DIY Bathroom Shelves and Cabinets That Actually Fit

If you're staring at your family bathroom wondering where on earth to put everyone's bits and bobs, you're absolutely not alone. Between the toddler's bath toys, teenagers' endless hair products, and your own desperate need for somewhere to store the good towels, finding the right bathroom shelves and cabinets can feel like solving a particularly tricky puzzle.

Key Takeaways

• Finding suitable bathroom shelves and cabinets can be challenging for families with diverse storage needs.
• Bathrooms often require storage solutions for a variety of items, from children's toys to personal care products.
• Effective bathroom storage helps organize towels, toiletries, and other essentials efficiently.
• Choosing the right shelves and cabinets can simplify the task of managing bathroom clutter.

Here's the thing: your bathroom storage doesn't have to be an afterthought or a compromise. With the right approach-and furniture that's actually designed around how families really live-you can create a space that works beautifully for everyone, from tiny hands reaching for toothbrushes to grown-ups hunting for paracetamol at 6am.

We've spent years helping families navigate exactly these challenges, and we know that the best bathroom storage solutions aren't the ones that look perfect in magazines. They're the ones that make your daily life easier, safer, and a little bit calmer. In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing, customising, and living with bathroom furniture that actually fits your family and your space.

Our promise? Everything here comes from real experience-both ours and that of the families we work with every day. No generic advice or one-size-fits-all solutions. Just honest, practical guidance to help you create bathroom storage that works as hard as you do.

Understanding Bathroom Shelves & Cabinets

What Are Bathroom Shelves and Cabinets?

Let's start with the basics, because understanding the difference between bathroom shelves and cabinets will help you make much better decisions for your space.

Bathroom shelves are open storage solutions-think floating shelves, corner units, or ladder-style storage where everything is on display. They're brilliant for items you use daily and want to grab quickly: hand soap, face cloths, or that expensive moisturiser you actually remember to use.

Bathroom cabinets, on the other hand, are enclosed storage with doors, drawers, or both. They're your secret weapons for hiding clutter, storing cleaning supplies safely away from little hands, and keeping spare toilet rolls from becoming a toddler's favourite building blocks.

The main types of bathroom storage each serve different purposes in family life:

• Wall-mounted solutions keep floor space clear for easier cleaning (and fewer obstacles for rushing children)
• Vanity units combine sink, storage, and workspace in one clever package
• Tall cabinets make the most of vertical space in smaller bathrooms
• Corner units turn awkward spaces into useful storage
• Medicine cabinets provide secure, accessible storage for essentials

Why does the right storage transform your bathroom? Because when everything has its place, mornings run smoother, cleaning becomes quicker, and you're not constantly moving things around to find what you need. It's about creating calm in what can be the busiest room in a family home.

Benefits of Thoughtfully Designed Bathroom Storage

Good bathroom storage isn't just about having somewhere to put things-it's about making family life flow more smoothly. Here's what we've learned from years of helping families organise their spaces:

Decluttering for daily calm: When you can see what you have and everything has its designated spot, you spend less time hunting for things and more time getting on with your day. No more frantic searches for the thermometer when someone's feeling poorly.

Easy access for all ages: Thoughtfully designed storage means your seven-year-old can reach their toothbrush independently, while medicines stay safely out of reach. It's about creating independence where it's helpful and maintaining safety where it matters.

"We often incorporate Montessori principles into bathroom design-child-height shelves for their daily items, clear containers so they can see what's inside, and designated spaces that help children develop independence and responsibility." - Roomix Design Team

Helping everyone stay organised: When storage makes sense, everyone in the family can maintain it. Even teenagers are more likely to put things back when there's an obvious, convenient place for them to go.

Long-term value: Well-designed, made-to-order storage grows with your family. The cabinet that holds bath toys today can store towels tomorrow, and the safety features you need now can be adapted as children grow more responsible.

The difference between thoughtful storage and just having more cupboards is significant. Thoughtful storage considers how you actually live-where you stand when you brush your teeth, what you need within arm's reach of the shower, how to keep daily essentials accessible while tucking away the less attractive necessities.

