Ditch Baskets: There's A Dollar Tree Hack For Easy Towel Storage

Don't put your eggs ... or your towels ... in one basket. In fact, don't put towels in baskets at all if that method of storage doesn't fit your organizational style. Baskets are the thrift store find that doubles as smart towel storage, but some people simply don't like using them for storage. Or maybe your bathroom or kitchen counter can't comfortably accommodate a towel basket. Fortunately, there are plenty of clever alternatives available, including this idea from Instagram creator nikkkkkkmcc. It all centers around Cooking Concepts Wire Napkin Holders, and what the DIYer does with them is so simple yet creative that you'll want to run to Dollar Tree immediately for the napkin holders and zip ties.

The inexpensive wire napkin holders go on their sides to create slots to hold folded towels neatly. It's essentially a mini towel rack that you can use for folded hand towels in the bathroom and tea towels in the kitchen. Since the slots keep the towels separated, it's easy to grab just one towel. And because you're folding the towels for this method, you're creating a neat, uniform appearance without putting any extra stress on the towel fibers (which can happen if you roll them tightly).

Because the napkin holders are relatively small (around 4 inches by 2 ⅗ inches by 5 ½ inches), this towel storage solution fits even on a small vanity top. You can also set it on a bathroom shelf. To customize the rack, simply layer on more napkin holders as needed. And if you have any extras, there are many other genius ways to use these Dollar Tree napkin holders.

To begin this space-saving towel storage idea, grab several of the napkin holders. The original creator uses just two napkin holders for the rack, which holds three towels (one inside each napkin holder and one on top). You can try three or more holders, but you'll need to align them and secure them well to keep the rack stable. The racks come with a silver finish, but you can easily spray paint the metal to coordinate the look with other finishes or colors in the space. 

To assemble the rack, place one holder on top of the other. Wrap zip ties around both racks where they meet, with one zip tie on each side. Pull them tight to keep the napkin holders from shifting. Continue stacking if you want to make the rack taller, securing each new napkin holder to the one below it. Or, create a round, double-sided towel rack by stacking and securing two sets of two napkin holders. Then, put the flat sides together and zip-tie them together.

If you want to keep the towel rack from sliding on a smooth countertop, put a piece of non-skid shelf liner underneath or add a few glue dots to the bottom. Better yet, try hanging it on the wall using Command hooks to elevate the rack. Installing hooks for both the top and bottom napkin holder provides a more secure hold.