Bathroom Storage Hacks: 15 Renter Friendly Ideas (The Coat Rack Trick Is Genius)

Bathroom storage hacks can turn the smallest, most crowded room in your home into a calm little spot you actually enjoy. If you rent, you know the struggle. There is never enough cabinet space, you cannot drill big holes, and the towels always seem to end up on the floor. The good news is that a few simple, low cost tricks can change everything in an afternoon. One idea that has been winning hearts online is putting a coat rack right beside the toilet, and once you see it, you will wonder why you never thought of it. Below are 15 easy ideas that use things like tension rods, spice racks and even a fruit basket. Most of them need no tools at all, and every one of them leaves your walls happy..

Bathroom Storage Hacks Start With a Coat Rack Beside the Toilet

This is the idea that made so many people smile. A popular MSN video showed a freestanding coat rack tucked beside the toilet, and viewers loved it. The hooks hold fresh towels, a robe and even a hanging basket for extra rolls. It takes up almost no floor space and needs no drilling, which makes it perfect for renters. A light wood rack also makes a plain bathroom feel warm and cozy. Ready to see what else can work this hard in your bathroom..

You will need: A slim freestanding coat rack, a small hanging basket, towels and an S hook or two.

How to make it: 1. Measure the space beside your toilet. 2. Set the coat rack where it will not block the door or any outlet. 3. Hang towels, a robe and a basket for spare rolls.

Tension Rod Under the Sink

The space under the sink is often a jumble of bottles and pipes. A simple tension rod fixes that in seconds. Fit it across the cabinet, high enough to clear the pipes, and hang spray bottles by their triggers. Suddenly the floor of the cabinet is free for bins and extra supplies. It costs only a few dollars and comes out without a mark when you move. Could one little rod really clear half your cabinet? Try it and see.

You will need: A small adjustable tension rod and a couple of plastic bins.

How to make it: 1. Empty the cabinet and measure the width inside. 2. Twist the tension rod until it fits snugly near the top. 3. Hang spray bottles on the rod and slide bins underneath.

Magnetic Strip Inside the Vanity Door

Tiny metal tools love to disappear in the bottom of a drawer. A slim magnetic strip on the inside of a vanity door keeps tweezers, nail clippers, bobby pins and small scissors in plain sight. Use a strip with an adhesive back so you do not need screws. Every time you open the door, everything is right there waiting for you. It is one of those small fixes that makes mornings feel easier. What would you stick on yours first?

You will need: A small adhesive magnetic strip, rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth.

How to make it: 1. Wipe the inside of the door with rubbing alcohol and let it dry. 2. Press the adhesive strip firmly in place and wait a few hours. 3. Add your metal tools and keep heavy items off it.

Over the Door Organizer for Hair Tools

Hair tools take up so much room on the counter. An over the door pocket organizer turns the back of the bathroom door into a tidy storage wall. Brushes, combs, clips and a cooled straightener with its cord wrapped can all live in their own pockets. Clear pockets let you see everything at a glance. Always let hot tools cool fully before putting them away, and keep cords far from the sink. Would your counter look twice as big with this?

You will need: A clear over the door pocket organizer and a few small hair ties for wrapping cords.

How to make it: 1. Hang the organizer over the top of the bathroom door. 2. Sort brushes, combs and clips into separate pockets. 3. Store hot tools only once they are completely cool.

Glass Jar Caddy on a Pretty Tray

Cotton balls, swabs and hair ties look so much nicer in clear glass jars. Group three or four jars on a small tray and you have a little station that feels like a spa. The tray keeps everything together and makes wiping the counter quick, because you lift one thing instead of ten. If you love jars as much as we do, mix sizes and heights for a pretty look. Which bits and bobs would you put in jars first?

You will need: Three or four small glass jars with lids, a small tray and the items you want to store.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the jars well. 2. Fill each jar with one type of item. 3. Group the jars on the tray and set it near the sink.

Floating Corner Shelves

Corners are often the most wasted spot in a small bathroom. A set of small floating corner shelves gives you room for plants, candles that run on batteries and extra soap without taking up any floor space. Many renters use shelves that attach with strong adhesive strips or tension poles that press between the floor and ceiling. Stack them up the wall for the most storage in the least space. Is there an empty corner in your bathroom right now?

You will need: Small corner shelves or a tension pole corner unit, a level and adhesive strips if your shelves allow them.

How to make it: 1. Pick a corner away from the shower spray. 2. Mount the shelves or set up the tension pole, checking it is level. 3. Add light items like plants, towels and soap.

Bathroom Storage Hacks for the Shower: Curtain Hooks and Baskets

Your shower curtain rod can hold more than the curtain. Add a few extra curtain hooks to the rod and hang small wire baskets from them. Now your loofah, shower brush and a couple of small bottles have a home that drains and dries. It is one of the easiest bathroom storage hacks because you only need hooks and baskets. Keep the baskets light so the rod stays put. Would this free up your tub ledge?

You will need: Extra shower curtain hooks, two or three small wire baskets and a few small bottles.

How to make it: 1. Slide extra hooks onto the rod at the inside end. 2. Hang a small wire basket from each hook. 3. Fill with light shower items and leave room for the curtain to move.

