Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Bigger

The last time we refreshed the bathroom was a few years ago, and honestly, it’s gone through a few changes here and there over the years mostly with the rugs and plants so I didn’t think it was worth updating this post.

Side note: the tree right outside our bathroom window has also grown and extended onto our side, which means the lighting isn’t as great as before and I’m patiently waiting for our landlord to have it trimmed again.

We are currently in nesting mode and preparing for our baby arriving in April, and with a tiny bathroom, the biggest question we had was “Where will all his stuff go?” Granted a baby doesn’t need too much in the bathroom, just his tub, towels/robe, shampoo, conditioner, and maybe a couple of toys. The problem was that we already maximized the space with just the two of us so a purge was required and some rearranging had to be done.

Clean, Reorganize, Purge & Rearrange

This first step alone will help free up space you probably didn’t know you had before. It’s amazing how much stuff you can truly tuck away in your cabinets and forget about so take some time to go through everything in your bathroom, throw out expired make-up, and old beauty products, and relocate items that you can do without in the bathroom. For us, that meant moving out some plants and getting rid of old cleaning supplies, and because I am very minimal in my skincare routine, I relocated a lot of backstock of these products to another closet in the hallway. The same goes for extra supplies like toilet paper, which was also relocated to our hallway closet. After doing this, we got a better idea of how much we truly had to work with.

Utilize Every Corner

From the previous bathroom post, you can see we got rid of the laundry hamper and towel hangers in the small corner by the sink and were surprisingly able to fit in this 3 tier shelf. I believe we got this one from Ikea a couple years of ago (it was originally used in our home office), but there is also a 4 tier option on Amazon. The baskets are from the Container Store and this is where we store extra towels for us and the baby. Right below is the towel warmer, which I love and enjoy, especially in the colder evenings. As for the towels we’re using, they’re hanging on a hook behind the door.

We’re still utilizing the blanket ladder for our hand towels, which by the way, all our towels we’ve been using for the last 4 years are from Parachute. We love their quality and they are so cozy.

Even utilizing the top of the toilet to put some sprays and a little decor can help make the bathroom look better. There truly are no rules in how you can utilize the space you have available in your bathroom, as long as it works for you.

Fun fact - the mountain artwork hides an old and unused vent, which was a complete eyesore.

Take Advantage of Vertical Space

Have space above the toilet? Install a shelf. We have one over the toilet, which is where we put extra toilet paper in the corner and then some scent pieces (so that our bathroom always smells fresh).

Have some space above the sink counter? Install a medicine cabinet. Fortunately, our apartment came with one so we have all our skincare necessities tucked away from it.

Have room in your shower? Put in a corner shelf tower or shelves that stick onto your tiles like we have.

Size Up

Sometimes adding in a larger mirror will open up a space so if you can, size up the mirror you have now. Even sizing up your rug and getting one that is either longer or wider can make the space feel bigger too.

Brighten It Up

Another thing you can do to make your bathroom feel bigger, especially if the natural lighting is poor, is to switch out your bulbs to daylight bulbs. We’ve done this and prefer how bright it feels especially on cloudy days. This helps liven up the space too so that you don’t feel stuck in a dark, tiny room. We also have a dehumidifier that works as our nightlight too, which gives the bathroom a nice nighttime vibe. And remember, the color choices you make can also help brighten up the space so choose wisely.

Now that we’ve refreshed our bathroom and added extra storage, we’re ready to put in some of the baby’s things. We’re just waiting for organizational things to come in before we organize his things but don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to ensure you don’t miss out on how we organize the baby’s things in the bathroom later.