This is where custom-made furniture really shines. Rather than trying to make your family fit around standard sizes and configurations, you can create storage that fits your space, your routines, and your needs exactly.

Types of Bathroom Cabinets

Understanding your options is the first step to choosing storage that actually works for your family. Each type of cabinet serves different purposes, and knowing what's available helps you make decisions that you'll be happy with for years to come.

Vanity Cabinets

Vanity cabinets are the workhorses of bathroom storage-they combine your sink area with storage underneath and sometimes to the sides. For families, they're often the most-used piece of furniture in the bathroom.

A well-designed vanity cabinet typically includes deep drawers for bulky items like hairdryers and straighteners, smaller compartments for daily toiletries, and clever internal organisation to prevent everything from becoming a jumbled mess.

From a Montessori-inspired perspective, vanity cabinets can be designed with accessibility in mind. Lower drawers that children can reach independently for their toothbrushes and face cloths, clear internal dividers so they can see what belongs where, and even a small step that pulls out from the base for little ones who need the extra height.

Medicine Cabinets

Medicine cabinets have evolved far beyond the basic mirrored box. Modern versions can integrate lighting, anti-fog features, and most importantly for families, secure storage that keeps medications and sharp objects safely away from curious hands.

The mirror integration is particularly clever-it serves double duty without taking up additional wall space, and many can be positioned to provide good lighting for daily grooming tasks. For families with young children, lockable sections within the cabinet provide peace of mind while keeping everyday items like plasters and children's vitamins easily accessible.

When we design medicine cabinets, we always specify chemical-free finishes and child-safe construction. This means soft-close doors that won't slam on fingers, rounded internal corners, and robust hinges that won't work loose with daily use.

Wall-Mounted Cabinets

Wall-mounted cabinets are brilliant space-savers and particularly useful in smaller bathrooms where every square inch of floor space matters. They're also excellent for keeping items away from splashes and making floor cleaning much easier.

The key to successful wall-mounted storage is proper installation-something our expert joiners take very seriously. They'll assess your wall type, use appropriate fixings, and ensure everything is perfectly level and secure. This is particularly important in older houses where walls might not be perfectly straight or where you're dealing with tiles that need special consideration.

Wall-mounted cabinets can be designed as slot-in solutions that work around existing fixtures, awkward pipes, or uneven walls. This bespoke approach means you're not limited to standard sizes that might not quite fit your space.

Base Cabinets & Floor Cabinets

Freestanding base cabinets are perfect for storing bulky items like towels, toilet rolls, and cleaning supplies. They're also ideal for items that children might need to access independently-bath toys, their own towels, or step stools.

These cabinets are typically easier to install than wall-mounted options and can be moved if you redecorate or reconfigure your bathroom. They're also excellent for rental properties where you might not want to make permanent changes to the walls.

For awkwardly shaped UK bathrooms-and let's face it, most of us are dealing with less-than-perfect proportions-base cabinets can be made extra-tall to maximise storage, slimline to fit narrow spaces, or designed specifically for corner installations.

The beauty of made-to-order base cabinets is that they can be designed to fit exactly under sloped ceilings, around radiators, or in those odd spaces that standard furniture simply can't accommodate.

Choosing the Right Storage for Your Family's Bathroom

Assessing Your Space and Needs

Before you start looking at specific products, it's worth taking a step back and really thinking about how your bathroom works-or doesn't work-for your family right now.

Start with who uses the bathroom and when. A family bathroom that serves two adults and three children has very different storage needs from an ensuite used primarily by one person. Consider the morning rush, evening bath times, and those middle-of-the-night visits when you need to find things in the dark.

Think about your storage personality too. Some families function better when they can see everything they own-clear containers, open shelving, everything visible. Others prefer the calm that comes from having most things tucked away behind closed doors. Neither approach is right or wrong, but knowing which works for your family will guide your decisions.

