It seems to be the time of year when we have to chat about decluttering. Everyone is clearing out their drawers, loading up the bin bags and on a mission to become more streamlined. My area to tackle; the bathroom.

I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know my bathroom saga is almost over. We’ve come up against pretty much every problem possible when putting this room back together but now I’m on to the good bit. Oh hello finishing touches.

The previous bathroom didn’t have any storage to speak of as such. We’ve kept the layout of the new bathroom the same so these ‘before’ snaps give you an idea of the floorplan. If you look back at the before snap you’ll see a wicker basket next to the sink which I used to store my make-up in and everyday toiletries. The new bath is longer yet slimmer than the old one and the new toilet is a similar size to the old so their footprint is almost identical. The new basin though, is considerably bigger so space is at even more of a premium than before.

So how much storage do I actually need in the bathroom? Turns out a lot less than I originally thought, which is handy.

How Many Bottles?

Last night I went through all my toiletries. Marie Kondo would be proud because gone are the days when I’d work through a basket a night. I got EVERYTHING out; all the lotions & potions. I discarded, decanted and recycled leaving me with a much smaller collection. (There’s a post I wrote three years ago on decluttering beauty products if you want to take a peek).

We have a shower room across the landing which has a good sized storage unit so the not-so-essentials are stored in there. Yes I realise it’s not particularly handy to say my greatest storage tip is to have another bathroom to store all the crap but I’ve farmed out items to other sensible locations too. All the medical supplies are now under the bed and my hair paraphernalia is far more useful in the spare room with my hairdryer. Voilà, a slimmed down collection of products in far more practical homes.

How Much Space?

When we first moved house I had a notebook with dimensions of various room, nooks and crannies so that I didn’t get carried away and splash out on a mega piece of furniture to fit in a mini place. Somehow I completely forgot my own tip and originally planned to get a metal wall cupboard which I’ve since realised would look utterly ridiculous in the space as it was humongous.
I am so glad said wall unit was permanently out of stock therefore forcing me to keep an empty wall until the suite was in place. In turn I realised I was working with a much smaller space than I anticipated. Always measure ahead, and take account of depth as well as height and width because it can catch you out. The one below from Rebecca’s Minimalist Home Tour would have been a far better fit.


Small Bathroom Cabinet

Wish List

It’s hardly rocket science but once I’d got all the toiletries together I realised I needed far less storage than I originally thought, so given my new steamlined collection I’ve decided I need:

  • Functional yet attractive basket for make-up and skincare products to store next to the sink. This has to have some form of lid on it as I want to be able to clear away the clutter.
  • Smallish shelving (again functional yet attractive) to hang on the wall over the bath to display fancy bath supplies, obligatory designer candle and a very necessary flower stem or two. No one needs to see my three-for-two boots shampoo but it’s nice to flash the Cowshed.
  • Stylish shower caddy. As the shower is neatly hidden away in the corner I was hoping I could get a bit creative with the storage in here and store a few more bottles.
  • Bath caddy. For no other purpose other than to look nice and to hold a glass of vino when I’m relaxing in the bubbles.

The Short List

For the basket, I found one in HomeSense that ticks my boxes. Ali Baba style so on-trend, with a lid to hide the clutter and the right size to be able to get my hand in and store things neatly. Plus it was only 20 quid as I’ve seen ones for three or four times that amount! You can see a pic of it over on my Insta.

Bath Caddy
I’ve just bought this one from Amazon as it’s one of the few I could find where the full length was utilised. I’m not sure why I want the full length, maybe to hold another glass of wine?! A few more below which might take your fancy.

  • Woodluv Luxury Bamboo Bath Bridge
    Woodluv Luxury Bamboo Bath Bridge
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  • Dunelm White Pine Bath Rack
    Dunelm White Pine Bath Rack
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  • Ko Pi Pi Bath Tray
    Wayfair Ko Pi Pi Bath Tray
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  • The White Company Bath Tidy
    The White Company Bath Tidy
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Attractive shelving unit
I’ve not got much room here. I’m thinking a max of 60cm otherwise it’s going to be too overpowering. I love a picture ledge or two and was contemplating making my own after we knocked up a few in our hall. However I’ve notice House Doctor do a white metal version of the brass one I used in my dressing room which could also work although I’d much prefer a chrome version.
Charlotte has put me on these handy waterproof boxes from John Lewis which are the perfect size for their shelves. However the shelves seem to have disappeared from their website so that’s put an end to that. Nice box though.
On the subject of shelfies, I was wondering if something like this cheeky above-the-door shelf would be a good idea would be a good one for storing towels?

  • House by John Lewis Bathroom Storage Box
    House by John Lewis Bathroom Storage Box
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  • https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4746&awinaffid=195689&clickref=&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coxandcox.co.uk%2Fwire-shelf-rack-with-hooks
    Cox and Cox Wire Shelf Rack with Hooks
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  • House Doctor White Ledge
    House Doctor White Ledge
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  • Cox and Cox Industrial Shelf With Hooks
    Cox and Cox Industrial Shelf With Hooks
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Shower storage
As much as I love the pinterest-worthy recessed shower shelving and cubbies, there was no way I was going to give up valuable space to account for a cavity. However, where the devil can one find metal shower shelving that doesn’t rust and is practical and stylish? Answers on a postcard (or in the comments please).

Anyone else underestimated the amount of storage they need? How are you storing your bathroom products and do you have any ingenious solutions for your lotions and potions?