Bathrooms: a necessity for everyone, but also surprisingly hard to get organized. Not all of us are lucky enough to have the sort of sprawling, two-bathtub bathrooms we see on TV, and as a result we have to make the most of the room we have. Closets are fine, under-sink or behind-the-mirror cabinets are always a plus, but there’s a lot of unused wall space that could be put to work to help better organize and arrange everything. Case in point: that space right around your toilet! Often considered “off-limits” for...understandable reasons, the area around your toilet can actually become a convenient storage area for a number of needed bathroom items, keeping them close at hand while avoiding clutter elsewhere in your bathroom. Here’s a couple tips we’ve found for helping make the most of that space and adding a little extra decor, flair, and convenience to even the most crowded bathroom: Cabinets and organizers: The walls around your toilet are the perfect area for bathroom storage cabinets to add a little extra storage space for the necessities! These cabinets can be easily hung and used to hold onto anything you might need in the bathroom, but didn't quite have the room in your medicine cabinet for. Hanging wall shelves: If you don’t have the room for the over-the-toilet option, or if you want a bit more understated look, wall shelves are the way to go. Unless you plan on keeping a lot of stuff on them, you can use this as an opportunity to spruce up your bathroom with a more decorative shelf option like wood shelves or glass wall shelves to freshen the look up a bit while keeping things like toilet paper, air fresheners, or even reading material nearby. Baskets: If you’re the crafty type, a bathroom storage option that’s been gaining more popularity lately is baskets, mounted directly to the wall. Something a little more decorative like wicker or ratan works great for this option; simply drill the appropriate holes and mount the baskets to the wall using either the right-sized wall screw or wall-mounted hooks to hang the baskets and make sure they can support the weight of whatever you put in there. Recessed shelving: When your bathroom is particularly hard-pressed for shelving space (such as in circumstances where the toilet is too close to the wall) and you don’t mind doing some renovations, a lot of homeowners have been turning to recessed shelving to help increase their available space. By carving out a small, open, cabinet-like space right above the toilet and installing wall shelves, you can create an additional (but smaller) closet for toilets and other needed supplies. Towel racks: Of course, a lot of people looking to get more bathroom storage often jump right to the point, and they turn to the space over their toilet to serve as a good place for towel racks. Whether pre-fabricated or homemade out of pipes and metal fixtures (a common sight for families with DIY tendencies and a love for the ‘industrial’ look), the space right above your toilet can be the perfect spot for a towel rack. This can help solve one of your bigger organizational concerns while freeing up floor space or wall space elsewhere. Art: Worse comes to worse, you can always hang your favorite painting or a treasured old movie poster up there.