Consider future needs as well. Will this storage solution still work when your toddler becomes a teenager? When elderly relatives come to stay? When you're dealing with mobility aids or medical equipment? Good storage adapts with you rather than requiring complete replacement every few years.

Key Features to Consider

The difference between storage that works beautifully and storage that frustrates you daily often comes down to the details. Here are the features that matter most in real family life:

Drawers versus shelves: Drawers are generally more practical for family bathrooms because they bring items to you rather than requiring you to reach into deep cupboards. They're also better for preventing items from falling over or getting lost at the back. However, shelves are more flexible for storing items of different heights.

Internal organisation: Fixed dividers can be frustrating if your storage needs change, but adjustable internal systems let you reconfigure as needed. Consider what you're actually storing-hairdryers need different space from medicine bottles.

Accessibility features: From a Montessori perspective, children develop independence when they can access their own items safely. This might mean lower handles, step-out platforms, or clear containers so they can see what belongs where.

Mirror and lighting integration: Medicine cabinets with integrated lighting can eliminate shadows and provide better illumination for daily tasks. Anti-fog features mean mirrors stay clear even after hot showers.

Electrical considerations: Internal sockets for electric toothbrushes or shavers, integrated USB charging points, or lighting systems all need to be planned from the beginning rather than retrofitted.

Custom finishes and hardware: The beauty of made-to-order furniture is choosing finishes that work with your existing bathroom and handles that feel right in your hands. From painted surfaces that can be refreshed over time to natural wood finishes that age beautifully, these choices affect both appearance and longevity.

Materials & Finishes-For Looks, Longevity & Everyday Life

What's Best for Wet, Busy Bathrooms?

Bathrooms are challenging environments for furniture. They're wet, humid, and in family homes, they're subject to daily wear and tear that would challenge any material. Understanding what works-and what doesn't-will save you from costly mistakes.

Solid wood might seem like an odd choice for a wet environment, but when properly treated and finished, it's actually excellent for bathroom furniture. At Roomix, we use only FSE-approved solid wood, which means it comes from responsibly managed forests and meets strict quality standards.

The key is in the treatment and finishing. Our expert joiners seal all surfaces, including internal areas that won't be visible once installed. This prevents moisture penetration while allowing the wood to breathe naturally. Unlike MDF or chipboard, solid wood won't disintegrate if it gets wet, and it can be refinished if needed.

MDF and engineered woods are common in mass-produced bathroom furniture, but they're not our preferred choice for family bathrooms. While cheaper initially, they're vulnerable to moisture damage and can't be refinished if damaged. The chemical binders used in their manufacture can also continue to off-gas for years.

Metal and glass options work well for certain applications-glass shelves in shower areas, stainless steel fixtures-but they're not ideal for primary storage in family bathrooms. They show every fingerprint and water spot, and metal can be cold and unforgiving for children.

Our moisture-resistance approach focuses on proper sealing and finishing rather than trying to make furniture completely waterproof. Wood needs to breathe slightly to remain stable, so we use microporous finishes that repel liquid water while allowing water vapour to escape.

Choosing the right finish: Painted finishes are excellent for family bathrooms because they can be refreshed easily and provide complete moisture protection. Waxed finishes offer a more natural look and feel but require occasional maintenance. Natural oil finishes highlight the wood's character but need more regular care in high-humidity environments.

Mass-produced "wood effect" furniture often uses photographic printing on plastic films over chipboard cores. These might look acceptable initially, but they wear poorly, can't be repaired, and often contain chemicals you wouldn't want in your family's breathing space.

The difference becomes obvious over time: solid wood furniture ages gracefully and can be refreshed, while manufactured alternatives typically need complete replacement within a few years. When you factor in the environmental and financial cost of replacement, quality materials make sense from every perspective.

Customisation & Craftsmanship

Why Made-to-Order Changes Everything

There's something deeply frustrating about finding the perfect bathroom cabinet only to discover it's 2cm too wide for your space, or that the internal shelving doesn't work for what you actually need to store. Mass-produced furniture forces you to adapt your life to fit standard dimensions, but made-to-order furniture adapts to fit your life.

