Chrome Door

Turn your bathroom into the sanctuary you deserve with these storage tips from Sir Terence Conran, author of 'Storage - Get Organized'. He shares expert ideas on how best to hang, shelve, stack and store your bathroom contents.

Bathroom storage specifics -

1. Bathrooms are not necessarily the best place to keep all your bath towels and linen, as conditions may be damp and steamy. If the bathroom is small, you are unlikely to have sufficient room in any case. Try to keep the bulk of your towels elsewhere, in an airing or warm linen cupboard; alternatively, store them away from wet areas within the bathroom itself.

2. Wall cabinets that combine storage space with a mirrored surface and integral lighting make a good use of available space.

3. Keep toothbrushes by the sink, suspended in a wall-mounted toothbrush holder or similar, so that they can drain after use. Standing toothbrushes upright in containers, such as mugs or glasses, is unhygienic and will result in a foul sludge collecting at the bottom.

Colour-code the toothbrushes in a shared bathroom to make sure everyone knows which one is which. Electric toothbrush heads come with removable coloured plastic rings to ensure easy identification.
4. Shaker-style pegboards mounted on the wall or the back of the bathroom door can be used to hang up dressing gowns or bathrobes, or to suspend individual spongebags or cosmetic bags.

5. Keep soap on a wire rack or in a perforated or ridged dish so that it doesn't sit in a sticky puddle between use.

6. Bathroom trolleys make an attractive means of storing spare towels and bath products. They can be pulled near the tub when required and pushed back out of the way again afterwards.

7. Always keep medicines and toxic cleaners under lock and key if you have young children. Some medicines need to be kept in cool conditions, which means out of the bathroom altogether.

8. Plastic mesh bags make good containers for bath toys; otherwise you can buy caddies that slip over the side of the bathtub.

9. Heated rails organize towels, as well as giving off a considerable degree of background heat. One recent variation on this theme consists of a box with an open front that you mount on the wall. The box is heated, which keeps towels warm and dry.

10. If your bathroom doubles up as a laundry room, provide a place to keep soap powders and fabric conditioners hidden from view, as well as a laundry basket.

11. Bath racks, in chrome-plated metal or wood, which bridge the sides of the tub, allow you to keep essentials within reach. They are also handy places to prop a book.

12. Bear in mind that good ventilation is essential in a bathroom.

Annie Deakin is a journalist, fashion and furniture expert and editor at mydeco.com who is currently interested in cookers, doors and chair.