I didn't have shelves in my tiny en suite shower, so I tried adhesive shampoo storage and it's stayed up for years

I've been pleasantly surprised at its sticking power

Three small bathrooms. Left yellow with checkered tiles and path panel plus lots of plants, middle is dark and moody with antique touches and sheer wallpaper, right is light bright and tiled walls and floors
(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

I am years out from having my dream bathroom, so in the mean time, I have settled with what I do have, including the distinct lack of storage in my tiny en suite bathroom.

I am mobility limited and in chronic pain so keeping shampoo bottles on the floor in my small shower cubicle isn't an option. I didn't want to drill into the tiles and cause a leak by accident, so I took the plunge on adhesive in-shower shelves from Amazon and to my surprise, they’re not only brilliant, but have remained firmly stuck on for three years.

This brilliant small bathroom storage idea may be just the ticket if you lack space, or have a bathroom renovation coming up and need something to do the job in the mean time.

Why I rate adhesive shower storage shelves

All prices correct at time of writing.

I have a very small en suite and therefore shower, plus I have a sitting stool in there and not a lot of space for manouever. A corner bathroom shelf was what I needed and I bought one similar to the one above.

I stuck on the adhesive sheets, left it 24 hours than slotted the shelf onto it. That was it. It has lasted nearly four years and not once budged despite the shower being used daily by our household.

My advice would be to pick no-drill shelving with drainage underneath to avoid stagnating water and soap scum collecting.

En suite small bathroom showing white sink and sage green fluted panel under sink storage and gray fluffy towel on chrome towel rail. There are trailing plants in the window and a cat sipping coffee poster that reads More Espresso, Less Depresso

My bathroom is small, the shower compact and I need it to remain accessible for my disability and limited mobility.

(Image credit: Future/ Punteha van Terheyden)

Installation

A white tiled small en suite bathroom shower cubicle with chrome fixtures, a gray corner shelf and bathroom soaps and shampoos

I opted for a plastic adhesive bathroom shelf so that I could put in the dishwasher for regular and easy cleaning

(Image credit: Punteha van Terheyden)

I use adhesive, no-drill storage all over my home to make use of vertical storage space inside my wardrobes, in my shower and under my kitchen sink. The key to making them stick is to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

All of the ones I have in my home, including my long-lasting bathroom shelves and Amazon storage gems in my closet stress the importance of sticking them on a clean, dry surface free from grease and grime, and then crucially, leaving them on for for a full 24 hours before attaching the storage.

This allows adequate time for the adhesive to properly bond and set on the wall. Adding storage earlier will likely cause it to fall off. I tried the Joseph Joseph pan lid organizers and they have been stuck like cement inside my kitchen cabinet door, even though some of the Amazon reviews said they fell off immediately. Mine have stayed on and aren't going anywhere because I gave them the full 24 hours.

The same applies for the storage shelves. I left the adhesive pads on for 24 hours, and didn't allow it to get wet either in that time, and then loaded it up and it's been happily there for almost four years now. It hasn't budged.

Maintenance

A wooden crate filled with non-branded cleaning spray bottles

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Every two weeks, I remove the shelves, clean them as I would anywhere else in the bathroom to avoid bacteria and mold build up, using a mold and mildew bathroom cleaning spray suitable for tiles, available on Amazon. Then I clean the shower wall that is usually concealed by the shelving. This helps avoid 'pink mold', which is actually a common bathroom, from bacteria building up.

If you find pink bacteria residue or mold forms behind the adhesive, it will likely need to come off and be replaced with clean new adhesive replacements available in bulk on Amazon. Just make sure you check the dimensions match your shelving before purchasing.

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Next, learn how to organize a bathroom with no storage. There's always a solution for every problem, trust us!

Punteha van Terheyden
Head of Solved

Punteha was editor of Real Homes before joining Homes and Gardens as Head of Solved. Previously, she wrote and edited lifestyle and consumer pieces for the national UK press for the last 16 years, working across print and digital newspapers and magazines. She’s a Sunday Times bestselling ghostwriter and founding editor of independent magazine, lacunavoices.com. Punteha loves keeping her home clean, has tested and reviewed the latest robot vacuums, enjoys DIY, and spending weekends personalizing her newly-built home, tackling everything from plumbing to tiling.