Where do the extra towels go when there’s no linen closet? These 19 DIY bathroom storage ideas answer that question, plus where to put the makeup, the cotton swabs and that drawer of hair tools. The trick in a small bathroom is to stop fighting for counter space and look up, over and under instead: the wall above the toilet, the back of the door, the inside of a cabinet and the dead corner by the shower. You’ll find weekend builds like a leaning ladder shelf and a wall mounted magazine rack, plus quick fixes such as a magnetic strip for tweezers and PVC pipe toothbrush holders that hide inside a cabinet door. Most use scrap wood, baskets or thrift store finds. Pick one problem spot, fix it this weekend and enjoy a clear counter by Monday!
1. DIY Industrial Pipe Shelves
DIY industrial pipe shelves give a bathroom open storage with a farmhouse edge, and they come together faster than most people expect. Each shelf is a stained board resting on black iron pipe and floor flanges from the plumbing aisle. Black pipe will rust over time if it’s left raw, so prime and paint it if you’d rather it stay dark and clean. Because the shelves get heavy once they’re loaded with towels and jars, locate the flanges carefully, keep everything level and use solid drywall anchors.
Get the full tutorial at The Crafty Blog Stalker.
2. Leaning Bathroom Ladder
A leaning bathroom ladder adds over the toilet storage without drilling a single hole in the wall, which makes it a smart pick for renters. The free plan uses two 2×3 rails cut at 10 degrees on both ends, with 1×10, 1×8 and 1×6 shelves that step down in depth as they rise. The deep bottom shelf fits a pair of baskets for toilet paper, while the upper shelves hold folded towels and toiletries. A single coat of Danish oil stains and seals the wood in about 15 minutes.
Get the full tutorial at Ana White.
3. Toilet Paper Holder Shelf And Bathroom Accessories
A toilet paper holder shelf turns a basic roll holder into a tiny landing spot for a phone, a small plant or air freshener. The shelf is a roughly 10 inch piece of 1×6 scrap wood, sanded and wiped with a quick drying stain and polyurethane. The holder screws to the underside with enough room for the roll to spin freely, and two corner brackets hold the shelf to the wall. Decorative brackets are worth it here, since plain ones show from some angles. Mount it within easy reach, not knee height.
Get the full tutorial at DIY Show Off.
4. DIY Wooden Tissue Box Cover
A DIY wooden tissue box cover hides loud cardboard prints behind clean, light birch. The pieces are cut from a 1/8 inch sheet of birch plywood to match the sides and top of a store bought box, then joined with super glue and clamps. A scroll saw cuts the round opening on top, sized to the box’s own slot. Finish with wood conditioner or polyurethane and simply slide it over a fresh box. With leftover tools on hand, each cover costs under $3, so a matching set for every room is easy.
Get the full tutorial at The Merrythought.
5. DIY Bathroom Cabinet
A DIY bathroom cabinet built from an antique window puts the wasted space above the toilet to work. The old window becomes the door, so the shelves inside stay visible through the wavy glass while keeping dust off spare toilet paper, washcloths and jars of cotton balls. The frame was built from rustic wood and painted with a chippy, aged finish to match the window. Hung on the wall, it frees up the counter completely. Keep an eye out at salvage shops and yard sales for a window with intact panes.
Get the full tutorial at Liz Marie Blog.
6. Basket Out of an Old Pot
An old metal pot from the thrift store becomes a sturdy storage basket with nothing more than 1/4 inch twisted sisal rope and a hot glue gun. Any size works, and a worn, dented pot is actually the better choice because its patina peeks out above the rope. Wrap the sisal around the outside in tight rows, gluing as you go, and add jute twine handles if you like. In a bathroom it holds rolled hand towels or washcloths, though it works just as well for makeup, plants or remotes.
Get the full tutorial at anderson + grant.
7. Make-up Magnet Board
A makeup magnet board turns a jumble of eye shadow compacts into a tidy display on the bathroom wall. A thrifted frame gets paint and glaze, then a hardware store sheet of metal is cut to fit inside and covered in fabric with spray adhesive. Dollar store magnets go on the back of every compact with hot glue, which peels off once the shadow is used up. A spray painted pill bottle with strong magnets holds brushes and liners. Every color is visible at a glance, so nothing gets buried again.
Get the full tutorial at Laura Thoughts.
8. Build an Over the Door Shelf
An over the door shelf claims the space nobody uses, right above the bathroom door frame. This one is a single 6 by 35 inch length of 3/4 inch plywood, cut to the width of the frame, with two small 3.5 by 6 inch side supports joined by pocket holes. It’s built for light items like spare toilet paper and extra towels, not heavy jars. Screw it into a stud, test the weight before loading it and keep anything unsafe for kids well out of reach.
Get the full tutorial at DIY Danielle.
9. Reuse Old Glass Jars for Bathroom Organization
Old glass food jars make charming bathroom storage once they’re cleaned up and given a decorative knob. Soak off the labels, run the jars through the dishwasher and leave smelly lids overnight in hot water with baking soda. Lightly sand each metal lid with 220 grit sandpaper so spray paint will grip, then paint it any color. A cabinet knob goes on top, either glued on with E6000 or bolted through the lid. Fill them with cotton balls, swabs and bath salts for a pretty, matching set.
