Are you struggling with little to no storage in your small bathroom? Have you tried everything you could think of to find more space but you still end up right where you started? If this is you, then you’re in the right place.
I’ve had to use a small bathroom before and I know exactly how frustrating it is to have almost no storage or space to organize everything. I mean, there’s basically no space to put your towels, skincare products, hair tools, extra toilet paper, or even your everyday toiletries.
Then when you finally manage to clear off the counter, it only becomes cluttered again a day or two later. Or you spend time organizing that one little cabinet, but the moment you need something from the back, you must first pull half of everything out just to get to it.
Thankfully, with some solid bathroom organizing ideas, you can find ways to make the best use of your small bathroom without squeezing as much stuff as possible into every available inch of space and then pulling it all out again every morning when you need to grab something.
These small bathroom organization ideas will do instead is help you make your small space easier to use by helping you store, find, and put things away in a way that makes sense. Once you’re done reading this, you’ll find ways to ease your everyday small bathroom struggle with these 15 small bathroom organization ideas that will help you make better use of the space you have without turning the entire room into one giant storage closet.
15 Small Bathroom Organization Ideas You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner
1. Stop Trying to Store Everything in Your Bathroom
I know this sounds like a strange first tip for a small bathroom organization article, but hear me out. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when organizing a tiny bathroom is assuming that everything bathroom-related needs to be stored there. It just may be that your bathroom is just too small to house your extra towels, unopened shampoo bottles, backup toothpaste, bulk toilet paper, and the skincare products you’re not currently using and that don’t necessarily need to take up space in your bathroom in the short term.
You can clear up some space by storing these in your bedroom closet, hallway cupboard, or even a small storage bin somewhere else in your home.
You’ll be able to manage the space in your small bathroom so much better if you only keep what you’re currently using and a reasonable number of backups in the bathroom at any given time. Once you take some of the stuff out of your tiny bathroom, it’ll surprise you how much easier it is to organize the remaining space when you’re not trying to store 6 months’ worth of toileteries in your small bathroom.
2. Make the Space Above Your Toilet Actually Useful
Most bathrooms, small and large have an empty wall above the toilet. Since we’re talking about small bathroom organization ideas today, then leaving this space empty is overlooking one of the best storage spots in the entire room.
To make better use of this space, get yourself a couple of shallow floating shelves and install them above the toilet. Just like that, you’ve created extra storage to organize things like toilet paper, washcloths, and small baskets of toiletries without taking up any valuable floor space.
Note: I’d stay away from installing really deep shelves in a small bathroom for more storage. That makes sense in theory, but in a tiny bathroom, deep shelves will stick out too far and will make the room feel crowded. Plus, nobody wants to worry about hitting their head every time they use the toilet. It’s much better to keep these above the toilet shelves shallow, securely mounted and high enough that they don’t get in the way.
3. Use Pull-Out Organizers Under the Sink
If you happen to have a bathroom vanity—even if it’s really small—make sure you’re using the space underneath the sink in the best way possible.
If you’ve just been stacking bottles behind other bottles, or using storage bins that you constantly have to keep pulling out and digging through to find what you need, then you’re doing it wrong.
You should try using a narrow pull-out organizer that allows you to slide your products forward instead, as this makes for a storage system that actually works for small spaces.
Also, don’t just go out and buy the biggest two-tier organizer you can find. Make sure you measure around the plumbing first, since those pipes underneath the sink can sometimes take up quite a bit of space. You may find that using two smaller organizers that fit on either side of the cabinet is better than larger ones that does not fit.
If you're tired of having to empty half your bathroom cabinet just to find one thing, a two-tier pull-out organizer is worth looking into. I especially like the idea of using one with sliding drawers because you can actually reach the products at the back without knocking everything else over. Just make sure you measure around your sink pipes before ordering one.
4. Turn the Inside of Your Cabinet Door Into Storage
Besides utilizing under the sink more effectively. You can also start using inside the cabinet door to hold quite a bit without making your bathroom look any more cluttered.
You can do this by adding a few adhesive holders for hairbrushes, cleaning cloths, or smaller toiletries that usually end up loose under the sink. By the way, make sure to measure out properly so you choose organizers that are slim enough to let the cabinet close properly.
