15 Makeup Storage Ideas for Small Bathrooms
Small bathrooms present unique organizational challenges, especially when it comes to storing makeup collections that seem to multiply overnight. Between foundation bottles, eyeshadow palettes, brushes, lipsticks, and skincare products, even modest beauty routines can quickly overwhelm limited counter and cabinet space.
The frustration of cluttered surfaces, misplaced products, and chaotic morning routines doesn’t have to be your reality, regardless of how compact your bathroom might be.
The secret to successful makeup storage in small bathrooms lies in maximizing vertical space, utilizing often-overlooked areas, and implementing smart organizational systems that keep products accessible while maintaining a clean, streamlined appearance.
These fifteen practical storage ideas transform even the tiniest bathrooms into functional beauty spaces where everything has its place and your morning routine flows smoothly and efficiently.
1. Install Magnetic Strips for Metal Makeup Items
Magnetic strips mounted on walls or inside cabinet doors create ingenious storage for metal makeup items like bobby pins, tweezers, nail clippers, and eyelash curlers. These slim strips take up virtually no space while keeping small metal items visible and easily accessible. Mount a strip inside your medicine cabinet door or along an unused wall section near your mirror for instant organization that doesn’t consume any counter or drawer space.
2. Use Clear Acrylic Drawer Organizers
Transform chaotic bathroom drawers into organized beauty stations with clear acrylic organizers. These transparent dividers let you see exactly what you have at a glance, preventing duplicate purchases and forgotten products buried at the back of drawers.
Choose adjustable dividers that customize to fit your specific drawer dimensions and product sizes, creating designated spots for lipsticks, eyeliners, mascaras, and brushes that stay neatly separated.
3. Mount a Pegboard Organization System
Pegboard isn’t just for garages anymore. A small pegboard mounted on your bathroom wall creates customizable vertical storage that adapts as your collection changes. Add small shelves, hooks, and containers to hold everything from hairdryers to makeup brushes. Paint the pegboard to match your bathroom décor, transforming functional storage into decorative wall art that maximizes vertical space without requiring permanent installation.
4. Utilize Over-the-Door Hanging Organizers
The back of your bathroom door represents prime real estate for makeup storage. Over-the-door organizers with clear pockets keep products visible and accessible while using space that typically goes to waste. Choose organizers with varied pocket sizes to accommodate everything from tall bottles to small lipsticks, and ensure the organizer doesn’t interfere with door closing by selecting slim, appropriately sized options.
5. Install Floating Shelves Above the Toilet
The wall space above your toilet often remains unused despite offering valuable storage potential. Install two or three narrow floating shelves to display attractive storage containers, decorative boxes, or small baskets holding your makeup collection. This vertical storage keeps items off limited counter space while adding visual interest to an otherwise overlooked bathroom area.
6. Repurpose Spice Racks for Nail Polish
Kitchen spice racks work brilliantly for nail polish storage in small bathrooms. Mount a small spice rack on the wall or inside a cabinet door to display polish bottles vertically, making color selection easy while saving drawer space. The tiered design ensures you can see every shade at once, and the slim profile means these racks fit even in the tightest spaces.
7. Use Lazy Susans in Deep Cabinets
Deep bathroom cabinets often become black holes where products disappear into the back, never to be seen again. Lazy Susans solve this problem by bringing everything within easy reach with a simple spin. Use multiple lazy Susans on different cabinet shelves to organize skincare, foundations, and other bottled products, ensuring nothing gets lost in the depths of your storage.
8. Implement Drawer Dividers for Brushes
Makeup brushes deserve special organizational attention to maintain their shape and cleanliness. Install narrow drawer dividers creating individual slots for each brush, or use small containers within drawers to keep brushes upright and separated. This prevents bristles from getting crushed and makes selecting the right brush quick and effortless during rushed morning routines.
9. Mount Medicine Cabinets with Extended Depth
If you’re renovating or have flexibility in choosing fixtures, opt for medicine cabinets with extended depth specifically designed for storing cosmetics. These deeper cabinets accommodate larger items like hairspray bottles and foundation while providing multiple shelves for organized storage. Mirrored fronts maintain functionality while concealing your entire collection behind a clean, streamlined exterior.
10. Utilize Stackable Acrylic Drawers
Freestanding acrylic drawer units stack vertically on countertops or inside cabinets, creating customized storage that maximizes vertical space. These transparent drawers let you see contents without opening them, and you can add or remove drawer units as your collection changes. Choose units with varying drawer depths to accommodate different product sizes, from slim eyeshadow palettes to bulky powder compacts.
11. Install Rolling Carts for Mobile Storage
Slim rolling carts tuck beside toilets, sinks, or vanities, providing substantial storage in narrow gaps that typically go unused. These mobile units pull out when needed and push back when not in use, offering flexibility in tight bathrooms. Choose carts with multiple tiers and small footprints, using baskets or containers on each level to organize different product categories.
12. Use Hanging Shower Caddies for Storage
Shower caddies aren’t exclusively for shower products. Hang a multi-pocket caddy from a towel bar or hook to store makeup, brushes, and tools in clear, accessible compartments. The hanging design keeps items off counters while the mesh or clear pockets allow drainage and visibility, making product selection effortless.
13. Create Custom Drawer Inserts with Foam
Craft store foam board cuts easily to create custom drawer organizers perfectly sized for your specific products. Trace your favorite palettes, foundations, and products onto foam, cut out the shapes, and place the foam in drawers creating fitted storage where each item has its designated spot. This affordable DIY solution maximizes drawer space while keeping products secure and organized.
14. Mount Tiered Corner Shelves
Bathroom corners often represent wasted space. Triangle-shaped corner shelves install easily and provide multiple tiers of storage without protruding into the room. Use these shelves for frequently accessed items like daily skincare and go-to makeup products, keeping them within arm’s reach while maintaining clear countertops.
15. Utilize Under-Sink Storage Solutions
The cabinet under your bathroom sink typically houses plumbing that creates awkward storage spaces. Specialized under-sink organizers with cutouts for pipes maximize this challenging area.
Use stackable drawers, pull-out caddies, or hanging organizers that work around plumbing to create functional storage for backup products, larger bottles, and items you don’t need daily access to.
Small bathroom makeup storage succeeds when you think creatively about every available surface and space.
Vertical storage, hidden compartments, and multi-functional organizers transform limitations into opportunities, proving that size constraints don’t require sacrificing organization or accessibility. By implementing several of these strategies together, you’ll create a bathroom where makeup storage is efficient, attractive, and perfectly suited to your space and routine.
The key lies in assessing your specific collection, identifying which products you use daily versus occasionally, and organizing accordingly. Frequently used items deserve prime real estate in easily accessible locations, while backup products and special occasion items can occupy less convenient storage areas. This thoughtful approach to organization ensures your small bathroom functions beautifully, supporting smooth morning routines regardless of square footage limitations.
