This Ingenious West Elm Hamper Is the Ultimate Hack for My Tiny Bathroom

Just when with think that maybe, just perhaps, we’ve finally worn our West Elm fandom into the ground, another product comes along that lifts us right back up and reminds us why we love the brand so much. While researching for our list of the best laundry hampers, I spotted this bamboo, wall-mounted model and was immediately attracted to its unique, solution-serving design. However, it wasn’t until I tested it in my tiny apartment bathroom that I found the quality, capacity, and overall performance worthy of a Best List win. Let me tell you why.

First of all: Wall mounting, especially if you’re a renter, can be pretty daunting. While not necessarily skilled, I do have experience drilling, nailing, hanging, and mounting in my apartment over my years of product testing, so I feel comfortable saying this is one of the easier installations I’ve done. That said, it’s imperative to mount (anything, really) to a wall with a solid foundation, such as concrete, brick, or studs (wood panels) — i.e. not drywall. If you follow West Elm’s directions, use screw anchors, and keep a positive attitude, wall-mounting success and personal pride will come.

You’ll also get to reap the benefits of this hamper’s innovative design. I can throw damp hand towels or washcloths over the lower bar to dry — then they go right into the hamper, which pulls out to reveal a deceptively spacious interior. I have a housemate as well, and the hamper offers us enough space to hold all the bathroom linens we both use in a week — about two bath towels, a hand towel, and a few washcloths. Plus, bamboo and polyester resist mildew and mold, and they are easy to wipe clean or rinse and dry as needed.

We’ve even used the hamper for storage when we have guests. We roll clean bath towels and layer them inside the hamper, so it’s super convenient to grab one as they need, drape it over the bar to dry, and reuse. And because the hamper is a true display piece, it serves beautifully as a simple hand towel holder. It’s constantly earning compliments and prompting “where did you get that?!”-s, so I have to thank West Elm… yet again.

Buy: Bamboo Wall-Mounted Laundry Hamper, $160