Not Traditional Shelves: An Easier Way To Store Bathroom Towels & Toilet Paper

Does it feel like you're constantly searching for spots for all of your bathroom essentials? There never seems to be enough space for all those rolls of toilet paper, towels, and other essentials. Even if you tuck the surplus away in a storage area, you need a few extras right in the bathroom to avoid a really unpleasant situation. While there are plenty of stylish bathroom towel storage ideas and clever toilet paper options, many of them are complex, costly, and bulky. One simple and decorative option is to hang baskets on the bathroom wall for makeshift shelving.

Of course, you can ditch your ugly toilet paper holder and put a basket on the floor or a shelf, but that takes up valuable space. Mounting the baskets to the wall keeps your floors, counters, and shelves open and instead uses empty vertical space. Since you can position them anywhere, you have more flexibility for placement, whether you want the basket shelves within reach of the toilet or hanging decoratively from floor to ceiling. All you need to mount the basket is a nail or screw. You can also use Command hooks if you don't want to make holes in the wall.

When choosing baskets for this bathroom storage solution, look for ones with straight sides. You'll mount the basket with the bottom to the wall, so one of the sides will become the shelf surface where you place items. Traditional wicker or contemporary metal baskets work for this idea. Thrift stores and garage sales are ideal places to find inexpensive baskets for this purpose.

This solution might not work if you're looking for hidden toilet paper storage hacks, but it does make an attractive display that keeps toilet paper and towels easily accessible. Decide where you want the basket to hang, and choose where to place the screws, nails, or Command hooks. Secure two hangers for each basket to keep it steady — use a level to make sure they're even to help it sit level. To hang the basket, slide the hangers through the woven pieces with the bottom of the basket against the wall and the open side facing outward.

If you want to switch up the look, add accents to the baskets before hanging them. Attaching a wooden dowel an inch or so above the shelf surface keeps items from sliding off — that's handy if you're hanging it above the toilet. If the basket color doesn't match your bathroom decor, spray-paint it to reach the little nooks and grooves on the wicker. Choose metal spray paint for a wire basket. Other accents, like ribbons and bows, also work to dress up your wall baskets. You can also place small decor pieces on them, among the items you choose to store.

Once your baskets are secure, stack rolls of toilet paper or folded towels in them. If you can find a basket with a swiveling handle, hang it on the wall with the handle positioned downward. The handle can become a towel hanger for the hand towel you're currently using, and the basket shelf above can hold more towels.