Bathroom Storage Reveal

Welcome Cottage Friends,

We've been in our new to us home for just over a month now and every day I thank God for bringing us here. Although it's a rental, I feel like it's home. I am content.


Thanks so much to all of you who left sweet, encouraging comments on my last two posts. I'm so blessed to have you in my life. You are my friends -- many of you have been with me even before I began blogging at A Joyful Cottage, way back in the days when I had my first blog Joyful Altitude. I still marvel at the fact that you've stuck with me through all the changes in my life. God bless you all.


Okay, at the end of my last post I promised to share with you Project #2 at A Joyful Cottage -- the makeover of this piece.



Before

First, a little background. 


We have a very nice bathroom with double sinks and mirrors, two drawers in the vanity, and a large medicine cabinet over the commode. 



Realtor Photo

I've never had a bathroom with two sinks and wondered how we would utilize them. As I started to organize our bathroom I began to see the wisdom in this set-up. If I gave Dennis the medicine cabinet for his stuff (and believe me he has a lot of stuff), he could use the sink on the right side and have good access to everything he needed (plus, he's tall and the cabinet is mounted a bit high for my 5'5" frame). That left two drawers that I could use for my things. Hmmm, but I wanted to use the other sink on the left, and the drawers would not be handy.


But wait!


There's that open space under the vanity to the left of my sink. . .





It was meant to be used for a vanity stool, however it's in an awkward space right next to the bathroom door and, besides, although I think true vanity tables are terribly romantic, this set up doesn't match that vision. 


But what if I converted this space into usable storage? Could I find a little chest of drawers, or something else, to fit in that small space? There are space restrictions because of the way the bathroom was remodeled to accommodate the undermount sinks (which I love, by the way). So, I needed something no bigger than 20"Wx28"H. The depth was not a problem.


Was it possible I could bag something that would fit? I love a challenge, I'm patient, and I have an active imagination. The game was afoot!


One day while browsing through a resale shop in town I spied the black shelf unit in the corner of a dealer's booth. I got out my measuring tape and was delighted to find it was 

19.5"Wx28"H. It was being used as a display piece for milk glass. No price. I spoke to the woman in charge and she called the dealer and asked if she would sell it. "Yes, for $20," well within my $40 budget. So, I paid the nice lady and Dennis loaded the shelf into our car. All the way home  I imagined it painted white with baskets to hold my toiletries and other personal items. Similar to this. . .


Source





















I already had paint left-over from the dining table project, so no money spent there. The baskets took more time to find than the shelf unit did. They had too look good, be big enough to hold my stuff yet small enough to fit on the petite shelves, and to stay under budget they needed a price tag of no more than $10 each. I first found some light gray baskets at Lowes at my price point that I thought would work, but when I added them to the shelf I thought "Nah". They just didn't do it.


Then I found two white Broyhill baskets at TJ Maxx for $12.99 each and I knew they would be perfect. Since I didn't have to buy paint and the baskets were so right for my vision, I was happy to go over my budget by a few dollars.


And here is my bath storage reveal. 



After

I'm so happy with the way my bathroom storage unit turned out. It looks good, holds everything I need, and at $46 total it was way less expensive than any ready made piece I found. There's a space between the right side of the shelves and the cabinet that I'd like to fill with something. I'm still mulling over ideas.


Oh, and on a side note, there's a large empty space in the back of the storage unit that I'm using to store travel totes. If I need to get to them I can just take out the bottom basket, reach in and pull out the totes. (As nature abhors a vacuum, so does this space-maximizing girl.)


Are you wondering how I'm using the two remaining drawers in the bathroom? Well, it just so happens the bottom drawer perfectly holds 12 rolls of our favorite toilet tissue, and the drawer above it is available for overflow items that we both use. 

I just love it when an ideas takes wings and flies.


Happy Independence Day to all my American friends.


