My day typically starts with a hot shower and yes, I tend to take long showers. That means I need my shampoo, conditioner, soap and more in the shower but where? Sadly most builders don't bother put a shower shelf in because it's an added cost and prone to problems tiling around the shelf.
![A shower shelf using suction cups works if you don't mind putting it up over & over ...](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16084256/bathrooms-shower-shelf-suction-cups-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
Just because my shower doesn't have a built-in shelf, doesn't mean I don't need (want) one. I've tried nice shelves that adhere to the tiles with suction cups but ultimately, they come crashing down. If you have a combination bathtub/shower, you can keep everything on the lip around the tub but in a standalone shower, you're stuck keeping everything on the floor of the shower.
![A beautiful stainless steel shower shelf from Schluter ...](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16090237/bathrooms-schluter-shower-shelf-narrow-corner-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
Finding the Perfect Shower Shelf
You probably have an unwritten list of things you'd like to do to update your home or make it more functional. A shower shelf has been on my list since moving into my new home … but the pandemic has limited shopping in person. As the world opens up, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the Schluter shower shelves (example above) at the International Builder Show (IBS) (click to see what else I found) that I attended last week.
There was no shower display showing how nice the shelf looked once installed. There was a simple display of the various products Schluter makes, including some I've used although they're not shown here. What I can't tell you is what made me stop walking? Was it the Schluter name? the visual display of shower shelves?
![](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16091751/bathrooms-shower-shelves-shluter-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
Buying a Shower Shelf Online
While writing my review on the products discovered at IBS, I got excited enough to try and order my shelf. Like everyone else, I learned to shop online during the pandemic so I headed to google to start my search. It felt like Google's results were biased … towards companies paying for ads?
![](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16095210/bathrooms-shower-shelf-where-to-buy-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
So I headed to Amazon as I like being able to access my buying history and their return policy. This is where this article began with BAD information on Amazon. Are you curious about what I considered bad information? Let's see if you can spot the problem …
![Amazon listing for a Schluter shower shelf with incorrect measurements ...](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16110323/bathrooms-schluter-shower-shelf-wrong-sizes-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
Now let me give you a clue as I had a specific measurement I needed to check before ordering my shelf. The shower in my master bathroom is a walk-in with a glass wall. If possible, I wanted to hide all my shower paraphernalia so it wouldn't be visible through the glass wall. The short wall is just 9 inches wide so I needed a shelf where one side was less than 9 inches.
![If you're tired of reaching down to the floor for shampoo, it's time for a shower shelf ...](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16111805/bathrooms-shower-shelf-or-floor-for-storage-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
Once you look at the measurements in this Amazon listing, you might notice that the width and depth are different where the image shows a shelf that's square with one corner removed. So I checked the measurements for the rectangular, Quadrilat Corner shelf. It also wouldn't fit inside my 9 inch corner (14.6″D x 10.5″W x 1.3″H) but that didn't make sense.
Now I was really frustrated. I'd found the perfect shower shelf product but it was too big? It was time to check the measurements on Schluter's website and I was right, these shelves would all fit inside my 9 inch corner … yeah!
![](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16113627/bathrooms-schluter-shower-wall-shelf-dimensions-ht4w1920x-720x507.jpg)
Now here's a goofy scenario to follow when you're doing your research:
- Start your research on Google (open up images to look for what you want) or …
- Use Amazon to identify the generic product name you're searching for, along with the manufacturer if that's important to you. I already knew Schluter produced quality products … or especially with Chinese manufacturers, read their spec sheets (not the marketing ones, but those required by the US government to import products).
- Find a product you're interested in and search for it on HomeDepot.com because they do a better job giving you product information (click for Schluter's product brochure) along with installation and maintenance tips. They're clickable links that get you to the manufacturers info quickly.
![](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16120015/building-products-home-depot-resources-help-ht4w1920x-720x204.jpg)
Helpful Installation Resources
If you install tile for a living, you already know how to install these shower shelves and many others where the shelf gets installed along with the tile. If your a homeowner who wants to tackle this project … and you should, here are some resources to help you get it done right.
- For written directions with photos, read The Journal of Light Construction's How to Install a Schluter Corner Shelf.
- If you prefer a video, watch Schluter's How to install Schluter®-SHELF-E: Installation with Tile.
![](https://cdn.hometipsforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/11160954/bathrooms-shower-shelves-schluter-collage2-ht4w1920-720x405.jpg)
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