Nate Berkus' Storage Tip Will Make Your Small Bathroom Feel 10x More Organized

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Having done his time in a tiny New York City apartment back in the early days of his career, designer Nate Berkus knows a thing or two about making even the smallest of spaces feel both chic and usable. And he has the perfect storage tip that will make your small bathroom feel ten times more organized. The idea is that you must use all available space, including vertical options, to make the most of cramped spots. "There's this whole span of wall over the towel bar that's not being utilized," he told a client, while solving design crimes for Buzzfeed Nifty. "I would run two floating shelves, one on top of the other, all the way across, and have some baskets sitting on those shelves."

While the client already had a two-tiered open-face cabinet on the wall, Berkus was quick to point out just how much open space was still available in the rest of the room. The place above the towel bar is usually ignored. Using it is what really gives you that more organized feeling. Plus, shelving is the perfect bathroom storage idea to maximize space. By using open shelves, the items stored there are still available for quick use. However, they are also hidden from plain view inside the baskets. This way, there isn't visual clutter, either, which can make things feel very crowded. You can have as much as you want in those baskets, and no one will be able to tell. 

There are a few things to make sure this tip adds more organization and functionality to your bathroom, instead of taking it away. The first is all about placement. You don't want to crowd your small bathroom, and you also want the shelves to be accessible. Make sure they are high enough up from the towel rack (if you choose the spot Nate Berkus suggested), so you can still easily hang towels without squeezing them in. The same spacing idea goes for nearby things like the medicine cabinet, as well. One of the main bathroom storage recommendations that Berkus makes is that the solution should add more usable space to a small bathroom's current layout, not compete with it. If you have more than one shelf, be sure they are far enough apart so the baskets are accessible without taking them down. 

If you want concealed storage, matching baskets will always add some charm to your space. It's easy to buy these baskets as a set to ensure this happens. "[You should] have all the same basket so it's like super uniform; not busy looking," Berkus continued. If you don't like a traditional wicker basket, opt for something like this 3-Pack of Small Plastic Baskets that are easier to just wipe off. Regardless, when you're using baskets to double as space-saving storage, Berkus also finds it useful to sort their contents and label the outside, so things end up back where they belong.