Let's get something straight right from the start: the space directly over the toilet is among the most underutilised spaces in a typical UK bathroom. For some strange reason, a lot of us don't even think about using precious wall space. But think again.

For a comparatively minor investment, you can buy a manufactured over-the-toilet storage unit that offers a combination of shelves perfectly suited for linens, spare toilet paper, and even a couple of nice candles for ambience. You don't have to spend a lot to get a good storage solution. If units are not your thing, why not try installing a couple of small shelves?

If you are into re-purposing and love to get stuck into the harder DIY projects, you might consider building your own over-the-toilet storage unit with scrap lumber, old pieces of furniture, or even old bookshelves. Building your own means that you can customise to your heart's content.

Safety tip: before installing, have the tallest member of the family sit on the toilet, then measure the height of that person's head. The lowest shelf on the storage unit should be higher than that mark. You don't want any sore heads now, do you? 😅

And all that empty space on your other walls? Well you can put them to good use too! You can find all sorts of practical shelves and storage units, in whatever size and style you like, online or at a DIY store. Even better, why not try making your own by re-purposing materials you already have hanging around the house? Like a handrail bracket and a small tile or coaster?

No Drilling with Sugru

If the idea of installing shelves scares you because you don't want to be drilling holes and putting in screws, Sugru is here for you to take the stress away. 

Check out this handy guide here that shows you a step-by step guide on how to mount small shelves onto your bathroom walls with Sugru, thus avoiding drills and screws. Just be aware that Sugru normally takes 12-24 hours to set, but for load-bearing applications, we recommend allowing Sugru to set for up to 48 hours. Don't stick your shelf to the wall and then immediately set a potted plant on top. Otherwise, you'll have a mess to clean up!

As a mouldable glue, Sugru is ideal for sticking things up to 2kg in weight, onto your walls. It's tough, resilient, and waterproof. And once it's in place, it's not going anywhere. Well, unless you want it. Then you can remove it. Super handy if you're a renter, planning to sell your house at some point, or you like to switch up your decor from time to time.

Your small bathroom might include an extra small sink without any usable counter space. You barely have enough room for that pump soap dispenser. So what about your toothbrushes? No you don't need to store them in the bedroom. Not when you can get yourself some Sugru and make personalised toothbrush holders. Genius!

Sugru is a mouldable glue that will hold its shape once it sets. It also has no problem sticking to porcelain or your bathroom wall. And no worries, you can cut it off if you need to remove it.

To make custom toothbrush holders, take a small piece of Sugru and work it around in your fingers for a minute or so. Next, form it into a tube shape and flatten one end. Now stick it to the side of the sink or the bathroom wall. Curve it around to make a hook and let it set.

We have a video here explaining how to do it. When all is said and done, you'll have a home for your toothbrushes while taking advantage of some rarely used space.

Your small bathroom may have no place for you to hang hand towels or wet bath towels. You don't want to hang them from your wooden shelves for obvious reasons. Well, guess what? You can install towel rings the same way as wall-mounted shelving. Just get yourself some rings and some Sugru and you're good to go.

Many bathroom fixes are so easy to do, that it's hard to believe more people aren't doing them. That's why we're here to help! Hanging a towel ring is really no big deal whether you use Sugru or not. It only takes a few minutes of your time. When you're done, you have a place to hang towels out of the way.

Where to hang them? The front or side of the bathroom sink is one idea. 

You can hang also one on the side of the toilet or utilise any open wall space you can find. Alternatively, you can try adding hooks to the back of the bathroom door. 

Should you choose to put up your towel rings using Sugru, we've got you covered with another handy guide found here. The guide includes written instructions along with a helpful video. You'll learn everything you need to know to get your towel rings mounted quickly and easily.

Buy Them or Make Them

Towel rings are available at just about every DIY and department store. Or you can also find them online. But if you have some unused materials lying around the house, why not go full DIY and make them from scratch?

Making your own towel rings keeps unused materials out of the landfill. It also allows you to be creative with the look and feel of your bathroom design. And best of all, making your own stuff offers a sense of accomplishment you just can't get by simply purchasing something from the store.

A small bathroom with an equally small shower or tub can make your daily cleaning routine a real pain. Older shower stalls and tubs without built-in shelves are especially annoying because you have no place to put your soap, shampoo, etc.

Maybe you keep all your shower stuff in the bedroom, then carry it with you to the shower every morning. You can't leave the stuff in the tub because there simply isn't any room. So after your shower, you dry it all off with a towel and carry it back to the bedroom. If this sounds like you, we've got some news for ya!

With Sugru, all that nonsense is a thing of the past. Not only can Sugru be moulded into any shape, can stick to and bond almost any material. Once set, it turns into a durable rubber that's both waterproof and not bothered by cold or hot temperatures. Perfect for the shower right?

Work It, Mould It, Stick It

You've learnt how to install shelving and towel rings without drilling. Now you can apply that same knowledge to organising the shower. Get yourself a shower caddy, which is just a small box-like shelf to hold shower supplies. Stick it to any shower wall with Sugru, like DIY expert Jo Behari did here.

Next, make yourself a series of small hooks similar to the ones you made to hang your toothbrushes. You can place them in various locations around the inside of your shower. Now you have a place to hang a facecloth, loofah, or soap on a rope.

You won't have any trouble cleaning the hooks with the rest of the shower. And if you ever need to take them down, Sugru can be easily removed, as shown earlier on this page.

We hope this post has given you some brilliant ideas for saving space in your small bathroom. For us, Sugru is a key ingredient in many bathroom fixes designed to save space, as it opens so many possibilities and can be uniquely used to suit your needs. If you can think of other fixes that don't involve Sugru, then by all means do them too!

Your bathroom should be comfortable. It should be convenient and easy to use. Even if it's small, you can make the space comfortable with a combination of space-saving tips, the right tools, and your own imagination. Happy fixing, hacking and making!