8 IKEA Hacks to Create Bathroom Storage Out of Thin Air
It seems like all the bathrooms I’ve ever had, big or small, have rarely had enough cabinetry. (Or is it just that I have too many toiletries?) Luckily, there are ways to add bathroom storage that don’t rely on the built-ins that came with your house or apartment, whether you’re dealing with more toiletries than your medicine cabinet can handle or some other storage woe.
I took a deep dive to find the best IKEA bathroom storage hacks from AT’s archive — and added some new ones to the list, too. Here, find the eight best hacks for adding storage to tiny bathrooms (seemingly out of thin air!).
Faux Wood on a Basic HEMNES Chest
A wood vanity is warm and welcoming in a bathroom, but that lovely look usually comes with a not-so-lovely price tag — especially if it comes with functioning drawers. Farwa Moledina (@thehousewiththepinkbed) and her husband knew the grain of wood would be pretty in their pink bathroom, but they couldn’t find one that fit within their budget and the square footage of the space.
A basic two-drawer HEMNES chest came to the rescue. They covered the unassembled chest with inexpensive wood-grain film before putting it together (a clever way to get every corner!), then added a sink top and plumbing, along with new hardware, to create a vanity. Their budget-friendly dupe for wood is even water-resistant thanks to the vinyl film!
An Iconic IKEA BILLY in a Bathroom
BILLY bookcase hacks are a dime a dozen (though they never get old!). But, usually, you’ll see them turned into custom-look living room built-ins. A BILLY in a bathroom? That’s not something you come across every day.
But for Agathe Corbet (@amastudiointeriors) and her husband, Jeremy, an IKEA BILLY hack was exactly the piece they needed to add necessary storage into their bathroom while also hiding the stacked washer and dryer on the other side. The entire project cost around $100 and looks like it was custom-made by a professional.
How to Use Command Strips
A Floating Vanity with an IVAR Cabinet
When you’re presented with just 12 inches of depth to work with for a bathroom sink, the usual solution is a tiny pedestal or a floating sink. But Ariana Ervin and her wife, Lucy, knew they needed storage, not just a place to wash their hands.
The couple couldn’t find any store-bought vanities that fit their size requirements, so they took to the aisles of IKEA. A solid wood IVAR cabinet is exactly 12 inches deep and fits within their small bathroom footprint. A 9 1/2-inch deep sink with a faucet mounted to the side made the most use of the space. A few extra shelves on the side, and these DIYers ended up with a stylish storage solution on a slimmer scale.
A High-End IKEA Vanity Hack
IKEA hacks aren’t just for budget-friendly facelifts and quick fixes. You can also incorporate them into larger gut renovation projects where you want to focus the bulk of your spending on the more investment-worthy elements, like tile and plumbing.
For Anne-Laure (@annelaurelievense) and Bob Lievense, that meant creating a minimalist, neutral vanity using an IKEA base and DIY fronts. Scalloped detail along the bottom and a Woodio vessel sink give the entire hack a high-end look while also adding a significant amount of storage for toiletries and other supplies.
A Plain IKEA Vanity Box Gets a Modern Neutral Upgrade
Similarly, Savannah and Kaitlyn Stone (@ainslee_design_studio) tackled a bathroom renovation for a client that included getting rid of an old “office cabinet” inspired vanity and swapping it out for one that looks like it belongs in a modern boutique hotel — yet the base is just a white IKEA vanity box.
They took the vanity box as the foundation, then added custom door fronts and a countertop and backsplash in custom calacatta marble. It was a project that combined splurges with smart big-box buys.
Budget-Friendly Bathroom Storage with IKEA
Stacking IKEA’s new GARDSBUTIK bins was a great way for content creator Erika Stübing to add laundry storage to her small, slanted bathroom — plus the tops act as an extra shelf space.
And speaking of shelves, the one with the lamp resting on it is also an IKEA hack; it’s a MOSSLANDA picture ledge turned upside down. That’s $170 worth of IKEA products making a big difference in one small room.
An IKEA HEMNES Built-In in Place of a Bulky Tub
DIYer and content creator Julia Reynolds of @wellnestedhome traded a clunky tub for a standing shower and a shelf plus drawers that store towels and toiletries and more, all thanks to an IKEA HEMNES hack.
“We bought this three-drawer chest for $199 and moved it to the space between our shower and wall,” Julia shared on TikTok. “To make it look built in, trim was added to each side of the chest, along with plenty of caulk. We then added shelving above the chest and put baseboard and molding at the bottom and the top. We painted the cabinet and shelves the same color as the walls.”
RÅGRUND Shelves Add Open Storage to a Pedestal Sink
When you’re incredibly short on square footage, traditional furniture shapes often don’t fit into the spaces where you actually need storage. That’s when you have to turn to unconventional items that might not be designed for your specific use, but, somehow they just work.
In dire need of bathroom storage, Andrea Kaufman, social media manager for The Kitchn, used two $40 RÅGRUND shelves to perfectly fit around the pedestal sink in her small bathroom. It’s a quick, easy IKEA storage hack that requires minimal assembly and no DIY skills. The only downside? You’re held accountable to keep the shelves organized since they’re in plain sight.
Further Reading
Create Your Own Interior Design Mood Board | Apartment Therapy
Marie Kondo’s Method for Storing Kitchen Towels Is the Only Way to Store Kitchen Towels
