Small Bathroom Storage Ideas: What Fits Over the Toilet, on the Walls and in the Gaps
Short answer
In a small bathroom the floor is mostly spoken for: the codes keep 15 inches from the toilet’s centerline to anything beside it and 21 inches of clear floor in front of the toilet and sink (NKBA recommends 18 and 30). So storage goes up: over the toilet, where a 25⅝-inch shelf fits the 30 inches a toilet gets; on the walls, in cabinets about 6 inches deep; behind the door; and into slim gaps. Keep everyday things 15 to 48 inches off the floor.
15″
toilet centerline to the side
21″
clear in front of a fixture
6–6⅝″
wall cabinet depth
Contents
The space storage can’t take
The National Kitchen & Bath Association’s planning guidelines give the code minimums, from the International Residential Code, and the spacing NKBA recommends. Storage on the floor has to stay out of all of it:
| Space | Code minimum | NKBA recommends |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet centerline to any fixture, wall or obstacle beside it | 15″ | 18″ |
| Clear floor in front of the toilet, sink or tub | 21″ | 30″ |
| Clear floor in front of a shower entry | 24″ |
So a cart or cabinet beside the toilet has to stay 15 inches from its centerline. A 7⅛-inch-deep IKEA VESKEN cart fits against the side wall only if the toilet’s centerline is at least 22⅛ inches from that wall:
Remodel Fit’s toilet dimensions guide has toilet sizes and the rest of the clearances.
Over the toilet
The wall above the tank is the biggest empty space in most small bathrooms. A freestanding unit stands over the toilet: IKEA’s FRÖSJÖN is 25⅝″ wide, 11¾ deep and 61⅜ tall, so it fits inside the 30 inches the codes leave a toilet, 15 each side of its centerline.
- Measure the tank: most toilets are 28 to 31 inches tall to the top of the tank. Check that the unit’s lowest shelf clears the lid, with room to lift it off.
- Anchor it: IKEA warns that the FRÖSJÖN is a tipping hazard and must be anchored to the wall.
- Or hang a cabinet: a wall cabinet above the tank keeps the floor around the toilet free. IKEA’s HAVBÄCK is 18×6×37″.
On the walls
Bathroom wall cabinets are shallow, which is why they fit above a sink or a toilet without getting in the way:
| Cabinet | Width × depth × height |
|---|---|
| IKEA HAVBÄCK wall cabinet | 18×6×37″ |
| IKEA ENHET mirror cabinet | 24×6⅝×30″ |
| IKEA LETTAN mirror cabinet | 24×6×37″ |
| IKEA HEMNES mirror cabinet, 2 doors | 32⅝×6¼×38⅝″ |
| IKEA BROGRUND corner wall shelf | 7½×7½×22¾″ |
NKBA’s access guidelines suggest keeping frequently used things between 15 and 48 inches above the floor, within easy reach. Higher shelves suit spare towels and refills.
A tall cabinet takes floor, but little of it: an IKEA ENHET high cabinet is 12×12⅝×72″. In a corner outside the toilet’s 15 inches and the 21 in front of the fixtures, it holds as much as several wall cabinets.
Slim gaps, carts and the door
- A slim cart: the IKEA VESKEN cart is 21¼×7⅛×28″ and holds 13 pounds; at 7⅛ inches deep, it fits a gap most furniture can’t.
- A small cart that rolls: the smaller IKEA RÅSKOG utility cart is 11×15×24″.
- A narrow shelf unit: the VESKEN shelf unit is 14½×9⅛×39⅝″, with 11¾ inches between shelves; IKEA says it must be anchored.
- The door: hooks or a rack on the back of the door hold towels and robes. IKEA’s door racks fit doors up to 1½ inches thick, and interior doors are 1⅜.
For layouts that leave room for storage, see BathDraft’s 5×8 bathroom layouts and half bath dimensions.
Free tool
Measure a gap or an empty wall, and the floor you can keep clear in front, and the Storage Finder shows which shelf and cabinet sizes fit it.
Questions people ask
How do you add storage to a small bathroom?
Go up rather than out: an over-the-toilet unit or wall cabinet, shallow cabinets about 6 inches deep above the sink, a slim cart in a gap and hooks on the door. Keep 15 inches from the toilet’s centerline and 21 inches in front of each fixture clear.
How wide is an over-the-toilet storage unit?
IKEA’s FRÖSJÖN is 25⅝ inches wide, 11¾ deep and 61⅜ tall. If walls or fixtures sit 15 inches from the toilet’s centerline on both sides, the unit has to be narrower than 30 inches.
How deep is a bathroom wall cabinet?
IKEA’s are about 6 to 6⅝ inches deep: HAVBÄCK 6, LETTAN 6, HEMNES 6¼, ENHET 6⅝.
How much space do you need beside a toilet?
At least 15 inches from its centerline to a wall, fixture or anything else beside it, under the International Residential Code; NKBA recommends 18 (NKBA Bathroom Planning Guidelines).
Can a cart go beside the toilet?
Only outside the 15 inches from the toilet’s centerline. A 7⅛-inch-deep VESKEN cart against the side wall needs the centerline 22⅛ inches from that wall.
Sources
- Bathroom Planning Guidelines with Access Standards (National Kitchen & Bath Association): 15″ minimum (IRC) and 18″ recommended from the toilet centerline; 21″ minimum (IRC) and 30″ recommended clear floor in front of fixtures; 24″ in front of a shower entry; storage of frequently used items 15–48″ above the floor
- Bathroom storage (IKEA US): product pages for the FRÖSJÖN over-the-toilet shelf (with its anchoring warning), HAVBÄCK, ENHET, LETTAN and HEMNES cabinets, BROGRUND corner shelf, VESKEN cart and shelf unit, RÅSKOG cart
- Toilet dimensions (Remodel Fit): toilets 28–31″ tall