Spice Rack Nail Polish Shelf

A small spice rack is the perfect size for nail polish bottles. Hang it on the wall or stand it on a shelf and line the bottles up by color. It turns a messy pile into a little rainbow that looks like decor. Many spice racks are light enough to hang with removable hooks, so no drilling is needed. Your favorite shades are always easy to find, too. Will you sort yours by color or by season?

You will need: A small wooden or metal spice rack, removable wall hooks and your nail polish collection.

How to make it: 1. Clean the spice rack and let it dry. 2. Hang it with removable hooks at eye level. 3. Line up the bottles by color for a rainbow look.

Bathroom Storage Hacks on Wheels: A Rolling Cart Beside the Toilet

A slim rolling cart is a renter hero. It slides into the narrow gap beside the toilet or between the sink and the wall, and it holds toilet paper, cleaning cloths, hair products and more. When you need to clean, just roll it out of the way. The tiers keep things sorted, and a few small baskets on each level make it look neat. It also moves with you to your next home. Where would you park yours?

You will need: A slim three tier rolling cart, a few small baskets and labels if you like.

How to make it: 1. Measure the gap where the cart will live. 2. Put heavy items on the bottom shelf. 3. Use small baskets on each tier and roll it into place.

Leaning Ladder Towel Rack

A blanket ladder leaning against the wall makes a lovely towel rack. Each rung holds a towel, so everyone in the family gets their own spot and the towels actually dry. There is nothing to screw into the wall, which makes it great for renters. Choose a ladder with a flat back or rubber feet so it rests safely. A few fluffy towels in soft colors make the whole room feel like a hotel. Does your bathroom have room to lean one?

You will need: A wooden blanket ladder, rubber feet pads and a few towels.

How to make it: 1. Add rubber pads to the ladder feet. 2. Lean it against the wall at a gentle, steady angle. 3. Drape one towel over each rung.

Hanging Fruit Basket for Bath Toys

Bath toys can take over a whole tub. A tiered hanging fruit basket is a clever fix. Hang it near the tub and drop the toys in after bath time. The wire lets water drip out so toys dry faster, and little ones can help tidy up because it feels like a game. Hang it from a sturdy ceiling hook or a strong over the door hook, depending on what your space allows. Would your kids enjoy filling it up?

You will need: A tiered wire hanging fruit basket and a sturdy hook.

How to make it: 1. Pick a spot near the tub where it will not bump heads. 2. Hang the basket from a strong hook. 3. Toss in bath toys after each bath so they can drip dry.

Bathroom Storage Hacks Above the Door: A Hidden Shelf

The space above the bathroom door is almost always empty. A simple shelf up there is perfect for spare towels, extra toilet paper and things you only need now and then. Woven baskets keep it looking tidy from below. This is one of those bathroom storage hacks that guests rarely notice, but it frees up so much room in your cabinets. If you rent, ask your landlord first or use a shelf that rests on the door frame. What would you hide up there?

You will need: A narrow shelf with brackets, two or three small baskets and a step stool.

How to make it: 1. Measure the wall space above the door. 2. Mount the shelf securely with an adult helping on the step stool. 3. Fill baskets with spare towels and rolls.

Cutlery Tray Drawer Organizer

A kitchen cutlery tray works just as well in a bathroom drawer. The long slots hold toothpaste tubes and combs, while the small ones are perfect for hair ties, lip balm and little jars of cotton swabs. Bamboo trays look warm and pretty, but any tray will do. In five minutes, a messy drawer becomes neat and easy to keep that way. It is a simple trick with a big payoff. Which drawer in your home needs this most?

You will need: A cutlery tray that fits your drawer and a few small jars.

How to make it: 1. Empty the drawer and wipe it clean. 2. Fit the cutlery tray inside. 3. Sort items into the slots, keeping daily items in front.

Bathroom Storage Hacks for the Sink: A Wall Spot for Toothbrushes

Toothbrush cups take up counter space and collect water at the bottom. Moving toothbrushes to the wall keeps the counter clear and helps them dry. You can use adhesive wall cups or a small wall shelf like this one. Give each family member their own color so there are no mix ups. It is a quick change that makes the sink area look so much cleaner. If you like little fixes like this, you will love our list of ways to hide kitchen eyesores. Which color would you pick?

You will need: Adhesive wall cups or a small wall shelf or rail.

How to make it: 1. Clean the wall with rubbing alcohol. 2. Stick the cups or shelf at an easy height. 3. Give each person their own spot and rinse cups weekly.

Basket on Top of the Toilet Tank

The top of the toilet tank is a handy little shelf that often goes to waste. A low woven basket sitting there keeps spare toilet paper, a small plant or a reed diffuser neatly in one place. Choose a basket that sits flat and does not hang over the edges, so it never slides off. It adds warmth and texture to a white bathroom and costs only a few dollars. It is the final touch that makes a small bathroom feel finished. What would you tuck into yours?

You will need: A low woven basket that fits your tank lid, spare toilet paper rolls and a small plant or diffuser.

How to make it: 1. Measure the top of your toilet tank. 2. Pick a flat bottomed basket that fits inside those edges. 3. Fill it with rolls and one pretty item, keeping it light.