Get the full tutorial at Refresh Living.
10. Simple Bins With Labels
Simple bins with labels can rescue a tiny bathroom where elbows touch the walls. In this rustic small bathroom remodel, the cabinet over the toilet came out and fence board shelves went up in its place, along with an over the tank stand. Bright aqua dollar store baskets with tags line the shelves, so every category has a home. A yard sale CD rack turned on its side became another shelf for $2. Repurposed wood and thrifted finds kept the whole bathroom remodel at around $2,000.
Get the full tutorial at Marty's Musings.
11. DIY Rolling Crate Storage
DIY rolling crate storage stacks ordinary wooden crates into a mobile organizer that fits beside a pedestal sink. Since crates come in standard sizes, the unit is easy to size to the space, whether that’s two stacked crates or a taller tower. Casters underneath let it roll out for cleaning, and the open sides hold folded towels, toilet paper, shampoo and soap without crowding the counter. A coat of stain makes the crates look like furniture. It’s a budget build that solves the no cabinet problem.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
12. Custom Corner Shelves
Custom corner shelves put an empty bathroom corner to work for decor, spare soap or a small plant. Each triangular shelf starts with a 1×3 front piece cut at 45 degrees on both ends, which then serves as the pattern for the rest of the frame. Paint or stain the top, bottom and trim first, mount the frame to both walls with anchors, then attach the top, bottom and front trim with finish nails. Stack several at even spacing for a floating look that holds more than it seems.
Get the full tutorial at House of Rose.
13. Wicker Window Boxes
Wicker window boxes turn a narrow nook beside the shower into deep, roomy bathroom storage. The boxes are sold as planters, so cut out the plastic liner first, then hang each one from a pair of decorative hooks screwed into the wall. They’re deep enough for rolled hand towels and spare toilet paper. Small metal number tags tied on with twine dress them up, though wooden cutouts with vinyl numbers or a chalkboard label work too. The whole project came in around $35 for three boxes.
Get the full tutorial at Our Fifth House.
14. Bathroom DIY Magazine Rack
A bathroom DIY magazine rack mounts flat to the wall, keeping reading material off the floor and the toilet tank. Leftover pine and birch scraps make the whole thing in an afternoon. Measure the height, mark it level, then nail the two side boards to the wall with 2 inch nails. A 1×3 forms the bottom and the ledge, and another board 7 inches down from the top sits slightly higher than the back so magazines can’t slide out. Paint it the wall color so it blends in.
Get the full tutorial at Four Generations One Roof.
15. Hanging Shelf And Basket Organizers
Hanging shelf and basket organizers fill the narrow wall beside a shower with storage that renters can live with. A short wood shelf above holds jars of cotton balls and swabs, while wire baskets hang below for towels. A shelf hung where there are no studs may sag, and this one did. The fix was eye bolts set in strong metal anchors, tied with twine to eye bolts on the shelf, which turned a weak spot into a pretty rustic detail.
Get the full tutorial at Spruce Your Nest.
16. DIY Mason Jar Holder
A DIY mason jar holder lines up jars on a painted board with hardware store pipe clamps, making a wall organizer for cotton balls, swabs and toothbrushes. This updated version uses a board painted with leftover gray chalk paint and mason jars from a farm supply store. The pipe clamps attach to the board first, which is the trickiest step, and each jar then tightens into its clamp. Hang the board with a regular picture hanger rated for the weight. It also works for flowers or kitchen utensils.
Get the full tutorial at Liz Marie Blog.
17. Create Extra Drawers Under The Sink
Creating extra drawers under the sink makes an awkward, plumbing filled cabinet hold about three times as much. Stackable modular drawers fit around the pipes, each one labeled for hair tools, curling irons or extras. A wire basket holds everyday products and lifts out onto the counter while getting ready. Small dollar store buckets sort the little essentials, and a slim wire rack hung with strong adhesive hooks on the inside of the door holds perfume and nail polish. Shallow drawer dividers tame makeup.
Get the full tutorial at Hi Sugarplum!.
18. DIY Magnetic Bathroom Rack
A DIY magnetic bathroom rack is a $9 magnetic knife strip from the kitchen aisle, mounted on the bathroom wall. It was meant for stray bobby pins, but it ended up holding nail clippers, scissors, a file, tweezers and a whole metal manicure set too. Everything stays in arm’s reach and off a counter that clutters fast. Use proper wall anchors for the screws, because a loaded strip will pull loose from drywall without them. A second strip works just as well in a shared bath.
Get the full tutorial at Darkroom and Dearly.
19. PVC Pipe Toothbrush Holders
PVC pipe toothbrush holders hang inside a cabinet door, which clears a tiny vanity and keeps brushes out of the trash can. Cut 1 inch PVC pipe to 4.25 inches for a child size holder or 5 inches for an adult, then drill a hole about half an inch from one end on the printed side. Wash the pipes, add end caps (no glue, so they can come apart for cleaning) and label each one with vinyl initials. Removable adhesive hooks inside the door hold them up.
Get the full tutorial at Crafting in the Rain.
