There are many different bathroom shelving options, and they all have advantages and disadvantages. For example, small shelves that are set directly on top of the toilet tank or hang off the toilet tank do not fit many items but are easily installed and readily accessible. Another shelving option is the utilization of space inside bathroom cabinets to store objects out of sight, though installing cabinets can be expensive. Other shelves are placed in plain sight and can be either mounted on the walls or placed on the floor.
Some bathroom shelves are designed to be attached to or placed on top of the toilet tank. Many of these tank-mounted accessories, also known as tank toppers, simply latch on and attach to one side of the toilet tank and hang a basket off to the side. Often, these types of tank toppers are sized to fit rolls of toilet paper, magazines, and other items that people might want to have near a toilet. The other kind of tank topper is essentially a tray sized to fit directly on top of a toilet tank. This type of tanker topper often has slightly raised edges so that items cannot fall or roll off the shelf.
Bathroom cabinets that are fitted underneath sinks or on the walls are often an alternative to bathroom shelves or can have shelves fitted inside them. The contents of bathroom cabinets, or possibly the bathroom shelves within them, are less visually accessible than bathroom shelves in the main space of the bathroom. This can make cabinets and cabinet shelving good storage options for items that are considered more private or that the owner of the bathroom does not want in plain sight. A possible disadvantage to bathroom cabinets and the shelves within them is that they might not have as much space as some open-room shelving options.
Another option for bathroom shelves is the use of shelves that are open in the room and can be attached to the wall or stand alone on the floor. These shelves are often made of materials like wire and glass. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these options. For example, shelves built onto the walls might require more technical know-how to install properly and be more permanent fixtures in the bathroom. Floor shelving is less permanent but might make the room feel more crowded, as well as take up valuable floor space.