And, before sticking anything to the door, close it and check where the shelves, pipes,or bottles sit. Otherwise, you might end up with a clever-looking organizer that prevents the cabinet from closing.
5. Use a Narrow Rolling Cart If You Have a Real Gap
You’ve probably seen those slim rolling bathroom carts that fit between the toilet and sink. And they can be incredibly useful, but only if your bathroom actually has a suitable gap.
If you have a narrow space that’s currently doing absolutely nothing, a rolling cart can give you several levels of storage for toiletries, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. But don’t squeeze one into a spot where it blocks your cabinet doors or makes it difficult to clean around the toilet. You want a narrow rolling cart to make things easier for you, not to add another thing you have to move out of the way every day.
If you've got one of those awkward little gaps beside your toilet or vanity, a slim rolling storage cart could make that space so much more useful. Look for one with multiple tiers and wheels that let you pull it out easily, rather than having to reach into a narrow gap every time you need something.
6. Get Your Everyday Products Off the Sink
If you have a small bathroom, chances are you barely have any space on your bathroom sink, so stop trying to use this small space to storage or organize every day essentials. It’s a much better idea to use the wall space above and around your bathroom sink for these.
Think tiny bathroom organization ideas like having a multi-compartment wall mounted caddy for your hand soup dispensers, skincare products, mouthwash, toothbrush etc. Or, you can even try a handy floating shelf above the sink as pictured below.
These ideas can help you free up some much needed counter space. That way you can keep your daily essentials where they need to be —easily within reach—without making the small space look extremely cluttered.
7. Give Your Hair Tools Their Own Storage Spot
Another simple small bathroom organization hack that can help you organize a tiny bathroom is to find a dedicated hair tool holder that can house your hair dryers, straighteners, curling irons, and all their cords so they don’t end up taking a ridiculous amount of space in a drawer, under the sink or on the counter.
If you have a vanity, you might be able to mount one inside the cabinet. Otherwise, a suitable wall-mounted holder can work. Also, when you’re thinking of getting a hair tool holder, make sure it both has enough room for the tools and cords and that it is able to handle heat…very important.
8. Use the Back of Your Bathroom Door for Towels
Another great tiny bathroom organization idea is to use up the back of your bathroom door if you don’t have enough wall space.
This is quite easy to do with a simple over-the-door hook that can be used to hold your everyday towels and robes.
It’s easy, convenient, affordable and in my opinion much better than a bulky towel rack that will take up way more space in an already tiny bathroom.
9. Stop Using One Giant Basket for All Your Toiletries
It might seem like a good idea to throw all your toiletries into one big basket and call it organized, after all, it’s all contained. But if you have to dig through shampoo bottles, hair products, skincare products, and cleaning supplies every time you need something, that basket isn’t really helping.
Instead, divide your products into smaller categories based on how you use them. For example, keep your everyday skincare together, hair products in another container, and backups somewhere separate.
You don’t even need fancy matching baskets either. A few small containers that fit your actual cabinet or shelf space will do the job just fine.
10. Make Better Use of Your Shower Walls
If you have a small bathroom and you’re in need of some much needed tiny bathroom organization ideas, then your shower walls are another great place you can work with.
Grab a handy shower caddy—or two—that can securely hang over the shower-head or a a corner tension pole organizer for things like your shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and razors etc.
But before choosing one, think about how much room you actually have to move around in the shower and also make sure it’s rust proof.
A rust resistant shower caddy is one of the simplest ways to get shampoo bottles and other shower essentials off the floor. I'd look for one with good drainage and enough room for the products you actually use, rather than the biggest one you can find.
11. Use One Drawer for the Little Things That Always Go Missing
If your bathroom has even one small drawer, don’t waste it by letting everything roll around loosely inside. You can find a few shallow drawer dividers and use this space for tiny items like hair ties, bobby pins, tweezers, nail clippers, razors, and other small items that have a way of turning into a complete mess when they don’t have a designated space. Or they go missing.
And if you don’t have any drawers, you can use the same idea with a small divided container inside a cabinet or on a shelf. What’s important is making sure that those little items have one specific place to go instead of being scattered all over the bathroom.
12. Replace Your Regular Mirror With a Storage Mirror
If you’re able to make changes to your bathroom, replacing a regular mirror with a medicine cabinet is worth considering. That way, you get a mirror and extra storage without sacrificing more of your already limited floor space. After all, even a shallow medicine cabinet can hold quite a few everyday products, especially smaller items that would otherwise end up cluttering your sink.
