Bathroom

Bathrooms are usually the smallest room in the house and the one with the most daily traffic. Storage has to survive steam, splashes and being knocked, which rules out a lot of otherwise-clever ideas.

We focus on three things here: getting bottles off the floor of the shower, giving small items a home so the basin stays clear, and using the back of the door — often the only unused square metre in the room. Suction fittings can work on flat, non-porous tiles but rarely on textured surfaces or grout lines; tension rods and over-door hooks are the more reliable route in a rental.

Anything that sits in permanent damp should be able to drain and dry. Look for open weave, drainage holes or rust-resistant coatings, and be sceptical of solid-bottomed caddies in a wet shower.