I am a big fan of Jen’s blog over at IHeartOrganizing, and in March she challenged us all to tackle linen and loo organizing projects. In my last post, I shared with you my new system for organizing the bathtub toys in our guest “loo” and now I want to share with you a couple of solutions for the lack of storage space in another bathroom.
Just off of Beckett’s nursery, and just down the hall from where his new “big boy” room will be, is a small bathroom. This bathroom doesn’t get a ton of use right now, but, as our kids get older, I know it will become much more of a high traffic area.
The only storage in the bathroom is the very small floating cabinet below the sink, and the majority of the cabinet is taken up by pipes. Someday I envision that we’ll install a new mirror that incorporates some form of storage for toothbrushes and the like, but for now, I want to keep the storage at a level that Beckett can actually reach. To make the most of the small cabinet, I decided I should be using the inside of the door. I looked at numerous options, and ultimately settled on the cute “Things Bin” from the Land of Nod.
I used four Command velcro strips to attach the bin to the door, which will make it easy to remove or reposition in the future.
Beckett already has a strong independent streak, and likes to be able to do things on his own. By installing the bin on the door right at his level, we can encourage this independence. Each night when we tell him it’s time to brush his teeth he toddles in to the bathroom, opens the cabinet and grabs out his toothbrush and toothpaste. A toddler who willingly brushes his teeth? Yes, please!
While this bin is helping us make the most of the tiny bathroom cabinet, and while Beckett doesn’t need much in the bathroom for now, we know there will come a day when the storage space in this cabinet won’t be sufficient. There is not enough floor space in this small bathroom to add any other kind of storage cabinet, and because there are two doors into the bathroom, there is no availble wall space except above the toilet. But then I thought – why does the bathroom storage have to be in the bathroom?
Just outside of the bathroom is a wide hallway area that was not serving any real function, and which had plenty of space for a piece of furniture that could house some additional bathroom storage. I found a great little painted cabinet on clearance at Pier 1 and couldn’t pass it up. It’s both cute and functional!
And best of all, the inside is painted teal – to die for!
The cabinet has an adjustable shelf inside, which will allow it to adapt to our changing needs as our kids grow up.
For now, this cabinet is housing extra towels, a bin of baby soaps and lotions, and our cute elephant humidifier.
Since the humidifer always tends to drip a little bit of water, I picked up two melamine trays from the Container Store to protect the bottom of the cabinet.
The moral of the story – bathroom storage does not have to be in the bathroom to be functional.
This cabinet, just outside of the bathroom, serves the dual purpose of providing additional bathroom storage that will be able to grow and adapt with our kids, and also provides some added style in what was previously an empty hallway.
Keep your eye out for a future blog post about the artwork above the cabinet and the remainder of the decor in this hall area.
