20 Stylish Towel Storage Ideas for the Bathroom

As far as we're concerned, a bathroom is so much more than a place where you brush your teeth, fix your makeup, and master that close shave. Like any other room in the house, it has the power to be a sanctuary — you know, somewhere you'd actually ​want​ to take a bath and relax after a long day. Because of that, it's important to design every square inch with care. Yes, that includes coming up with some cool ideas for storing towels.

There's a good chance that you've spent a lot of time, money, and research finding the perfect bath and hand towels for your space — something soft and absorbent that dries quickly — but you probably haven't put much thought into where you're going to store them. And let's be honest, stuffing your bathroom towels in a random cabinet or in the back of your closet isn't doing your linens any favors. So why not stash a few in the bathroom? While we don't recommend keeping all of your towels here due to the humidity and moisture that's present, it's okay to keep a few within arm's reach as long as you swap them out regularly. Additionally, adequate ventilation and/or closed storage will reduce the risk of mold or mildew.

While bathroom towels might serve a strictly utilitarian purpose (read: to dry you off), that doesn't mean they can't become part of your design, too. Here are 20 bathroom towel storage solutions that you can easily bring into any space.

It turns out that ladders aren't just for home improvement projects; they double as a great bathroom towel storage idea, too. Not only will this addition give your bathroom California-cool flair but different rungs are also perfect for storing (and drying) the whole family's towels. Instead of plucking your old ladder out of the garage, pick up a sleek, visually pleasing alternative, like the one in this space designed by Amber Lewis.

Open shelving has been all the rage in the kitchen, but it works just as well in the bathroom, too. Looking for a DIY project? You can easily master this towel shelf idea by installing one or two on your own. Once you're finished, inject some personality by adding glass jars filled with soaps and cotton swabs along with your towels. Let designer Nicole Davis show you how it's done.

Some of the best parts of a home or apartment are the little details that give it character, so why not play them up as you decorate your space? Placing your bathroom towels on a built-in shelving unit, like Cathy and Garrett from The Grit and Polish, can make your storage strategy feel like an intentional design decision instead of an afterthought.

Don't worry, small space dwellers: We have a bathroom towel storage idea for you, too. Capitalize on your real estate by installing a hanging storage system. The iron shelving unit that designer Jaclyn Peters employed looks sharp ​and​ can easily be hung anywhere, including above a toilet or bathroom sink. That's a win-win in our book.

Ready to take your bathroom to the next level? Placing pristine white bath towels in a basket or storage container will make your space feel like a spa. Take a cue from blogger Monika Hibbs and pick up a storage basket that speaks to your design style.

There's something about filling a cabinet or counter's negative space with fluffy towels that makes us feel like we're in a five-star hotel. If you want to recreate this look in your own home, take a page out of The Grit and Polish's design book and remove one cabinet drawer to create a little cubby for your towels. Genius!

If you ​have​ to store your bathroom towels in a freestanding cabinet, might we recommend selecting a piece of furniture with glass doors à la designer Katie LeClercq? That way, you can show off your fancy washcloths and bath sheets, and you'll be able to easily deduce how much longer you can put off doing laundry.

You don't have to completely remodel your bathroom to make room for your fluffy towel collection. Consider investing in a new, roomier vanity cabinet instead. Designer Nicole Davis opted for this double vanity option with open shelving below each sink, which is perfect for towel storage.

If you already have a towel bar in your bathroom, why not try using it to your advantage instead of starting from scratch? Take the traditional look to the next level by layering a few vertically on your bathroom wall. You'll be able to store more towels this way, and you can even have fun with the pattern and color, as shown in this bathroom design by Luke and Jasmin from Style Curator.

Wall hooks are a small bathroom's best friend. Choose a finish that complements your space, like the sleek black option used by Bri Emery of Designlovefest in this setup. Since your towels will be on full, constant display, it's a great excuse to splurge on the luxurious Turkish bath sheets that you've been eyeing.

If you're blessed with a spacious bathroom full of drawer space, consider consolidating your beauty products to make space for a few towels and washcloths. It will keep you from having to run to the linen closet if you forget your towel. This high-end space seen in a showroom house by Clarke features heated drawers, but your regular ones will do the job just fine.

Combine a place to sit and get ready with additional storage by adding a simple bench to your bathroom. Go for one that has two tiers and reserve the bottom level for extra clean towels. This bright setup from the interior design team behind Patterns and Prosecco perfectly mixes function and style.

Many bathrooms don't have the floor space for cute wicker baskets, and sometimes, you need more storage than a basic shelf can provide. Take notes from this bathroom by Rebecca from R and R at Home and combine the two ideas. She hung metal baskets on the wall in place of shelves. Not only will this solution add an industrial feel to your bathroom but it will keep everything your guests may need within arm's reach.

No one likes asking for a towel or having to run across the house to get one. Make life easier for you and your guests by placing a cute, woven basket filled with towels right on your counter. Take this bathroom by Mindy Gayer, for instance. The basket adds just the right amount of texture to the sleek and modern design.

Storing your towels doesn't have to be complicated. It can be as simple as stacking them on a cute chair or stool à la this setup from Brook of Nesting With Grace. Select towels in a fun hue, like the blush pink ones seen here, to instantly add color to an otherwise neutral bathroom.

We've already established how useful hooks and baskets are when it comes to storing your bathroom necessities, but what about combining the two? Here, Kelly from The Lily Pad Cottage placed neatly rolled towels in a basket that hangs off one of three wall hooks. You'll never have to wonder which towels are clean.

When you're dealing with limited square footage, you may think it's better to select pieces that are small so you can fit more into the space, but actually, the opposite is true. Too many small accessories will make your bathroom feel even smaller. Follow in the footsteps of Shay and Dean from The Block Shop and install a large, wall-mounted towel rack to make the room feel larger. You can even opt for a heated option like this one from Pottery Barn.

Much like a dedicated cabinet, a shelving unit is a great way to store all of your clean towels in one place. However, this idea will take up a large chunk of your space, so it is probably not the best solution for a small bathroom. Another factor to keep in mind is that everything on the shelves will always be on display, so you will need to resist the urge to haphazardly throw things on them.

Looking for a quick and easy towel holder? Stackable bins like these woven gems are an attractive way to fill a corner and stash your towels. Many retailers — such as IKEA, H&M Home, and Amazon, to name a few — offer a variety of different options that will fit your design style and keep your bath sheets right at your fingertips.

Even if you have a wall-mounted or floating vanity, you can still make room to stash extra towels. Follow the lead of this sleek bathroom decor idea and install a shelf below the sink. If you really want to make the most of your space, you can add a hanging towel bar to the underside of the countertop, too.