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When I first moved into my 1940s Colonial-style house, I was so taken with its historical charm that I was willing to overlook the lack of counter space in the bathrooms. They each came with a pedestal sink — which should have been an obvious indicator that space was incredibly tight — but through my rose-colored glasses, I only saw the air of nostalgic elegance these porcelain beauties lent to the home. It didn’t take long for that spell to be broken.
Even though I eventually upgraded to a sink with a small vanity in the primary bathroom, it was a daily struggle to keep the counters tidy. The meager counter space quickly got cluttered up with my everyday skincare and hair styling products, and the bottles would also frequently get knocked over. My frustration levels with this situation hit an all-time high when an $85 bottle of Sunday Riley’s Good Genes tipped over and half of its contents went down the drain.
I knew I had to come up with a better storage solution, or risk going broke on spilled skincare. While I toyed with the idea of installing a floating shelf, which would get the products off the bathroom countertop, I didn’t think it would solve the problem of bottles getting knocked over every time I reached for a product in the back. Storing them under the sink also didn’t feel like a convenient option, as I’d have to stoop down to reach them every single day.
What I didn’t realize was that I already had the perfect product somewhere else in my home. One day, while I was cleaning up books in my kids’ room and putting them back into the IKEA spice rack that we used as a bookshelf, it dawned on me that it would also be perfect for storing personal care products. Not only does the spice rack take advantage of vertical wall storage and free up counter space, but it also comes with a built-in guardrail that prevents bottles from getting knocked over.
I wasted no time installing an IKEA BEKVÄM spice rack in my bathroom and filling it with all of my favorite products, including serums, face masks, makeup brushes, moisturizers, and dry shampoo. In addition to keeping all of these items off of my bathroom counter, it also stores them within arm’s reach, making it convenient for me to access them (and put them away) while I’m getting ready. Indeed, the spice rack streamlined my bathroom routine so much that I was kicking myself for not thinking to use it in there before.
Although I won’t pretend there aren’t still challenges to living with a small bathroom and having limited counter space, the spice rack has made such a big difference in how the space functions. No more cluttered counters, no more spilling expensive serums, and I can easily see/grab what I need every day. Best of all? It only costs $7 and also adds a stylish element to my bathroom decor. If you don’t live near an IKEA, you can also find this same spice rack on Amazon for an added cost.
