Not Baskets, Not Shelves: A Smart Dollar Tree DIY For Storing Blankets Or Towels
Linens are essential in any household, but figuring out where to store them isn't always easy. Sometimes, ingenuity is a must. One project shared on the dollartree.hacks TikTok channel is particularly useful for addressing blanket and towel-storage issues. It combines several hangers into a single vertical piece that can help maximize closet space. Now, the DIYer demonstrates how to utilize it for clothing — but you can hang your folded blankets or towels on the bars instead. The main item involved is one of Dollar Tree's Cooking Concepts Metal Cooling Racks. Essentially, it's the core of the solution that brings the hangers together.
There are a slew of ways to store linens that go beyond the norm. Case in point, these stylish towel storage ideas for the bathroom. However, you might not want your linens out on display. The beauty of this cooling rack DIY is that it allows you to still tuck blankets and towels away in a closet, but in a non-typical manner. It's also affordable, since the other required materials can be purchased from Dollar Tree, as well — including their Essentials Black Plastic Adult-Sized Hangers and Tool Bench Nylon Cable Ties. Or, feel free to substitute in your own hangers and cable ties if you have some at home already. As for tools, you'll need wire cutters and a hot glue gun.
Make a creative solution for hanging blankets and towels
First, turn your cooling rack so it's vertical. Carefully cut the side piece off, two metal bars in. Discard it. Next, cut out a section of the vertical rack that's three bars wide (it's the only piece you'll need). The cut edges will be sharp, so cover them with drops of hot glue. Alternatively, you could try buffing them with sandpaper or a filing tool, but hot glue is a quick solution. Attach a hanger to the metal piece's top using cable ties. Do so just below the hook of the hanger.
@dollartree.hacks DIY Space-Saving Hangers for Small Closets! #spacesaving #hangers #closetorganization . . . Creative DIY by @fabedhacks ✨ See her YouTube channel for even more ideas!
Take another hanger and slide it under the bottom of the first one. Its hook should sit directly below the other's. Use cable ties to attach it to the rack, as well as underneath the first hook. Repeat these steps until you have several hangers in a column. When adding the cable ties, keep in mind that you don't want to secure them to the hangers' cross bars, as it would prevent being able to hang blankets and towels on them. Lastly, snip off the ends of the cable ties and your storage piece will be complete.
You'll now be able to drape small blankets or bath towels over the bars of the hangers. Place the piece in a closet, and the linens will take up less space than if you were to hang them individually. They won't steal a bunch of shelf space, either. If you don't have a separate area for linens, consider taking advantage of bedroom closet storage ideas so that your clothing, blankets, and towels can coexist happily together. Keep them separated on different hangers, though. Also, fold the blankets and towels neatly in half before hanging for extra tidiness.