Older homes often have small bathrooms with limited space for linens and toiletries. A few ready-made bathroom accessories may make the room more useful without detracting from its appearance.
Unused wall space above the commode is a good home for shelving, a cupboard, or even a medicine cabinet. If storage space for linens is needed, remember to choose something that is well-ventilated, given the humid environment. Leave enough room around and above the commode to give access for repairs when they are necessary.
Another method to store towels and washcloths is to mount an open square metal basket on a wall near the sink. It could be attached so that towels are removed from the top, or with a side opening, in which case having it tilt up slightly will prevent towels from falling out when a towel is taken.
Another simple addition is a place to hang clothes over the bathtub that need to drip dry. This may be as simple as attaching hooks to the wall on opposite ends of the bathtub and stretching clothesline between them. A swing-arm towel dryer can be mounted on the wall above the tub. If more drying space is needed, consider a folding drying rack that can be attached to the wall above the tub. To improve the appearance, this could be concealed in a shallow cabinet.
If there is a drawer close to the bathroom sink, consider using it to store toiletries, brushes and the like to keep the area around the sink free of clutter. A drawer that is deep enough to hold bottles standing up is helpful, particularly if a small box or organizer in placed in the drawer to keep bottles upright when the drawer is opened and closed.
Finally, inadequate lighting can make a small room seem even smaller. A new bathroom lighting fixture might take years off your bathroom’s apparent age.