Forget Crowded Hooks: This Vintage Thrift Find Is A Cuter Way To Hang And Store Towels

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Sometimes, the old-fashioned way of doing things is actually the best way, and it's helpful to take a tip from your grandmother when it comes to crafty household solutions. While towel hooks are often the go-to in bathrooms with limited storage, they can result in towels being crammed together, preventing them from drying, and resulting in that unpleasant mildewy odor. Vintage wooden swivel racks, on the other hand, rotate outward on their own hinge, allowing each towel its own hanging space to air out, and then folding back into place to save on space when you don't need them. These vintage racks may have gone out of fashion some time ago, but they still make for a practical and cute bathroom upgrade.

If you're planning to scour your local thrift store, keep an eye out for racks in a solid oak, mahogany, or walnut wood, and ones with ornate curvature, high-quality joinery, and some signs of wear. These features are generally strong indications that you're handling a genuine vintage piece rather than a modern reproduction that's been aged. Most versions have between four and eight arms, so you'll have some options depending on how many towels you generally have in use, rather than trying to cram everything onto a fixed handful of hooks.

When it comes to seeking out these vintage racks, thrift stores, antique shops, and estate sales are your best bet. However, if you strike out locally, Etsy tends to have a few as well, although these are likely to be on the pricier side. Before you buy, determine whether the piece is in good condition by gently wiggling each arm to ensure none of the joints are loose. Run your hand along the wood to check for cracks or water damage, and examine the finish for cloudy or bubbled sections that indicate moisture may have crept in. While a little wear and tear is part of the appeal of any vintage item, you want to make sure the piece will still function as intended.

Once you have your rack, installing it is no different than mounting a regular towel bar. Use a stud finder to locate at least one wall stud to use as your anchor, as this will give you a much firmer hold than drywall alone — especially important when it needs to support the weight of several wet towels. Mark your mounting points with a level before you drill, then mount the backplate and hang the rack. If your ideal spot for the rack doesn't line up with an existing stud, you can supplement with drywall anchors instead.