5 Ideas to Keep Your Tub and Shower Clutter-Free

Don't let half-empty shampoo bottles hog your storage space. Keep tub and shower clutter under control with these five simple tips.

Bathroom With Stacked Stone Wall, Shelf Storage and Glass Shower

Master Bathroom With Stacked Stone Wall and Open Storage

A wall of stacked stone continues into the glass-enclosed shower, adding visual interest to this contemporary bathroom. Floating shelves next to the shower provide open storage space for towels and other bathroom necessities.

By: Lisa Frederick

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Bath products have a way of sneaking up on you. You pick up a new conditioner to experiment with or a body wash because you fancy the smell, and before you know it, the rim of your tub or the shower floor is overflowing with half-empty bottles and tubes. Get a handle on tub and shower clutter with these easy steps.

Built-In Shower Storage Shelves

Black subway tile serves as a springboard for the HGTV Smart Home 2014 guest bathroom's clean and sophisticated design. Built-in niches provide clever storage for shampoo, soaps and washcloths.

Designate specific places to put gear. From soap bars and shampoo bottles to razors and nail brushes, each item in the tub or shower needs its own spot. If you’re building or remodeling, consider incorporating recessed niches or shelves that can accommodate products of different sizes. No need to get fancy, though — a classic hanging rack (the kind that slips over the shower head) or expandable corner shelving unit does the job too.

For a freestanding tub, go modular. If you have space, mount a cabinet or retrofit a recessed shelving unit on a wall next to the tub. Not feasible? Get a couple of pretty, moisture-proof baskets or crates that you can fill with supplies and tuck nearby. Or take the old-school route and buy a handheld dorm-style shower caddy that slips inside a cabinet when you’re not using it.

Winnow down. Do you really need four bottles of shampoo or half a dozen bath gels? Limit each product type to one at a time and you’ll save a ton of space (and streamline your morning routine). If you want to try a new product, make a rule that you have to use up the old one first. And don’t forget to toss empty containers, which can clutter up a shower in a blink.

Consider suction-mount dispensers. Want to get rid of the bottles altogether? Invest in a mounted dispenser unit. This gadget lets you squeeze your liquid toiletries into the different chambers, then pump out a bit at a time.

Make sure you have a place for bath towels. Nothing makes a shower look sloppier than used towels tossed haphazardly over the curtain rod. Install racks and hooks inside the shower, on the back of the bathroom door or in other convenient spots to ensure that you can hang damp towels and wet wash cloths.