Recessed storage devices and methods

Abstract

Recessed storage devices and methods for storing toilet cleaning accessories includes a cabinet having a housing with a rear wall, a front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the rear wall and the front wall to define an interior space between the rear wall and the front wall. The front wall is movably coupled to the peripheral wall such that the front wall is openable to provide access to the interior space. The cabinet also includes a lip having opposite ends coupled to the peripheral wall and being spaced from the rear wall. The lip has a bottom edge coupled to the peripheral wall between the opposite ends of the lip, wherein the lip defines a well at a bottom of the interior space whereby the lip is configured to retain a fluid within the well. The cabinet may be recessively mounted within a frame wall in a bathroom.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cabinet comprising:
 a housing having a rear wall, a front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the rear wall and the front wall to define an interior space between the rear wall and the front wall, the front wall being movably coupled to the peripheral wall such that the front wall is openable to provide access to the interior space; and   a lip having opposite ends coupled to the peripheral wall and being spaced from the rear wall, the lip having a bottom edge coupled to the peripheral wall between the opposite ends of the lip, wherein the lip defines a well at a bottom of the interior space whereby the lip is configured to retain a fluid within the well.   
     
     
         2 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         3 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a wood material. 
     
     
         4 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall is spaced from the back wall by at least 10.0 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge pivotably coupling the front wall to the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         6 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , further comprising a closure being attached to the housing and releasably securing the front wall against the peripheral wall in a closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The cabinet of  claim 6 , the closure further comprising:
 a first magnetically active material being positioned on the front wall;   a second magnetically active material being positioned on the peripheral wall in alignment with the first magnetically active material when the front wall is in the closed position; and   the first and the second magnetically active materials being magnetically attached to each other and removably coupling the front wall to the peripheral wall.   
     
     
         8 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , the interior space having a height of at least 20.0 inches wherein the housing is configured for enclosing a toilet plunger. 
     
     
         9 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the lip is continuous with a width of the interior space. 
     
     
         10 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the lip comprises a plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , further comprising a liner covering an interior surface of the housing, the interior surface being positioned on the rear wall and the peripheral wall within the interior space. 
     
     
         12 . The cabinet of  claim 11 , wherein the liner comprises a plastic material. 
     
     
         13 . The cabinet of  claim 11 , wherein the interior surface is also positioned on the front wall within the interior space. 
     
     
         14 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral wall has a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the plurality of apertures being configured to receive a plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners being configured to secure the housing within a cutout formed in a wall. 
     
     
         15 . A recessed bathroom cabinet comprising:
 a housing having a rear wall, a front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the rear wall and the front wall to define an interior space between the rear wall and the front wall, the front wall being movably coupled to the peripheral wall such that the front wall is openable to provide access to the interior space, the interior space having a top side opposite a bottom side, the housing having a rectangular shape, the housing comprising wood;   a hinge pivotably coupling the front wall to the peripheral wall;   a closure being attached to the housing and releasably securing the front wall against the peripheral wall in a closed position, the closure comprising:
 a first magnetically active material being positioned on the front wall; 
 a second magnetically active material being positioned on the peripheral wall in alignment with the first magnetically active material when the front wall is in the closed position; 
 the first and the second magnetically active materials being magnetically attached to each other and removably coupling the front wall to the peripheral wall; 
 wherein the first magnetically active material comprises a strike plate and wherein the second magnetically active material comprises a magnet being attached to the peripheral wall and extending into the interior space, the strike plate contacting and being magnetically retained in contact with the magnet when the front wall is in the closed position; 
   a lip having opposite ends coupled to the peripheral wall and being spaced from the rear wall, the lip having a bottom edge coupled to the peripheral wall between the opposite ends of the lip, wherein the lip defines a well at the bottom side of the interior space whereby the lip is configured to retain a liquid within the well, the lip being plastic;   a liner covering an interior surface of the housing, the interior surface being positioned on the front wall, the rear wall and the peripheral wall within the interior space, the liner being plastic; and   the peripheral wall having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the plurality of apertures being configured to receive a plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners being configured to secure the housing within a cutout formed in a bathroom wall, wherein the front wall opens outwardly from the bathroom wall when the housing is mounted within the cutout.   
     
     
         16 . A method of storing cleaning accessories in a bathroom comprising:
 forming a cutout in a wall of the bathroom, the cutout being configured to receive a cabinet, the cabinet comprising:
 a housing having a rear wall, a front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the rear wall and the front wall to define an interior space between the rear wall and the front wall, the front wall being movably coupled to the peripheral wall such that the front wall is openable to provide access to the interior space; and 
 a lip having opposite ends coupled to the peripheral wall and being spaced from the rear wall, the lip having a bottom edge being coupled to the peripheral wall between the opposite ends of the lip, wherein the lip defines a well at a bottom of the interior space whereby the lip is configured to retain a fluid within the well; 
 the peripheral wall having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the plurality of apertures being configured to receive a plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners being configured to secure the housing within the cutout, wherein the front wall opens outwardly from the bathroom wall when the housing is mounted within the cutout; 
   positioning the cabinet within the cutout;   securing the cabinet within the cutout by coupling the plurality of fasteners to the wall through the plurality of apertures; and   placing the cleaning accessories within the interior space, the cleaning accessories including a toilet plunger and a toilet cleaning brush.