34 Clever Uses for Everyday Items in the Bathroom

Before you put these items on the curb, consider incorporating them into your bathroom design for clever storage or quirky decor. From old luggage racks and muffin tins to empty jars and extra fabric, we've rounding up the most creative ways to turn overlooked items in your home into functional (and cute!) products for your bathroom.

Take this vintage metal basket as a prime example. Instead of collecting dust in your garage, give it a quick clean and mount it on the wall to create a rustic way to hold extra toilet paper. Keep reading for all the easy and inspiring ideas.

An old luggage rack gets new life as a tub-side table with the help of a wooden tray and some paint. The upcycled table is now the perfect height for holding all your spa essentials while enjoying a soak.

If your little one has outgrown their bathroom step stool, it's time to give it a fresh coat of paint and repurpose it as a tiered plant stand. Place it in a sunny corner of the bathroom and pile it with a variety of plants that love humidity. Your "new" plant display add life to your space while clearing the air of odors and common indoor pollutants.

Leaning an extra blanket ladder against the wall is an unexpected way to hang towels. This ladder doesn't take up a lot of room and adds a trendy, boho element to the space.

A chic bar cart makes for stylish-yet-functional storage in a bathroom that's lacking cabinets or shelves. Fill with all the handy toiletry essentials and jazz it up with a lush plant or two.

Vintage baking pans come with a pretty patina that makes them a favorite find at flea markets, though a pan dating back to the Mad Men era may be better suited for display rather than Sunday's blueberry muffins. Repurpose a muffin pan in the bathroom as a handy tray for toiletries that you can bring by the tub for at-home pedicures, or place a few tea light candles inside to set a serene mood for a bath.

Put those unused storage baskets to good use in the bathroom. Simply hang them from the wall to create a unique design feature that also saves floor space.

Over-the-door organizers aren't just for shoes anymore. Hanging pocket organizers offer convenient storage and create instant organization in a small bathroom where cabinetry and shelves are scarce.

An old chemistry rack of test tubes makes the perfect storage spot for grooming supplies in the bathroom. True, you probably don't have a vintage test tube rack lying around the house, but chemistry racks are easy enough to find browsing the vintage selections on Etsy.

A wall-mount sink is great for an open, airy vibe, but you're left with zero storage space. Make use of extra fabric to add cottage charm and hidden storage to your powder room — no sewing required.

"Little bottles of nail polish can take over the bathroom. So I stash them in an old-fashioned glass candy jar. The glossy colors look as pretty as a scoop of jelly beans." — Liz Caan, interior designer, Newton, Mass.

Reframe your perception of what works as a storage container. Often you can find attractive, unique options around the house, like this mint julep cup serving as a makeup holder.

Create a soap dispenser stopper to prevent way too much soap being dispensed at one time by wrapping a rubber band around the top of the dispenser. Next, test to make sure the desired amount is released with each pump.

No need to toss those finished candles. Place them in the freezer to remove the wax, and then give them a good scrub to repurpose them as swanky storage for beauty tools like cotton balls and swabs.

Do you have extra PVC piping or couplings around the house from previous projects? Repurpose them to make modern storage for your toilet tissue or other bathroom accessories.

Say goodbye to pesky rust stains in the shower for good. Apply a couple coats of clear nail polish to your bottles, but make sure to let it completely dry before placing back in your shower or it'll get stuck.

Add a rustic touch to the bathroom by repurposing wooden shipping pallets into an open storage solution to house toiletries and other essentials.

We're all guilty of having too many old shirts laying around the house. Put them to good use by crafting them into an easy, no-sew bath mat.

Repurpose an unused cake stand into a shelf or display space for soaps in the bathroom, as seen here on Fixer Upper.

Creating stylish storage for the bathroom countertop is as easy as having an unused container or fun thrift store find — like the antique cigar box seen here.

Wrangle all those hair ties with the help of a binder ring. You'll never lose another one with this clever hack.

Even the bathroom drawers deserve some love. Lining shelves and drawers with leftover wrapping paper will inspire you to keep everything organized and in its place.

Don't keep your beautiful bracelets hidden away in a jewelry box: Display them in your bathroom on bottles. Use vintage glass containers, as seen here, or recycle an eye-catching bottle from your pantry.

Banish ugly grout stains and unsightly buildup with toothpaste. Apply a dab of toothpaste to a toothbrush, and scrub away. Wipe off the excess toothpaste with a damp rag.

A tool caddy is a clever and stylish storage option for linens, toiletries and other bathroom essentials.

It's easy to spot vintage wooden drawers everywhere these days — antique shops, vintage Web shops, flea markets, you name it. Little wooden drawers make a great storage solution in the bathroom to organize and display your collection of perfume bottles or must-have toiletries.

Keep all your beauty products and sprays at bay with the help of a tiered spice rack and never hunt for a product again.

Bathroom essentials look neater piled atop a tray, but other household items, like painted cookie sheets or even mirrors, can do the job just as well.

Think outside the bottle with this accordion-style rack that's typically used to store wine or bottles of Pellegrino. A wine rack in the bathroom is a clever way to keep a few towels right at hand.

For an easy, budget-friendly solution, hang crates from a craft store to create interesting and functional storage. The wood crate will add a rustic style to your loo — and create an open shelving solution for bath salts, big bottles of shampoo or even a pretty vase of fresh market flowers.

Bathrooms can quickly turn into a catch-all space for cleaning supplies. Keep them all organized with the help of a tension rod and save precious space under the counter.

Photo boxes are an extremely inexpensive option for versatile storage. Look for them on sale at craft stores, and then stock up. Here, they’re used in the bathroom for extra supplies, like razors, toothbrushes and travel-size toiletries.

Mason jars are a simple and practical solution for organizing cotton balls and Q-tips, but glass in the bathroom is a risky matter and counter space is always at a premium. Instead, hanging them on the wall will add instant style. All you need is a piece of wood, paint, pipe clamps, wide-mouth Mason jars, screws and picture hangers.