It’s nice to flip through the pages of the fancy home décor magazines and look at pictures of fabulous bathrooms outfitted with every amenity under the sun but for many people the family bathroom just needs to be clean, safe and functional, with sinks that drain properly and plenty of places to hang towels and clothing. Ideally you would like to have one towel hook or rack for each family member but sometimes that just isn’t possible; the good news is there are plenty of creative solutions that can help to make even the most cramped of family bathrooms more functional.
Take a look at your bathroom and see what underutilized space you may have available – is there enough room to accommodate an over-the-door shelf or towel bar system; perhaps the area above the commode can be used for either a wall mounted shelf or a freestanding towel bar, storage and shelf combination. Even the space above the bathroom door is fair game – it can be used to store extra towels or supplies by simply installing a shelf.
Bath toys can take up a lot of floor space; one option is to store them all in a plastic laundry basket which can be placed in the bathtub when not in use; another option is to get a suction cup wall-mount hammock or scoop which can be placed in the bath or shower enclosure. If toiletry storage is an issue each family member can be given a shower caddy so they can tote their grooming aids to and from the bathroom; this helps to reduce clutter and keep the vanity top clear.
A wall mounted soap, shampoo and conditioner dispenser placed in the shower or tub enclosure is a good way to both control usage and reduce clutter.