Ditch The Towel Rack: 11 Stylish Bathroom & Kitchen Storage Ideas That Save Space

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Running out of space for bulky towels, whether you roll or fold them? While there are plenty of stylish towel storage ideas for the bathroom and kitchen, not all of them take into account space efficiency. Ideal storage makes the towels easy to access when you need them without eating up too much space or getting in the way. And since kitchens and bathrooms both tend to run short on spots to stash things, getting creative with space-saving towel storage is a must. It doesn't hurt if your towel storage solutions are also attractive.

Some suggestions, like giant clothespin towel holders and over-the-door towel racks, are meant for the linens. But you can also upcycle items like wine racks, wooden crates, and baskets, into a spot to keep your tea and hand towels. Those repurposed containers naturally hold the towels. You could also DIY towel organizers, as is the case with a Dollar Tree wall hanger made from a sign and wooden blocks. 

Most of the following ideas will work in either the bathroom or the kitchen, and you may want to use multiples to give yourself adequate storage space. You can also get creative with these hacks by embellishing the storage solutions in different ways that are a better fit for your decor.

Grab giant clothespins if you want to ditch the towel rack for a more creative way to hang towels. Each clothespin holds a single towel, but they're space-efficient because they hang on the wall (yay vertical space!) and don't stick out far. Most models, like this Honeydak 12-inch Giant Clothespin (which is available in multiple finishes), come with adhesive hangers, so you don't have to drill holes in your walls– perfect if you're a renter. Hang them near areas where you use towels frequently like above or beside a sink.

When space is tight in the kitchen, use the side of the refrigerator. Hanging a magnetic towel bar (with or without hooks) is an easy, renter-friendly way to keep kitchen towels off countertops and save space. Grab an option like the popular Lekusha Magnetic Towel Bar and pair it with decorative S hooks to fit several towels into one small space. You can also use this option in the bathroom if you have a large enough magnetic surface for the bar.

This idea from The Daily DIYer starts with an Essentials Adjustable Over-the-Counter Towel Holder from Dollar Tree, which can you can use on its own to drape towels. Or, hang it on the inside of a cabinet door and slide one of the end slots of an Essentials Wire Drying Rack over the bar. Now you have four slots where you can put spare folded kitchen towels. They stay hidden inside the cabinet, yet you can grab one easily at any time.

The TikTok channel homegoodiys crafts a custom wall-hanging towel storage solution that keeps linens out of drawers and closets and off countertops, instead reclaiming unused wall space. Grab a long, narrow wood sign from Dollar Tree or use a scrap board cut to the desired length. Glue pieces from a Classic Games Tumbling Tower Game set to create mini shelves. The distance and height of dividers will depend on the size of towels you plan to store. Paint the rack, and screw it into the wall. Roll or fold the towels and slide them between the shelves.

Stop using bulky towel racks in favor of a space-saving alternative: An accordion peg rack. These multi-peg racks hold multiple towels in a small space on the wall, and you can decide how far to stretch them based on the available space. The towels are easy to grab since they hang over the hooks. In the kitchen, extra pegs work for aprons, baskets to hold small items, or reusable grocery bags. 

Another cute upcycling idea starts with a decorative basket. Simply hang it on the wall using Command strips. You want the bottom of the basket against the wall with the opening to the front, so you can roll or fold towels and stack them inside. The handle can also hang below and act as a towel holder. If you're afraid the towels will roll out, use a  double-lidded basket like this vintage basket on Etsy and glue one of the lids shut to create an enclosed space. Either way, you empty out storage space and make towels accessible.

Collect wood crates at thrift or craft stores to keep lots of kitchen or bathroom towels together. Sand and paint the crates to give them a smooth, snag-free finish. You can screw multiple crates together and add legs and a wood plank top to create a freestanding towel rack. Or, attach strong magnets to the corners to keep the crates together while still allowing them to come apart. If floor space is limited, securely attach individual crates to the wall for vertical towel storage.

Wine racks hold glass bottles securely, so they can definitely keep your various towels safe. Simply roll the towels and slide them in the bottle slots. Wall-mounted wine racks are ideal for saving space on counters and shelves, but countertop models also work if you have the room for them. This space-saving towel idea is particularly fitting for a kitchen, but most wine racks are decorative enough to work in a bathroom. And when they're filled with towels, the racks don't really look like wine holders anymore.

Combining a towel bar with decorative shower hooks creates a simple, space-saving, stunning towel storage solution. Now instead of hanging just one towel on the bar, you can store many. You can install the rack on the side of any cabinet, like your kitchen island for tea towels or your vanity for bathroom hand towels, or directly onto the wall. Towels with loops on the end work well, so they stay on the hooks. You can add a loop if your towels don't already have them.

Instagram creator Stefanie Mullen shows why grabbing a vintage hanging scale is a good idea. She suspends it from the kitchen ceiling and stacks folded kitchen towels on the scale. It's a nod to old-time grocery stores and creates a conversation starter in your kitchen. Because the scale hangs from the ceiling, this towel storage idea doesn't take up any wall, drawer, shelf, or countertop space.

Another kitchen-focused idea is grabbing one of those old serving bowls you rarely use to hold kitchen towels. Rolling the towels and positioning them upright inside the bowl makes them easy to grab when you need them. While this option will take up some countertop space, you can choose a small bowl to minimize how much room it claims. You can also buy a pedestal stand and put the bowl on top to leave counter space underneath it.