When it comes to bathroom spaces in any city, storage and space can be very difficult to come by (especially when you live alone.)

Although this bathroom feels like a mansion compared to my former studio’s, I had to find ways to utilize each corner of it when fitting all of my former furniture & products. Another challenge I had was making it a space that felt fresh & clean, making it a destination to enjoy rather than cringe when entering – there’s nothing that irks me more than dirty, disgusting bathrooms!

Here are my tips & tricks to decorating a bathroom space to make it appear larger than it is, while fully utilizing it to fit all your belongings & meet the criteria of a fresh & clean bathroom that you can look forward to spending time in, when getting ready for the day or turning down for the night.

TIP #1: SWAP EXISTING LIGHTBULBS TO ‘DAYLIGHT LED’ BULBS

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Most bathrooms in cities lack natural light from a window. Lighting that compensates with extra brightness not only makes for fab bathroom mirror selfies, but it also helps to make the space appear larger than it actually is. Plus, LED bulbs last way longer than normal bulbs (I’ve only had to change mine 1x in 2 years!)

*Make sure the bulb says ‘DAYLIGHT’ (not white or soft white, as those still appear a tinted yellow.)

Marble Shower Curtain: Society6 | Soap & Lotion Duo: Antica Farmacista ‘Lemon, Verbena, & Cedar’

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Offer yourself & guests to soap that makes it desirable to wash hands! I always like to put a dab of lotion on afterward to keep them from feeling dried out & help to make that delightful scent linger on my skin a bit longer than just the soap’s.

Antibacterial, Anti-Slip Pebble Bath Mat: Amazon | Antibacterial Shower Liner: Amazon | Bathtub Caddy Tray: Amazon

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The reason I opted for an antibacterial black bath mat over a clear one is because it helps to fight & hide grime that gets stuck underneath. I used to have a clear mat and it became gruesome to clean; no matter what I did, I couldn’t get rid of the residue from shampoo & other products used that got stuck underneath. So instead, I make a reminder to check and scrub it once a month rather than stressing out over a grimy bath mat that might turn my guests off.

This is the best antibacterial shower liner I’ve ever had! The mini magnets ensure it stays inside & attached to the tub, limiting any sort of water to escape while showering. Unlike other liners, this one has yet to start showing or smelling any signs of mold (something that is most often very difficult to avoid & leading to liner replacement each month or two.)

TIP #2: THE COLOR ‘WHITE’ ENLARGES THE APPEARANCE OF A SMALL SPACE

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There’s something about the color white that helps to make any space, no matter how small, look larger than it actually is. Not to mention, it helps create a brighter atmosphere surrounding it. Therefore, I made sure everything I used to decorate (from furniture pieces to towels) was white – with the exception of the greenery that helps to boost the ‘fresh’ feeling I was striving for.

Kitty Outhouse: Hayneedle | Fuzzy Bath Mat: Amazon

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The LAST thing I wanted anyone to experience was a front & center view of my cat Manny’s litter box – EW! I don’t even like knowing it’s in my bathroom & go to great strides to ensure it’s clean AF every single day. Unfortunately, I need to have it available for him to use and easy accessible (I can’t close the bathroom door to hide it.)

So I found a great solution in this furniture piece that not only hid his litter box, but it also serves as additional storage/shelving for some of my smaller products I like having out in the open for myself. The best part is how well it matches my other piece of white furniture over the toilet & that it tucks away neatly in the one corner my bathroom had to fit it (I got SO LUCKY with the sizing.)

Leaf Art Print: Society6 | Hand Towels: Pottery Barn

Jewelry Tray: Bloomingdale’s | Reed Diffuser: Antica Farmacista ‘Sakura’ | Body Lotion: Antica Farmacista ‘Lush Palm’

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Given the cat uses the piece of furniture below as his restroom, having the extra boost of fragrance can definitely come in handy. I’m a huge fan of reed diffusers and have utilized two of my favorite, strong-smelling scents in the two areas that need it most – here & above the toilet.

Sometimes I forget to take my jewelry off when I shower, so having this small jewelry tray on the surface right next to the shower reminds me to take off anything I have on last minute. I find my guests like using this tiny remindful piece as well!

TIP #3: GET VERTICAL WITH AN EXTRA STORAGE SOLUTION

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When you can’t fit anything more on ground level, then it’s time to look up & maximize the space above! This over-the-toilet cabinet stores extra towels and all my face creams/tools that didn’t fit in the mirrored, narrow cabinet above the sink nor the cabinet space underneath. Besides, I like being able to categorize my products by placing them where I can easily access each, depending how often I use them. So having this cabinet right here for all my face creams makes it easy when I’m getting ready for the morning or at night.

Over-The-Toilet Storage Cabinet: Wayfair | Grey Towels: Bed, Bath, & Beyond

Assorted Faux Plants: AllModern | Reed Diffuser: NEST Fragrances ‘Cedar Leaf & Lavender’

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I wasn’t sure what to do with the space above the cabinet, so I decided decorating with faux plants would help brighten and freshen the otherwise empty area. The best part about faux plants is that you don’t have to worry about maintaining them, especially when your bathroom lacks natural light and accessible space to water them without taking up an area you’d rather use for easy-to-reach products (i.e. hand towels, lotion, jewelry tray.)

Bath Mat / Toilet Seat Cover Set: Amazon | [Toilet] Paper Towel Holder: Amazon | Wicker Basket: Pottery Barn

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I’ll be the first to admit I heavily use & invest in bathroom cleaning products, giving the space & all devices a deep clean 2x a week. This is the most DISGUSTING area of any home, so the least I can do is micromanage to ensure it’s sparkling when I have guests or visitors. There’s nothing more embarrassing than a dirty bathroom…

Some of my favorite, guaranteed to kill germs & cut down on grime, products are: Scrubbing Bubbles Starter Kit, Scrub Brush, Clorox Spray, Febreeze Air Effects, Baby Wipes – for when you want to clean your sink without using harsh chemicals – I drop my toothbrush in my sink all the time.

Over-The-Door Towel Rack: Amazon | Twistie-Turbie Hair Towel: Amazon | Bathrobe: Pottery Barn | Towels: Pottery Barn

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Finally, having additional towels that are more easily accessible is something I enjoy when reaching for one, right out of the shower. Because my doors are extraordinarily tall, I found an over-the-door hook option that 1) matched the door in white, and 2) is long enough to hang my towels, robe, and turbie-twist without me having to reach from my tippy toes.

I HOPE THESE BATHROOM TIPS & DECOR IDEAS HELP TO INSPIRE YOUR NEW OR CURRENT SPACE, MAKING IT A DESTINATION YOU & YOUR GUESTS CAN LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING!