DIY Home Renovation Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Cabinet doors never close right after I touch anything. Small bathroom renos are either genius or a mess, but I can’t stop trying to squeeze in more function. If I can make a bathroom feel less like a closet, I’m in—just not for marble prices.

Space-Saving Fixtures

Cramming a real sink into a shoebox bathroom? Did it. Wall-mounted vanities are the only thing that ever worked, even though my plumber tried to sell me a pedestal sink. If you haven’t measured your bathroom door swing five times, are you even renovating? Sliding doors (pocket doors, whatever) save me so many bruises.

I swapped my old toilet for a compact, round-front one and got six extra inches of space. I checked Home Depot and Consumer Reports—flushing power matters, especially with teenagers. Floating toilets look futuristic but leave less floor to clean. My electrician rolled his eyes at my LED mirror cabinet—until he tried it. Won’t go back. National Kitchen and Bath Association says upgrading a main fixture (toilet, sink, or shower) adds more function per dollar than any pretty upgrade, and after three faucet leaks, they’re right.

Clever Storage in Bathrooms

Balancing towels on the toilet tank is not clever, but here I am. Instagram DIY shelf ideas? Mostly dust and toothpaste boxes. My best win: deep, narrow shelves built into a wall—total luck with the stud finder, which never works, but hey, missed the pipes.

Drawer-within-a-drawer (IKEA Godmorgon) makes no visual sense, but the storage is real. Hooks beat towel bars unless you want things to look perfect. Tried under-sink pull-out bins—turned into a leak-catcher in a week. Martha Stewart loves mirrored medicine cabinets but skips the rust warning if you buy cheap. Spice racks sideways for skincare? Works, but tighten them or your retinol will end up in the toilet. Again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Every week, I stumble on some new DIY trick that makes my shoebox of an apartment almost livable—usually with tile stickers or some weird IKEA hack. Nothing fits perfectly, but the oddball combos and random paint jobs work faster than you’d think.

How can I add value to my small home with budget-friendly improvements?

Nobody warns you: painting the inside of closet doors (thanks, spilled coffee) brightens things up more than an accent wall, and apparently realtors notice. Swapping out ugly hardware—cabinet pulls, faucet handles—costs less than groceries and looks like you meant it. Supposedly, the National Association of Realtors says lighting upgrades can give you up to 50% ROI in small homes. Didn’t see that coming while cursing at my old switch plates. Scented candles? Zero impact.

What are some simple yet impactful DIY projects for enhancing small spaces?

Storage is a nightmare. I shoved shoe racks vertically behind the door and nobody noticed, except my umbrella, which is still missing. Floating shelves above the bathroom door—extra towels, who knew—don’t eat up living space. Pro organizers call it “dead air real estate.” Sure.

Glass jars as “charging bars” (thanks, TikTok) slightly reduced cord chaos. Catch-all trays above the fridge—Instagram loves them, cats love them more. Good luck.

Could you suggest easy home improvement projects that are both affordable and add significant value?

I took apart a cheap bookcase, shoved it under the window, tossed on a cushion—now it’s a “reading nook.” Mostly it holds takeout menus. Guests think I’m smart; I just want storage. Experts say stick-on subway tiles in kitchens or baths look high-end if you cut the corners right (I never do).

Energy-efficient blinds—government rebates exist—made my rental less drafty and a little less ugly. Some claim you’ll save $200 a year on heat, but I open them for the cat, so who knows.

What are some creative ways to transform the outside of a small house on a budget?

Solar path lights from last year’s clearance bin—somehow still alive—make the front step look “intentional,” according to my landscape architect neighbor. Painted the door sea green; regret it a bit, but people comment more on that than my dying flowerbeds.

Planters from old crates, stacked weirdly (thanks, tiny Airbnb in Prague), get more attention than any fancy mailbox. Wasps love them too, so… yeah.

Can you provide some small-scale home improvement ideas that have a big impact on living space?

Bought this fold-down table for the kitchen—total impulse, didn’t measure, just eyeballed it. Now, if you lean on it even slightly wrong, the whole thing lurches like it’s trying to escape. Still, I guess it makes the room feel bigger? I keep telling myself I’ll use all that “extra space” for morning workouts, but let’s be honest, I’m not waking up early to do squats in my own kitchen.

Wall hooks, though. I went overboard. There are hooks behind every door, inside every cabinet, even stuck one on the fridge. Now my keys are only missing half the time, and I don’t trip over my backpack anymore—progress? Supposedly, “vertical systems” are the holy grail of organization. I mean, that’s what every organizer on YouTube claims. In reality, my place just looks like a thrift store exploded. Does anyone’s “vertical system” actually look good? Doubt it.

Oh, and my friend—she’s obsessed with removable wallpaper. She says “statement colors” magically make rentals more valuable. Not sure I buy it, but she moved twice last year and somehow got her full deposit both times. I don’t know how she does it. Maybe landlords just give up?

What home improvement tips can you offer for small houses looking to improve functionality and style?

Honestly, I’ve given up pretending that “concealed storage” is some kind of miracle hack—like, sure, if you own exactly three identical baskets and no actual possessions. Who’s living like that? My shelves are basically chaos, but if I call it “curated display,” apparently it’s a style choice. Cookbooks I never read, mugs that don’t match, a tangle of phone chargers—yeah, that’s my vibe. Supposedly, real estate agents love it. Maybe they’re lying?

Mirrors next to windows—okay, that one I’ll admit works. Suddenly the room looks twice as big and everyone’s convinced I have some kind of lighting strategy. I don’t. It’s just a mirror. Rugs, though? I keep hearing you should go wall-to-wall to “define the space” or whatever, but let’s be honest: I just want to cover the weird stains. Except then I trip over the edge at 2am and regret everything. Why is adulting so complicated?