Shower only : build in soap/shower gel spaces/holder?

[fastliving]

I having an enclosed shower installed downstairs as part of an extension.
Im not sure what to do about all the bottles of shower gels/shampoo etc.
I am trying to switch to soap to reduce the plastic, but it doesn't work with my hair.
Its my pet hate to have them on the shower tray, but whats a good storage solution (within the shower enclosure)?

Have a indent in wall to be a recessed shelf for soap, shower gel, shampoo whatever

Showergem new to market and excellent

I wish I had an indent done

Lots of ideas here - we're having our bathroom done up at the moment and have bought this one - it has a removable inner bit for ease of cleaning.

We have a shower only bathroom - 3 indented spaces for shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, razor (we use different products, so there isn't just one of each).
Our setup would definitely not work for you if you're moving to soap bars - the shelves and bottles get soaked (rainfall shower head).
TBF, our shelves are on the shower head end of the shower, rather than the drier end...but I wouldn't be happy stepping out of the flow of the shower to reach a bottle of something or a bar of soap from the other end...

If your enclosure is reasonably sized, a small old-school soap holder dish on the shower head column, and a couple of built in shelves could be the way forward?

If you're going shower only though, do make it quite luxurious, in a way that works for you. Well worth it - and if you have built in shelves, you'll never swear at your shampoo bottle as it bounces around the enclosure, hitting you in as many places as it can find, just because you didn't put it down exactly right, again.

Pfft.. ignore me - I missed - 'downstairs, as part of an extension'

Sorry! That wasn't meant snobbishly! Just what I wrote was about main bathroom, rather than spare (if you're lucky enough to have one - we don't!).

alcoves and cutouts in the sides of shower enclosures are good sources of leaks.

Lots of things will hang on a rail. Or hooks in the corners. You can get little triangular shelf caddies.

You could have a chrome rail put up, around head height, or even a shelf if it is out of reach of your face so you won't bang into it. I actually use chrome grab-rails now; they look like thick towel rails but are strong enough for you to hang onto when if you slip in the shower. Should be rustproof and fixed with long stainless screws.
Stand in the shower and mime washing your hair and other parts to see where your elbows go, and put it where you can't bang them.

If you have room for a long enclosure, you can have shelves, rails and hooks at the dry end. Bathroom shelves are usually made of safety toughened glass now, and marked so.

We have one of these. showergem.ie/

I would go for one decent glass shelf positioned so it's not an obstacle or under the shower head. Plus a bar or hooks for flannels etc. That's one flat surface to clean rather than fiddly wirework. Showers usually have a soap holder as part of the riser kit.

I have no storage at all in the shower - just take my bar of soap in with me. I never wash my hair in the shower, always over the bath, so no need for myriad bottles, etc. Makes it much easier to clean the tiles - no soap residue drip, no sticky marks, etc.

One indented shelf, it's big enough for 1 shower gel, 2 shampoos, Conditioner, soap and a sponge. Looks very good and is easy to clean, keeps the shower tidy.

I like the idea of a recess, much tidier, but I can see it will probably stay damp and cause problems.
It will be my first bathroom I've made built, so would like it to look as uncluttered as much as possible, with everyone in the house (everyone uses their own bottles of stuff) storing their bottles in the cabinet and just bringing them out to wash with - then putting them away....I can dream!

It will be the downstairs WC too, so that's another reason I want to keep it looking nice as visitors etc will be using it.

We had an alcove built in - fully water proofed then tiled. Bottom tiles on a very small incline so the water runs out. This is ours before the shower screens went in. Now has my body wash and shampoo / conditioner and his body wash.

I like it because it meant I could get rid of the metal corner unit, and because it’s the right height.

Enjoy the renos!

That's a good tip about the bottom tiles Girl thanks!

We have a shower recess, or niche as the Americans call them. It is very good and can be built as the depth of the stud wall if you are having one out in/using existing one.

I guess you need to speak to your bathroom fitter about what they do to ensure it is watertight. Slope the shelf part very slightly so water runs off and doesn't sit on the shelf.

I dont like those wire caddies - even if they don't rust, there are so many corners to get gunky with products. Plus, if a shower is small is any direction, they are something to bump into and touch your bare skin against which is cold.

A shower niche works well for small showers as anything sticking out just takes up even more of the valuable space.

Do you need to keep everything in the shower?
Like above, we have had a bar of soap kept on ceramic soap shelf in there, and then all shampoos, conditioners or whatever are kept in deep storage drawer under sink. then whoever is having a shower chooses what products they want to use and takes them with them.

We have a tiled high window ledge in walk-in shower where shampoo etc can be stood whilst in use.

Do you need to keep everything in the shower?

We def keep all day to day stuff in the shower. I guess for us we’re at home, not a hotel. The biggest difference to us (and our reno is weeks old) is that we also ‘buried’ our shaving / medicine cabinet.

fastliving if you’re trying to be ‘tidy’ and you’re down to studs, I’d recommend getting a cabinet and putting most of it in the wall. Ours is L120cm x D150cm and all you’ll see is the L120cm x D40cm so it looks streamlined.

If you need a pic, I’ll post one,

L120cm opps I mean L1200cm x W150cm

I have a glass shelf above head height. It’s to the side of the rain head shower and doesn’t really get wet - big enclosure though. We forgot about having an alcove! Alcoves are probably best but the glass shelf is ok.

Girl do you mean the cabinet outside the shower?
Pics would be great if you're happy to share!

Can you put a cupboard in and keep things in there and then get them out as and when you need them? That's what I do. I don't keep any bottles or products out in my bathroom except a bar of soap on the sink. Everything else is put away.

Def time to go for a shower niche when having it built - only chance. All other options can come later if wanted.

I like the plastic shower thing which angles bottles which is linked to at start of thread, as a post-installation answer to storage.....expensive though, and in a small shower might bump you/stick in you still. Looks easy to clean though.

Hope these pics make sense!

Hole - cabinet buried - cabinet with doors on!

We have a double shower head (see previous pic) which is a soaker and ‘normal’ shower head (if you can, please do! well worth it), then a niche for holding washing stuff, then outside over the sink we’ve a shaving / medicine cabinet which we buried so only 40cm of the 150cm (depth) is showing so it’s ‘away’.

Just for info, our shower niche is 45cm wide and 10cm deep, so lots of space. Hight was decided on my biggest bottle. I think it ended up 60cm high because I wanted it.