11 Medicine Cabinet Alternatives​ For Stylish Bathroom Storage

While the once-popular bathroom trend may be making a comeback in 2024, medicine cabinets are not a must-have decor feature again just yet. Critics of the units note that they're hard to fit into small bathrooms, not practical for renters wanting a temporary update since they're installed with screws, and often look generic. How boring! However, we all need somewhere to neatly keep (and, let's be honest, for those with a skincare routine obsession, sometimes proudly display) our lotions, brushes, and linens. Thankfully, there are tons of creative alternatives to the traditional storage solution, from floating ladder shelves and converted bar trolleys to bathtub drawers and shower curtains with pockets.

If you're replacing a medicine cabinet with another item you can use to organize your bathroom that has open storage, keep in mind that some beauty products and medicines deteriorate when exposed to sunlight. If you have a particularly sunny bathroom, make sure you add opaque walled containers to your shelves or baskets to stow sensitive products. Other precautions to keep in mind include affordability of your preferred alternative bathroom storage solution, whether you can drill or cut into the walls (renters beware here), and how waterproof or easy-to-clean the material is. Bathrooms are damp places after all, and mold and mildew build-up should be a significant consideration when reviewing storage options.

Creating a DIY hidden medicine cabinet that adds so much storage to your bathroom is easier than you think if you have a few simple tools and some basic carpentry skills. Measure and cut a hole in your drywall, then craft a simple open shelf from wood planks to fit neatly inside so it fits flush with the wall. Attach hinges to one side of a favorite painting and screw it into the wall over your shelves. All it will look like to the casual bathroom user is some artwork, but to you, it will be the perfect place to store all your essentials.

Have a flat, vertical metal surface in your bathroom? Switch out a traditional medicine cabinet for multiple magnetic spice racks. Despite being traditionally used in kitchens, they work just as well in the bathroom. Stick them to metal shower panels or vanity sides and magnetic mirrors or wall paint. You'll be surprised by how many tubs, bottles, and tubes these nifty contraptions hold, and there's no pesky door to pull open each time you want to use a beauty product. We like the Aufworld Magnetic Spice Rack for Refrigerator that costs just $23 for four racks with side hooks because the mesh front reduces moisture build-up.

One shelf is rarely enough when it comes to bathroom storage. That's why a traditional medicine cabinet is full of them. Deconstruct a cabinet by removing the external barrier for quick, easy storage and curate a collection of open shelves on the wall instead. At about $27, the QEEIG Farmhouse Bathroom Shelves mix wooden and black wire floating shelves for a rustic aesthetic. If you want lots of flexibility, try the Liuoud 10-Pack Rust Proof Shower Organizer Shelves for under $30, which come with everything from soap holders to toothbrush caddies to bottle racks.

If you have a small bathroom, adding a bulky medicine cabinet would make it feel even more cramped. There is, however, a clever spot for storage you might have missed: the slim space between the wall and the bathroom door. Measure this gap to determine how deep of a shelf you can squeeze in and either build one yourself or buy one. For example, you could purchase the about $80 raw pine wood SweetBin Space-Saving Behind The Door Storage Shelf. Covering this unit with waterproof paint would make it bathroom safe. Either way, make sure your choice spans from floor to ceiling to maximize your storage options.

Regular ladder shelves are a popular bathroom organization solution for renters since they stay upright without nails or screws. However, if you're wanting something more like a medicine cabinet in that it sits above your sink, a standard length ladder shelf isn't going to work. Instead, cut out just a portion of a ladder shelf — say, two or three rungs — to get the look without those long, space-hogging legs. This option floats above the vanity when wall-mounted. Use the top few shelves to store your skin, hair, and body care products, while the bottom rung is perfect for hanging a hand towel.

Have you ever looked at your bathtub and thought, "Gosh, there's a lot of space between those walls and that curved interior that could be put to good use"? Then it's time to get out your tools and turn that space into shallow drawers or cabinets. Toe kick drawers mean you don't have to bend down to open them, while shaker-style doors look stylish. Just be sure to use waterproof construction materials. Alternatively, there are luxury freestanding bathtubs with built-in open shelves already on the market, though they're not cheap. For example, ADM Bathroom's SW-126 bathtub sells for just over $4,000.

Technically, a medicine cabinet is just a bulky shelving niche with a door. Why not do away with that cumbersome door and sink the whole thing into your wall? You'll save space, know exactly what you need to buy again at a glance, and be able to grab items quickly on those rushed weekday mornings. Similarly to the hidden medicine cabinet, you'll cut a hole in your wall, frame it, and drop in some shelves. However, you forgo the door, leaving the shelving open. Paint the back of the shelves the same color as your walls or make it a feature with boldly-patterned waterproof wallpaper.

Despite those dreams of a mixologist's dream home bar, you have yet to take that wheeled bar cart you bought a few months back out of the box. Repurpose it (or a similar kitchen cart) into a rolling medicine cabinet for your bathroom. They're already designed to hold bottles, tubs, jars, and dish cloths, so they're perfect for storing everything from beauty products and soap to hand towels and toilet paper. Look for trolleys either with painted mesh or something made of plastic and fully enclosed to reduce moisture damage and mildew build-up. Wedge it between your toilet and vanity or a similarly slim spot.

Baskets look cute, are lightweight, and are usually pretty affordable. They're perfect for renters because you can mount them to your wall using removable Command hooks. Hang wicker baskets in assorted sizes by their handles and fill them with your daily beauty products. They're able to withstand humidity far better than you might think, so long as they're wiped down regularly. Or, buy three or four wire baskets with stick-on hooks and mount them one above another to create a storage unit. Bonus: Add hooks to hang things like loofahs and face cloths. Alternatively, add some baskets to existing wooden or metal shelves for more discreet storage.

Take advantage of the frame around your window and install some shelves. It'll create more privacy and add some nifty storage that won't steal any space from your bathroom interior. Measure the depth and width of your window, cut some simple, stubby wooden brackets to the window frame (or buy metal ones to size), and screw your shelves onto them. However, note that some beauty products deteriorate when exposed to heat or light, so check the manufacturer's instructions printed on the packages for storage advice. Keep those products elsewhere, and use your window shelves for non-perishables.

There's one vertical surface in your bathroom we almost guarantee you've never considered as a medicine cabinet alternative: your shower curtain. Some shower curtains come replete with pockets deep enough to hold everything from that bottle of hand soap to your hairbrush. For instance, the Love Creative Quick Dry Mesh Pockets Waterproof PEVA Shower Curtain costs about $17, or get an opaque gray version by Zenna Home for a similar price. If you don't want to buy a whole new shower curtain and you're nifty with a sewing machine, cut some custom-sized pockets out of waterproof vinyl or plastic mesh and sew them on.