When we say made-to-order, we mean furniture crafted specifically for your bathroom, your family, and your storage needs. Our expert joiners work from your exact measurements, creating storage that fits your space perfectly-not approximately, but to the millimetre.

The customisation options extend far beyond dimensions. You can specify the exact internal configuration you need-perhaps deeper drawers for towels, shallow compartments for medicines, or adjustable shelving that can evolve as your family's needs change. Want a specific height that works perfectly for your children? Need extra-wide doors for easy access? These aren't expensive modifications-they're simply how we work.

Consider how this flexibility transforms real-world storage challenges. A family with a toddler might need lower-level storage for bath toys and easy-access towels, with secure higher storage for cleaning products. As that child grows into a teenager, the same cabinet can be internally reconfigured for hair products, skincare, and the inevitable collection of bottles that teenagers accumulate.

Our joiners regularly create solutions for spaces that seem impossible to furnish effectively. Sloping ceilings, awkward pipe work, unusual wall angles-these aren't obstacles, they're simply parameters to work within. We've created storage for Victorian bathrooms with walls that aren't quite straight, modern bathrooms with complex lighting systems, and everything in between.

"The beauty of working with skilled craftspeople is that they see solutions where mass-production sees problems. Every 'difficult' space is just an opportunity to create something perfectly tailored." - Roomix Master Joiner

Material choices become meaningful when you're choosing for furniture that's built to last decades rather than years. FSE-approved wood options, from subtle oak to rich walnut, chemical-free finishes that you can specify in any colour, hardware that feels substantial in your hands-these choices affect how your bathroom looks and feels every single day.

The process itself is refreshingly straightforward. We provide detailed measuring guides, offer video consultations to discuss your specific needs, and our joiners create detailed plans before any wood is cut. You see exactly what you're getting, with opportunities to refine details until everything is perfect.

Installation, Upkeep, and Everyday Use

DIY vs. Professional Fitting-Roomix's Honest Take

We believe in being honest about DIY installation. Some bathroom storage projects are perfectly suitable for confident DIY enthusiasts, while others really benefit from professional installation. The key is knowing which is which and not attempting something beyond your skill level-especially when it involves plumbing or electrical work.

Wall-mounted bathroom shelves and cabinets are generally DIY-friendly if you're comfortable using a drill and spirit level. The most critical aspect is finding the wall studs or using appropriate wall fixings for your wall type. We provide comprehensive fixing kits with every order, including different options for various wall constructions.

The step-by-step process starts with careful measurement and marking. Use your spirit level to ensure everything is perfectly horizontal-nothing looks more amateur than wonky shelving. Mark your fixing points, double-check measurements, then drill pilot holes before driving in screws.

For heavier cabinets or tall units, wall fixing becomes more critical. We always include anti-tip brackets and recommend fixing to at least two wall studs where possible. If you're working with hollow walls or unusual constructions, it's worth consulting a professional rather than risking inadequate fixing.

Plumbing and electrical integration is where professional help becomes valuable. If your bathroom cabinet shelf system needs to accommodate existing pipes or you want integrated lighting, a professional can ensure everything is properly sealed and safely connected.

How to Organise Your Bathroom Storage Like a Pro

The most beautiful bathroom cabinet and shelf system won't improve your daily life if it's not thoughtfully organised. The key is creating logical zones that make sense for how your family actually uses the bathroom.

From a Montessori perspective, children develop independence when they can access their own items safely and return them to designated places. This means creating clear, logical storage zones at appropriate heights, with visual cues that help children understand where things belong.

Start by grouping similar items together. All hair care products in one area, skincare in another, cleaning supplies secured separately. Within each zone, use the principle of frequency-items used daily should be most accessible, while occasional-use items can be stored higher up or towards the back.

