A common theme for many bathrooms nowadays is an “over the toilet storage”.
These have a great reputation for adding extra storage space in the bathroom, and sometimes even stepping up the entire decor there, but let’s be honest, some of these units are nothing but tacky!
Seriously, whenever I look behind a toilet seat and find that “freestanding shelving unit” tanking over it, all I see is a “horrendous decor taste”, and you should too.
My goal with this article is to fix things right, and hopefully restore some sanity in us.
I’ll do that by first of all, presenting a solid case to ditch the free standing over the toilet storage units, touch on some aspects regarding its hygiene, and then of course, show you the best alternatives for toilet storage instead.
5 Solid Reason To Ditch The Over The Toilet Storage
I get it, for the most part, people that opt for a freestanding over the toilet storage are short on space (and it better be!).
But seriously, there are better looking alternatives as well as more practical units than that.
I know right? Before I can buy out your interest with that assertive phrase, I must do the work of convincing you first.
So here are five solid reasons why a freestanding over the toilet storage unit is a terrible idea and what to do instead: (and if you could probably guess by now, I only have issues with the free standing over the toilet storage).
It Contributes to Cluttering
Need i say more? It’s just the case that no matter the design, the style, the sleekness or the polish, an overall clean and minimalistic look is always lacking when it comes to a free standing over the toilet storage: feels like I’m going to make quite a lot of reference to this phrase, should probably come up with an acronym right? FSOTS?).
Anyways, seriously, a toilet is the last place that needs cluttering (especially one that is trying to manage space), and a free standing over the toilet storage through the numerous shelves it has that accommodates everyday items from toiletries to skin care products (and even towels) glides exactly towards that.
If you have a free standing over the toilet storage installed, the entire space ends up looking “heavy and intimidating” rather than light and accommodating, and it’s very easy to overlook this once you’ve attained a mental agreement with the style in your head.
And one more thing, you might think you’ll be able to keep up with the “well-arranged” and “well-organized” shelving as you see in many over the toilet storage pictures, but let’s burst your bubble, as with anything open, it’s very easy to get fed up with the strategic placements of items and resort back to the old rut of dumping things where they don’t belong: if you ever operated a kitchen cart basket, you’ll understand exactly what I’m saying, and at the end of the day, that contributes to what? Even more cluttering!
It Makes Your Toilet Look Cheap
Most people operating a free standing over the toilet storage know deep down that it makes their toilet cheap, and they’re okay with that since it’s a pretty sound tradeoff: more storage space when there’s none, plus it’s just a toilet and a temporary solution anyways.
But if you’ve got a well-planned out toilet with good ventilation, space and proper lightening, and are hoping to rely on a free standing over the toilet storage for decor, cut it out please, it will make your toilet look cheap.
When it comes to how cheap it can make your toilet look, there are levels to it, and those metal-based units definitely rank below their heavy wood counterparts.
Just imagine a bulky oak-based cabinet standing tall behind a toilet seat? That’s some serious misplacement of priorities there. Definitely tacky!
It Will Interfere With The lightning and Ventilation
This one might not really be an issue for toilets that are big and spacious (so why are you even adding an over the toilet storage in the first place?), but for those small spaced toilets and narrow toilets that rely on a single lightning scheme to look pretty, and a single window to smell nice and stay dry, a free standing over the toilet storage will definitely mess with the visual appeal and ventilation.
The heavy wood-based units fare the worst, they’ll make the toilet appear darker and duller, and even scary, and will certainly prevent smells from venting out efficiently, which will quickly make your toilet the most inconvenient space at home.
It Can Obstruct Plumbing Work
This one isn’t really that big of an issue for many, but I still had to put it out there to whom it may concern.
If you’re a plumber yourself, you’re creating extra work when it comes to getting the toilet’s plumbing system fixed (when needs be), since you have to move the storage itself in order to fully access the area you’re going to work around.
Depending on how big and loaded the storage unit is, it can be a serious pain in the neck.
It’s not an Ergonomic design For Cleaning
Some free standing over the toilet storage units do leave breathing space around the toilet tank area and even behind it, but some are really made to fit tight, and this can make cleaning quite arduous.
Even for those units that provide some space above and behind the tank, cleaning isn’t exactly as efficient as it would have been when the toilet was free from all the necessary obstructions.
You could end up bumping your head into the undermost shelving of the unit, as you try hard to reach for difficult places, and that can be a frustrating experience.
Items Can Topple Over With Slight Agitation
This one is actually significant. Unless you have units with guard rails that ensure things stay put with slight impacts to the wall, you’re going to have to end up picking some bottles or even towels from the toilet bowl!
Sometimes the guard rails themselves are the culprit. When you’re trying to retrieve a bottle and accidentally hit a rail positioned slightly a bit high (for guard), you can end up potentially dropping the bottle, and guess where, in the bowl if it’s open!
Is Over The Toilet Storage Sanitary?
The toilet as a whole is not a clean place to be in, but if you have a free standing over the toilet storage unit, things can take a turn for the worse.
Here’s why:
It Could Pose Cleaning Challenges
Like we made mention earlier, having a free standing over the toilet storage isn’t the most ergonomic solution for cleaning, and it’s only a matter of time until you get fed up reaching those tight spaces. What happens next? Overtime, they collect dirt and build heavy grime and gunk which can not only make the toilet look dull and unsanitary, but also support microbial growth.
