Before and After: A Smart Shower Storage Solution Helps Free Up Bathroom Cabinet Space

Pro organizer Faith Roberson‘s 512-square-foot studio in Long Island has plenty of apartment organization ideas worth replicating. But there’s one, in particular, that’s so simple, space-saving, and steal-able that it’s worth calling out: She added a second curtain rod in the shower, repurposed from an old apartment, to store extra bathroom essentials.

Faith says her shower was perfect for a second rod because it’s wide: There was lots of space for extra storage but no extra shelving.

Enter the second rod: a tension rod which she hung at about shoulder height along the back wall of the shower. It took “no time” at all to hang, Faith says — the only tricky part was getting it to stay in place. (She recommends testing the tension rod on its own first, then using velcro or a shower-friendly adhesive to keep it from moving, especially if you’re planning on hanging heavier items.)

She keeps her heavier product bottles in the caddy beneath her shower head, but she likes that the clear plastic bins hanging from the rod provide a way to display other products: “fun ones, like bath balls,” and her dry brush.

“I’m a fan of seeing everything… If I can see it, I’m more apt to do it,” she says. An organizing hack that encourages self care? That’s a win-win. Plus, her shower bins free up space under her bathroom cabinets, which was limited before. “It ultimately freed up my undersink for my hamper,” Faith says. “I’m a huge fan of a hamper in the bathroom.”

Another win? “I liked the fact that I didn’t have to reach all the way up to the shower head,” Faith says. “I’m not that tall.”

And last but not least, this hack is renter-friendly. Faith says it’s important to her — when organizing for herself or for clients — that her solutions will work from place to place. “The shower pole could be used in any other room or any other space if I moved,” she says.

If you’re a renter (or just looking for some added shower storage) you can get this budget-friendly look easily, or customize it with your hanging shower totes of choice. Grab a sturdy tension rod and S-hooks from your local hardware store, small clear totes with handles, and this sleek shower caddy to get Faith’s streamlined shower look.

This post originally published on Apartment Therapy. Read it there: Before and After: A Smart Shower Storage Solution Helps Free Up Bathroom Cabinet Space