Posted on: November 13, 2008

13 ideas that will FREE your bathroom today

Eliminate clutter, maximize shelf space and don't forget the walls. There's a lot to learn about redefining your bathroom

By Michelle Taute
CTW Features

You're running late for work, and you just need one more thing out of the bathroom drawer. Unfortunately, you can't seem to put your hand on those vitamins - or maybe it's the deodorant, hair gel or your favorite lipstick. There's just too much stuff crammed in every available nook, cranny and shelf. All those bottles of creams and pretty packages keep following you home from the store, but you're running out of places to put them.

It's time to tackle bathroom clutter once and for all. Whether you're full-scale remodeling or you only have a spare $20, we tapped design experts to help you find storage space you didn't even know existed. Try this baker's dozen of ideas for creating a simple, stress-free bathroom experience.

1) Achieve a quick victory.

Get your hands on a few stainless steel baskets to corral all the bottles lurking in your shower. "I don't mean shower caddies," says Debbie Wiener, principal designer of Designing Solutions in Silver Spring, Md. She prefers metal accessories that permanently screw into the tiles. These may require a handyman, but you'll buy yourself a de-cluttered shower and make it easier to clean - no picking up bottles first.

2) Maximize extra floor space with style.

"I've brought in furniture pieces and used them for storage," says Lisa Ball, Design by Lisa, St. Louis Park, Minn. Add a small armoire or chest of drawers to hide towels and toiletries. Or squeeze a low, narrow bookshelf against the wall and line the shelves with baskets. Wiener even suggests a small ottoman with storage inside that you can sit on while giving the kids a bath.

3) Conquer the make-up monster.

"Go through everything and look for expiration dates," says Geeta Kewalramani, owner of Kimaya Designs in Milton, Ontario. "Keep only the things you need." If you're still stuck, Wiener suggests a vanity table outside the bathroom. The bedroom makes a good spot and might put you closer to a phone and iPod dock while you're primping.

4) Invade the walls for additional storage.

"I'm always looking for space between the studs," Wiener says. A recessed medicine cabinet, especially a custom-made one, can buy you room for vitamins and prescriptions. Or you can hire someone to build recessed shelves into the walls or even into the shower tiles. "You have to weigh the cost versus the price that space means to you," she says.

5) Take inspiration from the kitchen.

"There are a lot of inserts you can get into cabinetry now," says Sharon Hopkins, owner of DesignPro in Lafayette, Calif.

"In a lot of the bathrooms I do, I look at kitchen inserts." It turns out that standard pull-out shelving meant for spices and baking supplies work just as well for toiletries.

6) Make the most of the space above the

toilet.

You might opt for glass shelves, metal shelves or an off-the-shelf medicine cabinet. But Pam Monaco, president and principal designer of Whole House Cabinetry in Glenmoore, Penn., says you'll get the most inches for your efforts with a custom-made cabinet. It can take advantage of all the available space, perhaps spanning wall-to-wall in an alcove and up to the ceiling.

7) Embrace a longer, curvier counter.

If your vanity is next to the toilet, you can extend the countertop over the top of the tank. Kewalramani says it's a smart and easy way to gain a little extra space in small bathrooms; the continuous piece of countertop simply curves in and becomes narrower over the toilet. Then you can top it with baskets, jars or small shelves to hide your must-haves.

8.) Install pocket doors.

"Even though the door doesn't sit on the floor, it takes up space," Wiener says. Taking the door swing out of the equation gives you more places to put furniture or shelves, and it's a great move for aging in place. If you need a wheelchair or walker in your golden years, you'll have fewer obstacles to contend with as you move in and out of the space.

9) Re-create a

skinny linen closet.

If you're lucky enough to have a closet in the bathroom, it's probably so narrow and deep that things disappear in the back for years at a time. Monaco recommends shortening those black-hole shelves and adding a hanging storage unit to the back of the door. The latter gives you an easy-to-grab, easy-to-see spot for everyday essentials.

10) Work without a closest.

No closet? And no wall space to spare? Look for innovative towel hooks and bars that fasten into your door hinges and create extra spots to hang clothes or wet towels.

11) Choose function over style.

If you're remodeling, pick out your new vanity with storage in mind. "Drawers are key," Wiener says. They make it easier to keep goods organized than one under-the-sink space. Her other hot tip: Place your sink slightly off center. You can buy

room for drawers on one side and gain uninterrupted counter space.

12) Don't be afraid to go up.

Hopkins typically makes bathroom counters 36-inches high instead of the standard 30-inches to buy space underneath. (Just save this trick for adults-only bathrooms.) She also recommends tall storage cabinets that stretch all the way up to the ceiling, or cabinets that sit on the counter between the sinks.

13) Hide and don't go seek.

If you're springing for a new vanity, look for thoughtful options to make every morning easier. Monaco has put an electrical outlet, for instance, behind drawers for hair dryers and curling irons. "It's always plugged in," she says. "And it keeps the cords out of the way."

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