Make sure you pay attention to the depth and the way the door opens since you don’t want to install something that makes it awkward to use the sink or interferes with nearby fixtures.
13. Add a Skinny Storage Cabinet Behind Your Bathroom Door
One of the most overlooked storage spots in a tiny bathroom is the narrow strip of wall behind the door when it’s open. And depending on your bathroom layout, you might have just enough room for a shallow wall-mounted cabinet that holds far more than you’d expect.
I’m talking about one of those slim cabinets that’s only a few inches deep, with several small shelves inside.
The best thing about this, is that it helps you to create actual enclosed storage without sacrificing valuable floor space and you can use it to store or organize your products, medicine, some toiletries, and so much more. Plus, it’s mostly out of sight which is a huge bonus.
If you have a little unused wall space behind your bathroom door, a skinny wall-mounted storage cabinet is a clever way to put it to work. You can use it to store extra toiletries, skincare products, and other small bathroom essentials without taking up valuable floor space. Just make sure it's shallow enough for your bathroom door to open fully.
If you want to try this out, make sure to measure the clearance carefully before buying anything. You want the door to open properly without hitting the cabinet, and you’ll need to make sure the cabinet is securely mounted.
The item I shared above is only one such idea. There are also the mirrored behind the door adjustable medicine cabinets that works here too.
Make use of the space behind your bathroom door with this slim mirrored storage cabinet. Adjustable shelves give you extra room for toiletries, skincare products, and everyday bathroom essentials without taking up valuable floor or counter space. A clever storage solution for small bathrooms with limited cabinet space.
14. Add a Slim Storage Shelf Above Your Bathroom Door
If your bathroom is tiny and you’re finding it hard to organize in a funcitional way, there’s one spot you might not have thought about using: the space directly above your bathroom door. But, it can be a great place to fit a narrow shelf so you can store some of your bathroom items and get your bathroom more organized without taking up any of your precious floor or counter space.
This is a particularly clever place to keep things you don’t need every day, like extra toilet paper, backup toiletries, or a couple of small baskets filled with bathroom essentials. And the best part is that you’re using space that would otherwise sit completely empty. Plus, it’s up high so it won’t get in your way when you’re moving around your bathroom.
Just make sure the shelf is securely installed, doesn’t interfere with the door, and isn’t used for anything too heavy or difficult to lift down safely.
15. Create a Small Everyday Essentials Zone
If you have a small bathroom, this is probably the organization idea you’ll want to focus on most.
Instead of trying to make every product equally accessible, choose one small area for the things you actually use every single day. The space you use can be something like a little shelf beside the mirror, one section of your medicine cabinet, or a small container under the sink where you keep your toothbrush, daily skincare, deodorant, and other every day essentials you’re always grabbing.
This tip alone will make having a small bathroom more functional, but only if you keep it simple and you’re not always adding items to that zone that then make it cluttered and difficult to use.
Small Bathroom Organization Rule
If I had to organize a tiny bathroom from scratch, especially one with barely any storage, I wouldn’t start by asking how many shelves, baskets, or organizers I could fit into the room.
This is the one question I’d ask instead: How can I make everything I use regularly easy to reach, easy to find, and easy to put back?
If you haven’t noticed yet, there’s a big difference between fitting more stuff into your tiny bathroom and actually making your bathroom easier to use every day.
You can install shelves on every wall, hang organizers behind every door, and squeeze a rolling cart into every available gap, but if the room becomes difficult to move around in, and you still can’t find what you need without pulling everything else out first, you haven’t really solved the problem.
So start with whatever is making your bathroom the most frustrating to use. That could be the cluttered sink, the overcrowded under sink cabinet, or the lack of a dedicated space for towels. Or it could be something else entirely. Whatever it is that makes your small bathroom harder to use, fix that first.
Then, if you still need more storage, add it where it actually makes sense from the list above.
You can make a small bathroom very functional with these easy small bathroom organization ideas if you focus on what makes your tiny bathroom easier to use, rather than what helps you squeeze the most stuff into it. Because there’s really no point in finding a way to store everything you can think of that needs to be in a bathroom, if you end up creating a chaos bomb every time you need to grab one thing from the back of a cabinet.
