Keep Kitchen Towels Off Countertops With A Smart Sliding Storage Solution

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Having a kitchen towel close at hand is important for virtually any kitchen task, whether you're handwashing dishes or mixing ingredients for your favorite cake recipe. Those towels can contribute to the cluttered feeling of the kitchen, however, if they're just left sitting on countertops after you've completed your projects. One clever and innovative way to tame those towels is to keep them stored under the sink on slide-out bars. 

The mechanism is a lot like a drawer slide that makes it easier to access spices, pots and pans, you name it. In this case, the slide holds one to several towel bars that can be pulled forward for easy access. The Rev-a-Shelf 3-prong dish towel bar is one such example. While styles and specifics vary from one model or manufacturer to the next, they all work in similar fashion and take up a minimum amount of space under the sink. Slide-out towel bars can hold dish towels and dish cloths, so you can have each item at the ready whenever you need it. They're also an excellent way to maximize storage space in a small kitchen. 

One thing that makes it easier to add a slide-out towel bar than install a pair of drawer slides is that there's only one — that is, there's no drawer that has to be aligned perfectly within a set of slides in order for it to pull out as intended. Product information for the Rev-a-Shelf version, for instance, says it takes just 5 minutes to install the slide-out towel bar. However, it's still important to read the dimensions of the slide-out shelf before buying it to make sure it'll fit into the designated space in the cabinet under the sink. Also, make sure you have ample clearance to slide the towel bars out of the cabinet, as they need space to move. 

Hold the towel bar horizontally in the designated area, and use a level to ensure that it is parallel with the floor. Mark its position with pencil in case it slips, and then insert the screws that came with the towel bar — note that you may have to drill holes into the cabinet before installing the bar. Some models have a cover that slides over some of the mechanical portions of the bar. If yours does, snap that on, add your towels, and you're done.  Since the towels are stored out of your sightline, it can be easy to forget about them from time to time. So, remember to wash those kitchen towels regularly to ensure they're fairly sanitary.