Organize Your Bathroom Like a Designer

When you have a small bathroom layout, it can be challenging to keep things neat, clean and organized – but it’s far from impossible. Whether you’re looking for small bathroom remodel ideas or just want some bathroom decor inspiration to bring more organization to a compact space, these designer-approved small bathroom ideas can help you find smart (and stylish) ways to store your toiletries, towels and other bathroom essentials.

floating vanity with grey towels on shelves and two baskets below in small white bathroom

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Floating Functionality

Bathroom vanities can be beautiful

, but – especially in a small bathroom layout – they can also unlock easier organization. In a small bathroom remodel, choose a vanity that’s designed with a mix of cabinets (so you can store bathroom items out of sight) and open shelves (to keep items like towels on display and within reach, but still tidy). This floating vanity used by Mike Holmes and Mike Holmes Jr. on Holmes and Holmes is a perfect example of using a multi-functional vanity to keep a small space organized. The addition of stylish baskets underneath maximizes the room’s storage potential, while adding a pop of decor.

elegant marble bathroom with floating vanity and basket with towels underneath

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Basket Case

Baskets can serve as chic storage solutions in a small bathroom design. Floating vanities can make a small bathroom feel and look larger by freeing up floor space, but it can cut back on storage options. An elegant wire basket maintains the spacious look, while still providing storage for spare towels. Keep the look cohesive by investing in towels that are all the same colour.

small bathroom with green tiles on wall and brown woven wall shelves

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Make Shelves Stylish

One of the biggest roadblocks to organization is a lack of storage. Adding a few shelves to keep bottles and jars off the counter goes a long way towards organization, but basic shelving can detract from the styled look of a space. Get the best of both worlds – as Scott McGillivray and his team did with this petite bathroom remodel on Scott’s Vacation House Rules – by adding in a few shelves that are decorative accents on their own. In this case, cane and wicker offer storage while weaving in a touch of texture and contrast.

white bathroom with white vanity and tall wood cabinet and patterned tile floor

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Pre-Fab Fabulous

Ample storage is the secret to a well-organized bathroom, but a custom vanity isn’t always in the budget for a small bathroom remodel. However – as this Property Brothers: Forever Home bathroom from Jonathan and Drew Scott shows – a pre-fab vanity can look just as great, and provide plenty of room to keep your bathroom items organized. Want to channel your inner Property Brother? Take this quiz to find out which brother you’re most like.

cozy small bathroom with ladder towel rack and wooden-look shower

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Step Things Up

No spot to store towels? Try this small bathroom idea from Scott McGillivray and the Scott’s Vacation House Rules team: use a towel ladder. A towel ladder lets you store several towels – stylishly – without taking up much real estate in a small bathroom or powder room.

white bathroom with shower stall finished with a patterned-tile shower niche shelf

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Find Your Niche

It’s not realistic to tote your shampoo, conditioner and soap in and out of the vanity every day, but you also don’t want to be knocking them on the ground of a tiny shower stall. While a hanging shower organizer can help keep things organized, it’s not the most stylish solution. If you’re looking at small bathroom designs for a remodel, think like Samatha Pynn and Sebastian Clovis did with this elegant Save My Reno bathroom and install a built-in shower niche. In this case, it adds a pop of pattern – as well as a place to keep essentials organized and accessible.

modern white bathroom with round mirror and grey vanity and grey hanging cabinet

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Match Point

In a compact bathroom, it makes sense to think vertical and add storage solutions to the wall – but hanging storage over the toilet can be tricky when you’re going for a designer look. One solution? Match your bathroom wall cabinets to your vanity for a cohesive look and feel. For bonus points, choose both in a Pantone-of-the-year shade of grey.

colourful powder room with floral wallpaper and blue-tiled backsplash and countertop

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Pattern Play

No space for storage in a petite powder room? Sometimes, a classic mirrored-door medicine cabinet is the best option for storing toiletries and beauty essentials – but that doesn’t mean your small bathroom design has to be boring. As Kortney and Dave Wilson demonstrated with this Family Home Overhaul powder room, a bold mix of patterned tile, floral wallpaper and intricate wainscotting creates a chic foundation for more basic functional small-space storage.

small bathroom with patterned-tile shower and small white sink with black mirror with shelf

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Mirror Matters

There’s something to be said for keeping it simple when it comes to a small bathroom design, but going too minimalist can lead to a lack of counter space and functionality. Small shelves and storage spaces in unexpected places – like attached to a bathroom mirror – can make a big difference when it comes to staying organized and giving you space to place key items (without tempting you to just stash everything in a drawer or cabinet).

modern white bathroom with sliding mirror over white vanity

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On the Move

Here’s a bright idea: what if you could organize your bathroom layout to double the function of your small bathroom space? Design your small bathroom with smart, multi-functional details to maximize the room, like Samantha Pynn and Sebastian Clovis did in this Save My Reno bathroom. By putting the vanity mirror on sliding hardware, homeowners can use the mirror when they need it, and let natural light stream in when they don’t. The result? One vanity gets multiple functions for an effortlessly stylish, orderly bathroom space.