This Thrift Store Flip Keeps Kitchen Towels Off The Counter In The Cutest Way

Keeping your kitchen counters clear of clutter isn't always easy, but there are plenty of hacks you can use to alleviate the problem. For many of your towels, you can try tricks to fold kitchen towels to get the most out of shallow drawers. However, it's handy to keep one out for easy access, and hanging it up is an easy solution. You can use a stick-on hook or drawer handles to hang them, but why not go for something cuter? Youtuber Sandy's Country Crafts shared a fantastic craft, combining a vintage paper towel holder and a rolling pin into a lovely wall-mounted kitchen towel hanger.

To start, thrift a paper towel holder that you like. You can use any style, but some will work better than others. The one the YouTuber uses was made to be wall-mounted, which makes things simpler. A countertop holder with a vertical rod will be trickier, since you'd need to find a place where the rod wouldn't stick out into the room. If you're concerned about drilling into the wall, look for modern holders that use adhesive or magnets, or lightweight vintage holders that could be secured with adhesive strips.

If your paper towel holder has a spinning dowel, the next step is to remove and replace it. It may seem obvious to hang your kitchen towel on the dowel, but if it spins, your towel could end up on the floor. The YouTuber used a rolling pin, which is more stable while adding charm. If your rolling pin fits into the dowel slot, then you can move straight to adding decorative touches and hanging it on your wall. If the pin is too long, add a cut going diagonally into the holes to allow the handles to slide down into place.

You can follow Sandy's Country Crafts's video step-by-step for a lovely towel hanger, but there are also plenty of ways to add your own flair to it. A rolling pin is charming, but you could use something different if you prefer. You could use part of a shed antler, a spoon, or a nice stick that can be cleaned up. If it rolls a little too much, consider adding a dot of glue or some double-sided tape to hold it in place. This may also work for paper towel holders with a rotating dowel that can't be removed.

Decorative elements are another way to personalize this craft. Paint is a great option, and it's what Sandy's Country Crafts chose. You can match the colors to your kitchen's color scheme or any fun dish towels you own. If you're using a rolling pin, you may want to avoid painting the center. You certainly don't want paint flaking off into your food. If you do choose to paint it, use a food-safe, non-toxic paint, primer, and sealant. Of course, if your rolling pin is retired and purely decorative, you can paint it however you like!

Another fun decorative option is woodburning. You can use a woodburner to create designs on your make-shift dowel or even the paper towel holder itself as long as it's wooden. This is a great choice if you're designing a rustic kitchen and want something natural-looking. You can also combine the paint and woodburning, but be careful. You shouldn't try to wood-burn a painted surface, as the burning paint may give off toxic fumes. Instead, either wood-burn and paint different parts of the holder or burn the surface first and then paint around it.