IKEA’s HAVBÄCK Adds Ample Storage to This Tiny NYC Bathroom

Content creator Joseph Carano is popping off. You might know him from his gardening tips or, more recently, you might be a new follower taking notes on how he lives in his 220-square-foot New York City studio apartment — especially how he gets so much storage out of his tiny bathroom. One note I’m following is how he utilizes IKEA’s HAVBÄCK cabinet in his tiny bathroom to add storage without taking up precious floor space; he even has a charming nickname for it because of how it helps him. 

“My bathroom is a 4.5-by-7-foot, black-and-white tiled classic NYC sanctuary,” Joseph explains. “But with just one shallow medicine cabinet, it lacked serious storage, which is a real problem for a guy who takes his routine seriously.”

Joseph dubbed the IKEA cabinet his “bathroom garage” because it’s “a place you can put all your stuff,” he explains. Some people think of a garage as a catch-all space, and that’s what this cabinet has become for Joseph. It comes with five shelves that display the products he receives from brands, along with other bathroom knickknacks.

But what makes this IKEA cabinet so special is that it doesn’t take up much room at all. As I mentioned before, his bathroom is tiny — he has to hang his bath towel in the shower (no, it doesn’t get wet)! — so he needed storage without giving up floor space. At just 6 inches deep, the cupboard was meant to do just that. 

The cabinet takes advantage of vertical storage, as it’s 18 inches tall. He chose IKEA’s gray finish option because he didn’t want the cabinet to blend in with the rest of the white in his bathroom, but it also comes in beige and white. And that’s not the only customization — you can choose which side the door opens on, add hardware to the front (or not!), and adjust the shelves to better suit your products.

“Whenever guests visit, they’re always shocked when they see inside the bathroom garage — I think it’s because of just how much fits in there,” Joseph says. “Without it, my life would be chaos. Now I have to stay disciplined and resist filling every inch, because there’s inevitably always something else you want to ‘put in the garage.’”

Joseph isn’t the only small-space renter who appreciates this cabinet. “I have a TINY bathroom in a rental apartment, and this fits perfectly under a window without taking up too much space,” an anonymous reviewer wrote on IKEA’s website. “It makes a world of difference not having all of my toiletries on the open shelving provided by the landlords. I love it; I’m purchasing another one for our other (normal-sized) bathroom. I took one star off because it doesn’t include a door pull; you have to buy it separately. Be sure to purchase one when you pick up the cabinet.”

If you live in a small space, consider this cabinet a great way to utilize vertical storage without being an eyesore or taking up too much room. Joseph has many more small-living tricks up his sleeve. Visit the full House Tour to learn more. 

Buy: HAVBÄCK Wall Cabinet, $139