fit, consider installing a corner-shaped vanity that will allow flow and create a focal point, like this Victorian style powder room from Chango & Co. While custom cabinetry can be expensive, you can also source inexpensive vintage or corner cabinets online or at your local thrift store, flea market, or antique mall that can be repainted and repurposed.

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Install Glass Shelving

Ursula Carmona for Home Made By Carmona

In this small powder room, blogger Ursula Carmona from Home Made By Carmona installed a transparent glass shelf held up with brass-toned brackets that houses decorative items while maintaining a light and airy feel.

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Add a Slatted Shelf

Design by Desiree Burns Interiors

In this small bathroom from Desiree Burns Interiors, the lower half of the vanity has a slatted open shelf that gives it a sense of lightness while providing space to stash towels or other items. Adding baskets to an open shelf will conceal clutter if you want a more streamlined look.

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Use a Mirrored Storage Cabinet

Design by Becca Interiors

In this small bathroom from Becca Interiors, a classic mirrored medicine cabinet with contemporary black edging hides clutter and complements a vintage-style wall-mounted sink, freeing up wall space for a pair of wall-mounted planters.

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Choose Multipurpose Pieces

Design by Michelle Berwick Design

If your storage needs are minimal, consider skipping the mirrored medicine cabinet and adding a stylish mirror with built-in storage in the form of a display shelf instead, like this small bathroom from Michelle Berwick Design.

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Corral Clutter With a Decorative Tray

Home Made By Carmona

There comes a point in the life of every small bathroom dweller when the storage options have been exhausted and it becomes tempting to simply stack up products and everyday supplies on the vanity counter. Blogger Ursula Carmona from Home Made By Carmona added a decorative tray with a high rim on the sink vanity that can house spillover and decorative items with style.

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Choose Built-In Towel Storage

Design by Brexton Cole Interiors

In this small powder room from Brexton Cole Interiors, a retro-style sink with a slim bronze-toned base includes a built-in towel rack mounted to the side that's convenient and reduces the visual clutter of a hand towel hanging on the wall. If you've got a modern vanity, you can mount a small towel hook to the side instead.

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Optimize Unused Surfaces

Casa Watkins Living

In this kids bathroom from Casa Watkins Living, a lightweight wire basket on the toilet shelf is a convenient place to store extra towels.

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Install a Decorative Shelf

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Max Kim-bee ï»¿

Adding storage in a very small bathroom can be as simple as adding a decorative shelf that's there when you need it and looks pretty when you don't. A dark wood shelf with metal brackets is mounted above the vintage-style sink to fit the industrial farmhouse feel of this bathroom from Leanne Ford Interiors.