Stop Using Bulky Towel Racks: Try This Clever Space-Saving Alternative Instead

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Are you stuck in the mindset that boring towel bars are the only option? Then we have good news: There are plenty of ways to display towels decoratively that don't involve traditional towel bars or freestanding towel racks. Many of the options are way more stylish and can be more affordable when you repurpose other items. One unique option is an accordion peg wall rack. It's a bit like towel hooks instead of a towel bar, except you have multiple towel hooks in one space.

You can often find vintage versions of these peg racks secondhand — it's a thrift store find that organizes and decorates many areas of your home. They look like a series of diamonds with pegs or hooks where the pieces meet. Because the joints pivot, sort of like an accordion, these racks can be stretched out to be long and thin or squished together for a more compact rack. That means you can adjust how much wall space the towel rack takes up.

Using an accordion peg rack is also a space-saving option since it can hold multiple towels in a small area. Each of the pegs on the rack can hold a bathroom towel, just keep in mind that hanging towels on a hook could slow the drying process since the fabric is bunched together.

Accordion peg racks work in both bathrooms and kitchens to hold your towels. When looking for a peg rack, consider the available space to ensure the rack will fit without looking cramped. Also, think about how many towels you want to hang, so you can find a rack with enough hooks. If you can't find a secondhand rack, the accordion style is still available in various sizes — this Homode Expandable Peg Rack has 13 pegs on it. 

Once you find a rack you love, decide if you want to refinish it with paint or stain. If you want a little contrast, paint the pegs a different color than you choose for the rest of the rack. Then, decide how far you want to stretch out the expandable rack. Making it wider gives the towels more room to hang, so they're not all bunched up. However, this requires a longer stretch of wall, so you might need to narrow it slightly so it fits well.

Anchor the rack to wall studs, so it can hold heavy, wet towels securely. Then, drape towels over the pegs. You can also use the hooks for other items, like robes, bags, decor, and baskets to hold smaller objects. Or, turn the old peg rack into a floating shelf to increase storage, using the pegs along the bottom to hold up the shelves.