Clear containers and baskets work brilliantly for internal organisation. They prevent small items from getting lost in large spaces and make it easy to see when supplies are running low. Choose containers that fit your cabinet dimensions properly-nothing frustrates like storage solutions that don't quite fit.

Consider the daily flow of bathroom use when positioning items. Morning routine items should be easily accessible without opening multiple doors or moving other things. Evening items can be stored separately to avoid confusion during rushed mornings.

Leave some empty space in your storage system. Completely packed storage becomes difficult to maintain and doesn't allow for new purchases or seasonal variations in what you need to store.

For more inspiration and practical advice, check out these DIY hacks to spruce up the bathroom.

Maintaining & Cleaning Bathroom Furniture

Proper maintenance keeps your bathroom furniture looking beautiful and functioning perfectly for decades. The good news is that quality solid wood furniture is remarkably easy to care for when you know what to do.

For daily cleaning, a damp cloth with mild soap is usually sufficient. Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners, or anything containing bleach-these can damage finishes and aren't necessary for routine maintenance. We recommend simple, natural cleaning solutions that are safe around children and won't compromise your furniture's finish.

Different finishes require slightly different care approaches. Painted surfaces can handle more moisture and are easily wiped clean, making them excellent for busy family bathrooms. Waxed finishes benefit from occasional rewaxing-perhaps annually in a high-use bathroom. Oiled finishes may need refreshing every few years, but this is a simple process that keeps the wood looking rich and protected.

Watch for signs that attention is needed: doors that don't close properly might indicate loose hinges, drawers that stick could need adjustment, and any areas where the finish looks worn should be addressed before moisture can penetrate the wood.

Most maintenance tasks are straightforward. Tightening loose screws, adjusting hinges, or touching up small scratches are all within most people's capabilities. We provide detailed aftercare guides with every piece, and our customer service team is always available for advice on specific issues.

If you spot sagging shelves, this usually indicates overloading rather than structural failure. Redistribute weight more evenly, and check that wall fixings are still secure. For adjustable shelving systems, ensure shelf supports are properly engaged in their holes.

Why Roomix for Your Family's Bathroom Storage?

After years of seeing families struggle with bathroom storage that doesn't quite work-shelves that sag, cabinets that don't fit properly, finishes that deteriorate in humid conditions-we created Roomix to offer something genuinely different.

Our approach starts with understanding that family bathrooms aren't showrooms. They're working spaces that need to function beautifully under the daily pressures of real family life. Toddlers learning to brush their teeth, teenagers with ever-expanding collections of products, adults trying to maintain some sense of order amid the chaos-this is the reality we design for.

Every piece of Roomix bathroom shelves and cabinets is crafted by expert joiners who understand both traditional woodworking techniques and modern family needs. They're not churning out identical units on production lines-they're creating individual pieces of furniture that solve specific storage challenges for specific families.

Our commitment to safety isn't an afterthought-it's built into every design decision. FSE-approved wood, chemical-free finishes, anti-tip mechanisms, soft-close hinges, and rounded internal corners aren't optional extras. They're standard features because your family's safety and health aren't negotiable.

The made-to-order approach means you're not compromising on dimensions, finishes, or functionality. Your bathroom storage works exactly as you need it to work, fits exactly as it should fit, and looks exactly as you want it to look. No more "making do" with almost-right solutions.

We're transparent about pricing from the start-no hidden costs, no pressure tactics, no nasty surprises. You know exactly what you're paying for and why, with the confidence that comes from dealing with a company that puts long-term relationships ahead of short-term profits.

Perhaps most importantly, we're here for the long term. When you have questions about maintenance, need advice on reconfiguring internal storage, or want to add to your bathroom storage system years down the line, we're still here. Real humans, ready to help, treating your family's needs as seriously as we did when you first chose Roomix.

Ready to transform your family's bathroom storage? Book a design consultation to discuss your specific needs, request a free sample pack to see and feel the quality difference, or explore our customer stories to see how other families have solved their bathroom storage challenges with Roomix solutions that truly work. For even more ideas, check out these bathroom storage ideas from House Beautiful.