Joyful hugs,

Nancy 
















24 comments

  1. Hola Nancy !!! Me encantan tus avances . Espero que tengas un bendecido día

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  2. Very cute! Hope a house tour is in the making. Happy fourth from Canada!
    xo

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  3. This is a great idea for storage Nancy. I love it. Looks perfect. I think you will love having two sinks. Comes in handy when both of you might need to get ready to go somewhere at the same time. Hope you had a great 4th.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  4. Good morning Nancy!

    I am glad to hear that you are making this space a place where you can call home. May you continue to praise God for the blessings of this wonderful life!

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  5. Well aren't you clever! I love this story and how everything came together so nicely. Your bathroom is a dreamy size. Ours are a little too petite for liking, but that's cottage living right? Enjoy those sinks! Hugs!!

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  6. You are so creative - it's the perfect solution!
    ~Adrienne~

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  7. It's just perfect, Nancy!! Clever woman, you are!!

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  8. Nancy, wow! What a fantastic job you've done on this little storage piece. It's turned out perfectly for that particular bathroom space - looks so professional!
    Nice spacious bathroom - glad to hear you and Dennis are enjoying your new home.

    Sending best wishes and have a fun weekend.
    I'm celebrating Bob today as it's his 79th birthday - and he's such a dear. Aren't we lucky to have such great guys?

    Hugs - Mary

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  9. Measure the space and get a tray you can slide in and out, and keep either makeup or hairbrushes in it.

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  10. Your little shelf, baskets and space is a match made in "bathroom heaven" perfect.
    It's going to be fun watching you turn your apartment into a cozy home. If anyone can do it, you certainly can. Sweet project :)
    All my best, Connie

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  11. I love your wonderful large bathroom and the two sinks! I'm envious! Love the little storage shelf you made with the baskets. It's just perfect and looks darling. I love to make use of little cubbies like you have there. I always find something to put there! What type of paint did you use for this unit? Did you prime it first or sand it first? It looks like one of those pieces that is not wood but that hard veneer on it. I've never known quite how to tackle painting something like that. Take care...........Marilyn

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  12. Oh, I love it! It is just perfect! So thankful you are getting all settled in and able to make the place your own! God bless you, sweet friend. :) Thank you ever so much for your kind words and encouragement. You are such a blessing to me!

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  13. Love the bathroom and storage unit!!!!

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    1. Thanks, Brenda. I'm very happy with both the storage unit and the bathroom.

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  14. That shelf worked out perfect. I am trying to downsize even more than I have but not winning the fight. LOL Hope your 4th was a happy one. Hugs Debbie

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  15. More please!
    You have such a creative mind! Never would I thought to take a small, black shelf and turn it into something so pleasing and useful. Great job!

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  16. The shelves and baskets idea works beautifully. We have two sinks with under cabinets and drawers but no room for anything else in the upstairs bathroom. That is so nice that you got the extra room. Looks great!

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    1. Thanks, Angela. I'm really happy that extra space was there.

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  17. Well done, Nancy! The cabinet works beautifully with the space and looks very practical as well. And I love the baskets, that add a lot of charm. You lucked out with this bathroom, it looks beautiful and easy to maintain. Hope you had a wonderful 4th!
    Amalia
    xo

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  18. I do too. I have a shelf that is similar. There was not any storage in my new bathroom and the shelf would not fit under the long sink area because of the pipes. So I turned it on it's side and using baskets on the long side and store extra supplies on the selves that now run thin and tall. I'd seen that done with Ikea Bookshelves - turning them on their side and making reading benches from them so I sort of copied. Works well enough and free.

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  19. Perfect solution! Looks so good painted white and I love the baskets. I am envious of your double sinks!

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  20. Oh dearest Nancy, I just saw that you commented on my blog. Thank you so much for such kind words. I enjoy playing with words and imagery, and I feel God's joy in doing so. May you enjoy the rest of your summer!

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  21. I like the idea. I do like baskets, I use them in my home as well.

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Your comments bring me joy! Thanks for stopping by.