Smaller bathrooms can find you standing by the sink with no place to set a razor or hair dryer, or to restock the weekly vitamin holder. Improve the situation with three replacement items that, as a bonus, will also refresh the room’s appearance. A bit of shopping and a day or two of work from an experienced remodeling contractor can achieve wonders. Here’s the magic formula:

• No storage doesn’t have to be a problem. Replace your mirror with a surface-mounted medicine cabinet as wide as your sink’s countertop. Depending on width, the cabinet can have one to three mirrored doors that hide shelves. Some even have built-in lights above the mirrors. Bonus: 3-door models provide side and rear views for styling your hair.
• Be careful with vanities. Pedestal sinks work best in bathrooms with plentiful storage. In small bathrooms, however, they steal storage space. Have your contractor build you a vanity if the space is odd-shaped; otherwise, ready-made ones come in many styles, widths, and prices. Some have countertops and built-in sinks. Some are footed cabinets, and others have recessed toe-kicks.
• Shelves are your friends. Add a lipped shelf on brackets over the toilet and one or two above the towel rack for open or bin storage of folded towels, bath toys, and bathroom hand appliances.