Housekeeping Storage & Organization Bathroom Organization 28 Bathroom Towel Storage Ideas That Are Pretty and Practical Turn to baskets, hooks, shelves, and other towel holder ideas to tidy up your bathroom. By Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett is an editor, writer, and former digital assistant home editor at BHG. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 18, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Marty Baldwin Having extra towels in the bathroom is always handy, but finding additional bathroom towel storage that's practical and goes with your decor may be difficult. Whether you put them in baskets, on hooks, or atop shelves, how you store your bath towels, washcloths, and other linens plays an essential role in the overall look of your bathroom. These bathroom towel storage ideas include something that will work for everyone. The 14 Best Bath Towels of 2024, According to Testing 01 of 28 Ladder Towel Rack Adam Albright Capitalize on vertical space by leaning a ladder against one wall for bathroom towel storage. This idea works for damp towels as well as freshly laundered ones. To keep it budget-friendly, look for an old wooden ladder at flea markets or thrift stores and refresh it with a coat of paint. Use the lower rungs to hang small buckets of bathroom accessories, such as brushes and combs. How to Build a Ladder Bookcase 02 of 28 Stylish Towel Rings Werner Straube Hang hand towels from wall-mounted rings to keep them within reach. This bathroom towel storage idea works well in small bathrooms with pedestal or floating sinks where counter space is limited. You'll also have the chance to show off any decorative bath towels you have on hand. 03 of 28 Stacked Bathroom Towel Storage Stack towels on open shelves placed close to the shower. To save space in this small bath, a slim set of shelves is recessed into a wall behind the door. Lower shelves hold stacks of clean towels and linens, while the other spots keep bathroom essentials close. A hook between the shelves and shower holds the towel of the day. 04 of 28 DIY Basket Shelves for Towels Adam Albright For a creative towel display idea, mount a set of wicker baskets on the wall above the vanity to use as floating shelves. The long, narrow shape is the right size for storing extra hand towels and washcloths. Use the other baskets to store frequently used toiletry items, such as hand lotion and cosmetics. How to Build Floating Shelves Like a Pro 05 of 28 Open Towel Stack Laura Moss For sophisticated bathroom towel storage, neatly stack them on open shelves beneath the vanity. If you have towels of varying sizes, put the largest one on the bottom and work your way up in size to form a pyramid. Only stack three or four towels at a time so that the shelves don't look overcrowded. 06 of 28 Balanced Towel Display Brittany Ambridge The towel display in this powder blue bathroom provides a visual break to balance graphic wallpaper. Three plain white shelves topped with neat white towels contrast the busy wallpaper. Plus, the open shelves make it easy to grab towels and toiletries during your morning routine. 07 of 28 Basket Storage Solution Michael Partenio Productions Store towels in a basket rather than on a shelf for a collected but casual look. A large woven basket can store up to five bath towels when they're rolled up. To maximize the functionality of this simple bathroom towel storage, add another matching basket to collect used towels for an easy transfer to the laundry room. 08 of 28 Clever Bathroom Towel Storage Carson Downing This fun bathroom has multiple towel storage solutions. Large bath towels hang neatly on hooks with the initials of each designated user. On the opposite side of the vanity, a unique hexagon shelving unit provides several compartments for toiletries. Just an arm's reach away from the sink, rolled-up washcloths and hand towels make smart use of the space. 25 Bathroom Shelving Ideas to Keep Your Toiletries Organized 09 of 28 Industrial-Style Storage Jason Donnelly This towel display idea (which can be easily DIYed using wood boards and iron pipes and fittings) brings industrial-style decor from the living room to the bathroom. Extra linens fill the top shelf, while daily items sit at a more accessible height. A handy bar below holds hand towels. 10 of 28 Tower Storage for Towels Adam Albright Photography Don't be afraid to use furniture meant for other rooms in your bathroom. This bathroom benefited from a glass display case nestled between the vanity and the wall. The slender storage unit holds bathroom towels and display-worthy decor. The enclosed shelves keep everything neat and tidy and away from moisture. 11 of 28 Recessed Towel Shelf Marty Baldwin At first glance, you might miss this clever bathroom towel storage spot. A recessed shelf near the vanity's base holds two generous stacks of towels. Keeping the towels in a separate compartment leaves more room in limited vanity drawers and in the small recessed shelves above that hold toiletries. To recreate this towel display idea, take advantage of the space between the wall studs when you remodel your bathroom. 