Maximize Your Bathroom Storage Space

It's a maxim of the remodeling industry: the older the room the less available room. Old rooms, by nature, accumulate things: furniture, yes, but also knickknacks and odds and ends. If you’re not careful, clutter and disorder can overwhelm even your most spacious rooms. This maxim seems especially true for old bathrooms, those repositories of toiletries, towels, and expired prescriptions.

We wrote before, a beautiful kitchen is a clutter-free kitchen. Well, the same is true for your bathroom. This is why we so often emphasize storage space in our bathroom designs. No matter the size of your space, if you do not account for adequate storage space, your bathroom will quickly feel cluttered and crowded.

If you're planning a bathroom remodeling project, think storage first! Below we share some of our favorite ideas for maximizing storage space—and minimizing clutter.

 In this MKBD project, the double sink vanity includes a cabinet that reaches to the ceiling, taking advantage of vertical wall space.

Build Up: Use Your Vertical Space

Remember, your bathroom walls can house much more than mirrors. Taking advantage of your vertical space is one of the best ways to maximize storage. Many homeowners choose to install high cabinets (like the gorgeous white cabinets above). Or more, simply, many homeowners choose to install shelves above the toilet or bathtub.

In this inventive design, a simple white shelf offers a stylish and practical space solution. [Source]

Add Deep, Sturdy Wall Cabinets

As we infer above, the utility of bathroom walls are neglected in far too many bathroom designs. Most bathroom designs merely place a mirror or two on the walls, leaving a great deal of space unused.

Why not install a cabinet or two?

Of course, you're likely familiar with the medicine cabinet--a not-too-deep box (usually located behind a mirror) that houses toiletries and other bathroom essentials. But we're talking about something different--deep, sturdy cabinets, like those found in kitchens.

No longer strictly the purview of the kitchen, deep, sturdy cabinets grace the walls of many well-organized bathrooms. Deeper cabinets occupy more space, of course, yet in most bathrooms they can be installed in a seamless way that is not too obtrusive. And imagine what you could do with that extra space--often four times as much as the typical medicine cabinet!

Choose a cabinet material that can withstand moisture, and don't be forget to accessorize: just like your medicine cabinet, a deeper cabinet can also house a mirror or towel bars (like the cabinet above).

In this MKBD project, we maximized space with a deep wall cabinet.

Maximize Your Vanity Storage

The bathroom vanity will likely provide the bulk of your storage space, so you want to make sure your maximize its efficiency. Think plentiful drawers (if possible) for big families. Think niches to store toiletries.

If you're lucky enough to have some extra room, a large vanity with deep drawers might accommodate all of your storage needs. For a smaller space, think a mixture of drawers and open spaces with baskets for organizing.

In this MKBD project, we installed deep and plentiful vanity drawers to accommodate  a busy family's storage needs.

Build Down, Too

Like wall space, floor space is an often neglected ally in bathroom storage. Most bathroom designs waste precious floor space. Think simple solutions here. In smaller bathrooms, the space below the sink might offer a perfect spot for a storage rack. Take a look at your corners--some might present an opportunity to stack boxes to maximize vertical space.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!