Neither Cabinets Nor Baskets: The Space-Saving Way To Store Towels In Small Bathrooms

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Having a small bathroom often requires a bit of ingenuity. After all, it can be difficult to find places to store just the essentials, from toilet paper to haircare items. But what about your extra towels? They're high on the priority list when it comes to bathroom must haves — it's no fun to step out of the shower and discover there isn't one in sight. Instead of scrunching them into the cabinet with everything else, you can easily maximize space with a couple of towel bars.

Now, using towel bars doesn't sound like much of a hack. Where the clever part comes in is that you actually install them vertically. A TikToker named its.courtni.btw shared this bathroom storage idea, which helps create a spot for towels that aren't in use. Most of us drape our wet towels over a horizontal bar so they dry and stay mildew-free. If the bars are vertical, however, you can wedge dry towels between them so they're on hand when you need one.

You'll need a pair of towel bars for this space-saving solution. They have a wide selection on Amazon, such as this Matte Black Towel Bar. Or, you could also run to a store like Walmart that carries this set of Adjustable Towel Holders. Sure, it's possible to purchase a wall rack for your bathroom. But the fact that towel bars are such common items makes this an idea worth keeping in your back pocket. It can very quickly give you more towel storage room without having to remodel your bathroom.

The first thing to do is find an empty wall in your bathroom to house the towels. A small bathroom won't have many options, of course. However, you'll want to install your towel bars in a place that won't get misted by water. Measure the space on your wall to ensure you select bars that'll be a good fit. Then, hang them side by side approximately a foot apart. To be safe, you can fold one of your towels in half and measure its width prior to the installation. You'll want to be able to tuck just the edges of your towels behind the vertical bars, so take that into account when deciding how far apart they should be.

Next, you're going to roll your towels up. Since there likely won't be more than a few inches of space between the wall and the actual bars, thinner towels will work the best. One by one, fold them lengthwise in half and start rolling them up. You'll want them to be tight, but also flatten them slightly as you roll in order to help them fit better. Place the horizontal rolls between the vertical bars, and they should stay neatly in place. If multiple people use the bathroom, you might not be able to store your entire collection all at once. However, you can add more whenever you need them, so that no one is ever in a jam.