5 Affordable and Easy DIY Bathroom Improvements

Upgrading Your Bathroom Doesn't Have to Sap Your Time or Deplete Your Wallet

This post is in partnership with Lutron and Lumber Liquidators. All opinions are my own.

With just five easy and simple DIY changes, you can spruce up your bathroom. Flooring has a big impact on how large or small your bathroom can look. Adding proper lighting, like upgrading to a Lutron automatic light switch can make your bathroom look brighter and more inviting. Speaking of larger spaces, you can even make your shower feel bigger. And finally, adding a wall cabinet adds something more interesting which can make a big impact on the look of your bathroom. These small changes can make a big difference in the look and feel of your bathroom space. 

1. Get the Look of Hardwood Flooring with Water Resistant Vinyl Planks

Plain or outdated bathroom floors can be easily given a wood look with vinyl plank flooring. Tough as nails and remarkably flexible, this innovative flooring from Lumber Liquidators is resistant to water and wear. It’s called a floating floor system and sits atop a cushioned underlayment that goes right over just about any existing floor. Each plank interlocks with the next without the need for glue or nails. Planks interconnect along both the edges and ends, making installation not only easy but surprisingly fast. The finished floor does, indeed, look like real wood but without any of the disadvantages, wood might suffer in a damp environment like a bathroom.

2. Add a Wall Cabinet Above the Toilet

A wall cabinet above the toilet adds a nice touch to any bathroom. Because a toilet tends to protrude into the room, the wall space above can look a bit barren and out of balance. A properly proportioned cabinet above can remedy this situation and, at the same time, add a bit of useful storage. If you'll be working alone on this project, you'll find some useful installation tips in the video. And if by any chance you need to learn how to remove a toilet, we have plenty of resources to show you how.

3. Install a Hands-Free Automatic Light Switch
When I decided to install this occupancy sensing switch from Lutron in our most used bathroom, I wasn't sure just how much of a difference it would make. After a few days though, I came to really love it. Not only does it flip on the lights the moment I walk into the room, but it also turns them off automatically once the room is left vacant for a minute or so. This feature is a real winner when it comes to our kids, who never seem to remember to shut off the lights when they leave a room. Installation, by the way, is a snap... you'll see.

4. For More Elbow Room in the Shower, Put Up a Curved Rod
These days, it's hard to find a hotel room without one of these ingeniously simple devices. Designed to keep the shower curtain away from your upper body and prevent what I call "curtain cling", this double-curved shower rod has yet to find its way into many home bathrooms. Well, if you haven't yet gone curved, may I suggest that the time has come to make your shower bigger? Installation is surprisingly simple, even if you have to deal with a tile surface as I did.  If you enjoy your showers, this is one improvement you'll appreciate on a daily basis.

5. These Slide-Out Baskets Practically Double the Space in Your Bathroom Vanity
I've always found slide-out baskets, bins, and trays very useful in the base cabinet beneath the kitchen sink, which, by the way, almost never comes with shelves of any kind because of the sink and drain protruding down from above. The same, of course, is true for the bathroom vanity. These modular, pull-out wire baskets can be stacked and positioned to work around the plumbing and, perhaps even more importantly, give you easy access to things in the rear which would be nearly impossible to get your hands on otherwise.