Neither Baskets Nor Shelves: A Smarter Way To Store Towels Without Messy Stacks

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Towels are a bathroom essential, and they can take up more space than many homeowners might like. If your home has minimal storage for linens and toiletries, the quest for maintaining order gets even more challenging. Fortunately, there are ways to keep essentials organized that involve neither baskets nor shelves. Whether you're wondering how to display towels decoratively or searching for an option that's simply functional without your towels ending up in a messy stack, there's an easy solution you may not have thought of: a ladder. There are two ways to approach this hack — you can either pick up a purpose-built towel ladder at a store or DIY one that fits your style.

You've probably seen those country kitchen tea towel ladders that stand on countertops with all their rustic charm. This same idea is a great option for bathrooms lacking storage space. You can use the ladder to hang your linens vertically, without taking up much room depth-wise. This design is especially practical because it can be customized to stretch the height of an entire wall, or just the area above a toilet or basin. In fact, once it's installed, all you'll need to think about are the best places to find drool-worthy decorative hand towels.

If you choose a pre-made ladder, customize it to suit your space by sanding, staining, or painting it, and screw on two brackets to connect the ladder to the wall.  To find a good candidate, pop by the tool shed, garage, or your local thrift store for a ladder that suits your space. If you can't find one, don't worry — it's not difficult to put one together from scratch. In fact, you can make this ladder shelf using basic materials that you either have at home or can quickly pick up at your local hardware store. Since you're not planning on climbing this one, you can use rope or timber for the side rails. Wood dowels, like these Alexandria Moulding ½-inch hardwood dowels, are a good choice for the rungs. In a pinch, you could even use wooden broom handles that you just cut to size. 

Cut the dowels to your chosen width, and drill holes in the ends. For a hanging ladder, thread rope, like Raddix natural jute twine, through the rungs and knot it to hold them in place. Then you can attach it to the ceiling with hooks. If you want a standing version that you lean against the wall, use 1-inch by 1-inch boards for the sides instead, and screw the dowels in between them. For this, you'll also want to grab your drill and some wall mounts or brackets, so you can attach the ladder to the wall for added stability. Drape your towels over your creation and enjoy the space-saving magic of your new rack with no shelves or baskets needed.