I Used to Share One Tiny Bathroom With Two People – These Are The 4 Storage Mistakes I Learnt That I’ll Never Repeat Now I Live Alone
Learn from my missteps for a more functional design
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There's nothing like sharing one small bathroom between three people to teach you a lesson or two on how to get the storage situation right. And I've made plenty of mistakes during my communal living that I never want to repeat.
The truth is, a small bathroom is only as good as its storage – it's crucial to how well your scheme functions, but also how it looks. No one wants a cluttered, overfilled bathroom that looks the opposite of relaxing.
4 Small Bathroom Storage Mistakes to Avoid
It's easy to lose sight of the storage options that work best in a small bathroom, so it helps to learn from other people's mistakes to fix your own. Here's the faux pas I made, and that designers see all too often, and the best ways to fix them.
1. Not Having a Vanity
The vanity in this small bathroom is lifted off the floor to give the illusion of greater floor space – it's a great solution for adding closed storage without making the scheme feel smaller.
Floor space in my small bathroom was really limited, so we stuck to a pedestal sink instead of a larger bathroom vanity unit and let the medicine cabinet do all the heavy lifting. And honestly? It was perhaps the biggest small bathroom storage mistake we could have made.
'One common mistake in a small bathroom is choosing a basin on a frame rather than a vanity unit. Vanities provide essential storage under the basin, which is so much more practical in a small bathroom,' says interior designer Laura Stephens. 'Without adequate storage, bathrooms quickly become cluttered, making a small space feel even smaller and less functional.'
There are lots of ways to work around a small footprint and still make space for a vanity. One option is to opt for a shallower unit, like the Kamiaya Walnut Single Bathroom Vanity from Wayfair, which has a reduced depth of 17.7", freeing up walkway space.
You could opt for open storage beneath the sink, too. 'If you prefer something less solid, you can add a sink skirt around your basin and create shelves underneath, saving space without compromising style,' suggests Laura.
2. Using the Edge of the Bath as Shower Storage
In this small bathroom, a niche and window sill are used for additional storage that doesn't read as clutter.
Like many common bathroom designs, we didn't have any proper storage around the shower, which meant various product bottles were stacked around the perimeter or the alcove bath that often created a domino effect of falling bottles every time you tried to reach for something.
'Without proper storage, bathrooms quickly become cluttered. Bottles end up on shower floors, and temporary trolleys or baskets take up valuable space, making a small room feel even tighter and less calm,' says Sophie Pringle of Pringle & Pringle. 'Shower or bath niches are essential, particularly if there isn’t room for a ledge.'
If you are in the process of designing a small bathroom, making space for a niche or ledge in the shower is a great move to help create dedicated storage space. However, if you are looking for a solution in an existing scheme, some alternative options are much easier to implement.
For an affordable, renter-friendly solution, this Brass Over The Shower Storage from Target adds plenty of space to store shower products and hooks over your showerhead. I also love a bath caddy for shower storage that looks more intentional – McGee & Co's Pickens Rattan Bath Caddy is a personal favorite.
3. Relying On Cabinets Rather Than Drawers
The vanity in this small bathroom is all drawers, maximizing every inch of available storage space.
The most popular ways to add storage to a small bathroom are through cabinetry. Whether it's vanity cabinets or medicine cabinets, it's always some sort of cupboard with shelves inside. But I realized quite quickly that drawers are often more useful and space-friendly, yet something I lacked completely previously.
'In small bathrooms, a common storage mistake is relying on doors in vanity units rather than drawers. Doors need space to swing open, which can be tricky in a compact layout and often means someone has to crouch or step back to access items,' says Melissa Hutley, co-founder at Hutley & Humm.
'Drawers, on the other hand, are much more user-friendly and you can stay standing while reaching for toiletries, and everything is neatly organised within easy reach,' she explains.
A bathroom vanity with drawers is the best option to maximize storage in a small space, and for an elevated look, Anthropologie's Spindle Single Bathroom Vanity is a timeless choice. For additional storage options, consider adding something like this Bamboo Rolling Organizer from Wayfair.
4. Not Utilizing Empty Nooks
The bathroom countertop has been continued across the top of the toilet here, maximizing usable surface space and creating a more intentional look.
Even small bathrooms have awkward nooks that can be utilized, especially above the toilet. My biggest error was not using this area better – it was relatively tall, so it would have been perfect for some shelving or even a cabinet. And it's a small bathroom storage mistake designers see all too often.
'One of the most common mistakes is not providing enough storage above the toilet. These areas are often overlooked but can be incredibly useful in a compact bathroom,' says Carina Raymond, founder of Studio Raymond.
'The alcove above is a fantastic opportunity to install closed shelving – perfect for storing extra toilet roll, products, and other essentials out of sight,' she adds. Something as simple as adding a shelf, like this Glass Shelf with Gallery Rail from Rejuvenation, doubles the storage space above your toilet without getting in the way.
If you have the space, you can also find taller storage units that sit above the toilet and create so much space for essentials, whether it's toilet rolls, towels, cleaning supplies, or overflow products. IKEA's FRÖSJÖN Over-the-Toilet Shelf is a great, affordable option, or consider Anthropologie's Fern Wood Arch Wall Cabinet for a chicer look.
Sometimes we become so focused on the small proportions of our bathrooms that we lose sight of the opportunities for new storage solutions. My key takeaway from sharing a small bathroom is to look at the awkward corners and untapped zones to see how they can work harder.
