DIY Bathroom Organization

This week I’m working with a group of super talented DIY bloggers and am participating in a $50 organization challenge! The challenge was to organize any area in our homes using handmade items and only spending $50 or less. I must say, I had more than my fair share of options for home organization!! But this time my older son’s bathroom won out. With an old wonky shelf above the toilet that allows things to slide off into dangerous territory and no other real storage for often used items (toothbrush, floss, etc), this room needed some love. It still could use some updates but I must say the DIY bathroom organization I added definitely makes the space a lot more functional!

Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).

Before

First, I think you need a little context with a classic before shot. Pretty messy. Floss on teetering shelf above the toilet. Ewww.

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Organization Solutions!

Using one 12 foot one by six board and coming in at $35 total, for my contribution to the organization challenge, I made an awesome two tier wall shelf and a storage box for above his toilet. My favorite part of this project is that I incorporated aluminum decorative paneling which I had never worked with before. I just love the modern industrial type vibe it has!

Above Toilet Storage Box

Let’s start with the box above the toilet, which was super easy! My aluminum panel was 12 x 24 ” so I took this into account when determining my dimensions. Luckily it worked out that the space above the toilet was perfect for a 24″ box! Cut the long bottom and back boards to 22 1/2 inches in length (when you add the two side pieces you will have your full 24″). Then cut the side pieces to the width of the bottom board plus the back piece. Then connect using wood glue and 1 1/2 inch brad nails before staining.

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Using tin snips, the aluminum sheet was cut to size. This was my first time working with this material and it was a lot easier than I anticipated! Those snips cut through almost as easily as cutting paper. Crazy easy. But be careful. The cut edges can be sharp! The aluminum panel was then attached to the front of the box just using a staple gun! The staples blend in well and easily go through the aluminum sheet, keeping everything nice and secure.

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Two Tier Wall Shelf

Next let’s talk about the two-tier wall shelf! This was assembled like a box without a bottom. The long side pieces are equal in length and the top, bottom, and middle shelf are also all equal in length. You could use any dimensions you want here, but again I created the dimensions not only to fit my space but also to accommodate the aluminum sheeting dimensions, just to keep things simple (of note, they do sell much larger pieces if you have a bigger project).

The sides were attached to the shelves, again using wood glue and 1 1/2 inch brad nails. I clamped these pieces in place while the glue dried. Once dried the shelf was stained before the aluminum sheeting was attached to the back using staples.

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I then cut two small strips of the aluminum panel to serve as the front edge of the shelves. Once cut, these were attached in the same manner using staples. This edge was added both for decorative purposes and also to keep my son from unintentionally knocking his toothbrush off the shelf!

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After!!

Believe it or not, I was able to cut, build, stain, and attach the aluminum paneling for both of these pieces in less than two hours total and for right around $35! While his bathroom is still not perfect and could use some work for sure, he is better able to organize his things and not have stuff lying all over the top of the sink and falling off into the toilet (Yuck!). I call this a win!

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I had so much fun participating in this challenge and creating some DIY bathroom organization for you! Please don’t forget to take a look at these other amazing DIY bloggers and their $50 organization challenge projects! There are some really great creations that you really just have to see!

• Easy DIY Corner Cabinet Organizer- Emory Farm
• DIY Blanket Ladder– Joyful Derivatives
• $50 Office Window Treatment Makeover– Kippi at Home
• DIY boot tray– Sand Dollar Lane
• Sunglass Holder — Easy DIY Wall Display– Never Skip Brunch
• $50 Coat Closet Makeover – Southern Yankee DIY
• DIY Midcentury Modern Dresser Makeover– The DIY Nuts
• DIY Dust Collection Cart– Handmade with Ashley
• DIY Wrapping Paper Storage– Rufus & Henrietta
• DIY Jewelry Wall Organizer– 1905 Farmhouse