It Could Pose Ventilation Issues
Like we also mentioned earlier, freestanding over the toilet solutions could pose ventilation issues for small toilets, which means more wet spots and lots of time for microorganisms to do their thing. You can end with mold or mildew growth which can make your toilet smell bad constantly, and also serve as a great for those triggered from sniffing their spores. You could also have bacteria build up which can be unhealthy.
Dropping Items In The Bowl
And lastly, the prospect of dropping items into the toilet bowl (or even on the toilet ground) is not exactly sanitary.
The toilet is one of the last places you want to lose guard when it comes to hygiene, as you could easily get infected and fall sick.
When you constantly drop items and pick them up without any proper sanitization of both your hands and the items, you risk exposing yourself to a lot of illnesses.
Now dropping items in the toilet is inevitable, but if you work with anything that fosters that even more, you need to cut it out ASAP! So the free standing over the toilet storage unit is a big no.
The Best Alternatives To Over The Toilet Storage
I know you’re already asking in your mind that after all the bashing and negative PR for freestanding over the toilet storage, what’s now the solution?
There are actually a lot of them, so let’s quickly go through each and every one. (If you need a list of decor items to put on wall above toilet instead, read the article i wrote on “What to Put Above Toilet” instead.
Wall Mounted Cabinet Above The Toilet
This is actually an over the toilet solution, but a different and better kind. It’s one of the few solutions I would actually recommend when going “over the toilet route”.
It’s clean, classy, and won’t make your toilet look cheap (if done properly). If you decide to close it also, then you won’t risk items toppling over from little impacts to the wall, even though the risks of dropping it yourself is still existent.
Mini Racks Above Toilet Tank
Rather than having a tank of storage behind your toilet seat, why not install a mini rack above your toilet tank to accommodate all your toiletries? It’s smaller, cleaner, and with the right height of guard rails, can protect your items from toppling over.
Decorative Baskets or Bins
These are great for storage because they have a porous design that allows moisture to escape and therefore prevent moisture accumulation. Plus, they add this exotic woody gene to your space.
You can fix them at a low height on the wall, or you even place them on the ground depending on the variant you opt for.
Recess Storage
So, I saw this concept where a whole storage space is carved out inside a wall, with different layers of blocks for storage of bottles.
Then guard rails are used to secure them in place. If you’re really tight in space, this is a really good option to try out.
They look sick, especially with those down lights casting such a seriously soft glow from above.
Alternatively, you could install blocks over the walls to bulge out instead, like in the picture below:
Vanity Cabinets
Of course, not everyone is going to be able to afford this option, but if you’ve got the space for it, and the money, consider utilizing the area under the sink to create room for all those products you plan to store. More about decor than storage? This one is even better.
Corner Shelves
Corner shelves are shelves specifically designed for corners: which are areas of wasted storage opportunities to begin with.
They’re great for toilets with cramped up spaces, and honestly if done properly, can accommodate so many products at once. Some corner shelves even come with a towel rack (or rod) for hanging towels! Added bonus!
You can choose to build one (by yourself or through a hired professional) or purchase a freestanding one that snuggly fits into the corners of your toilet.
Free Standing Shelves
Yep, but not the tanks behind the toilet type.
You can have pretty and nice-looking shelves that can be placed at strategic positions in the toilet without commanding so much space or wrecking the entire visual appeal. When you’re buying them for a small space, choose the small narrow ones with the right color scheme that fits your toilet’s design, and you’ll be glad you went that route.
Door Racks & Hooks
To be honest, I’m not a fan of this one, because it’s really not the cleanest option on the list. But the fact that every attachment to the door gets hidden behind the door when you open it (at least) should make more sense for anyone trying to strike the perfect balance between aesthetics and storage.
So, this one’s not for everyone. It’s for those who are seriously lacking in space and are desperate to carve out a cheap solution while keeping the aesthetic integrity of their bathrooms.
Feel free to hang door racks and hooks until a better alternative arrives. These will contain anything from your towels, to robes and even tissues boxes.
Storage Carts
This is just like the free-standing unit we discussed earlier but has rollers underneath for moving the basket around. There are so many designs to choose from, and many come with lots of storage shelves.
Medicine Cabinet Upgrade
If you already have a medicine cabinet in your bathroom, then you can consider upgrading with more and more strategic shelving and depth, to accommodate bulky items like towels and large skin care bottles.
Towel Ladders or Racks
Toilet racks are super handy accessories to have in a toilet because they allow you to hang your towels to dry.
You can place them at strategic positions in the toilets, like opposite a window that receives enough air, and never have to worry about a damp towel come shower time. These are a necessity in all toilets, spacious or small.
For ladders, they’re more of a stylish way to store towels than necessity, and unless you have the space and an aesthetically pleasing toilet for it, it can contribute to clutter. And no, no ladders behind toilet seats!
Ladders mostly go with toilets that are big and have enough spaces to walk in so that they’re not the number one focal point in there, because they can easily be so, especially for small toilets. If possible, opt for a thin and short ladder that you can hang on the wall, it’s great for small toilets.