12 of 28 Open Towel Display Panichgul Studios Make towel storage part of your bathroom decor by stashing them where they can be seen. A tall shelf displays organized folded towels that add color to the otherwise all-white room. Plus, you'll be able to tell at a glance when you're running low on fresh towels and need to do a load of laundry. The 9 Best Hand Towels of 2024, According to Testing 13 of 28 Lower Shelf Storage Laura Moss Photography Open areas underneath vanity countertops are prime spots for bathroom towel storage. To keep the look more streamlined, use structured baskets to hold stacks of towels. Choose baskets in a contrasting color or texture for added visual interest. 14 of 28 Below-Sink Bathroom Towel Storage Michael Partenio Productions Store baskets under sinks for easy access to towel storage. This towel display prevents you from putting holes in walls with towel rings and bars. Towels will stay neatly folded and give the bathroom a homey touch. 15 of 28 Shelf Drawers for Towels Kim Cornelison Photography Recessed shelves and niches are perfect places for towel storage. To incorporate a closed component into your built-ins, outfit some shelves with large "drawers" for towels and supplies. Store your most frequently used items out in the open and reserve the drawers for small miscellaneous items. 16 of 28 A Repurposed Coatrack for Towels Edmund Barr Photography This bathroom towel storage solution borrows from the entryway. With multiple easy-access hooks, coat racks are ideal for hanging damp towels to dry or for storing extras within reach of the shower. Borrow a coat rack from your hallway to use in the bathroom as a sophisticated and convenient towel hook. The 14 Best Coat Racks of 2024 to Keep Your Entryway Tidy 17 of 28 Freestanding Shelves for Towels Ed Gohlich Photography Use a freestanding hutch or bookcase in the bathroom for an elegant towel storage idea. With wide open shelves, you can keep multiple stacks of towels at the ready. Use a large basket to house washcloths and other small linens. 18 of 28 Towel Rolls Edmund Barr Roll towels and stack them to fill each cubbyhole to give open bathroom cupboards a boost of style. This technique saves space and lends a spa-like feel to a bath. Hang wet linens on hooks or a rack to dry them. 19 of 28 Basic Towel Bar Adam Albright Photography If space is tight in the bathroom, mount a simple towel bar on the side of a cabinet or vanity. Or, add a hook to the back of a door. These space-savvy bathroom towel storage ideas create a place for them to stay without getting in the way. 20 of 28 Pullout Towel Holders Edmund Barr Photography Not a fan of displaying your towels? Add a custom pullout to your bathroom cabinet for hanging hand towels out of sight. You can also outfit existing cabinets with towel bars that attach over the top of the cabinet door. Should You Put Out “Fancy” Hand Towels When Guests Come Over? 21 of 28 Take a Seat for Towels Kip Dawkins Use a spare chair as bathroom towel storage and add charm to your space. Fold towels neatly on the seat so the bathroom feels in order. Don't stack more than two or three towels at a time to prevent the pile from falling over. 22 of 28 Double Rack Bathroom Towel Storage Michael Partenio Productions Save space by installing two towel bars. This smart hack holds twice the towels in the same wall space as a single bar. Each bathroom guest will have their own rack, and you'll avoid confusion about whose towel is whose. 23 of 28 Rolled Towel Display Adam Albright Photography Any bin, basket, or organizer can be turned into a stylish towel holder. These cubes, outfitted with diagonal dividers, are perfectly sized to hold four rolled-up towels. As an added benefit, they tuck neatly into closet shelves to be hidden from view when the doors are shut. 24 of 28 A Budget-Friendly Towel Storage Unit Jason Donnelly Consider towel holder ideas as part of your bathroom's decor. Outfit decorative shelves with displays of accessories, towels, and bath necessities. Here, wooden crates painted in fresh colors are stacked to form a creative (and budget-friendly) bathroom storage unit. 8 Clever Under-Bathroom-Sink Storage Ideas to Reduce Clutter 25 of 28 Hidden Towel Storage Michael Partenio Window seats, vanities, and benches can provide handy bathroom towel storage behind closed doors. Sort towels by size or color to maximize your available space. Place a bathroom storage unit that doubles as a seat next to the shower for easy access. 26 of 28 Towel Storage Within Reach Edward Gohlich Photography Your bathroom towel storage can serve a dual purpose. Bars installed under this open countertop are handy for towels used daily. They also serve to hide less-than-attractive plumbing under the sink. 27 of 28 A Bowl of Towels Anthony Masterson Photography Fill a punchbowl, box, or platter with a set of hand towels or washcloths to give your bath a designer look. Roll the towels for a streamlined display. Make sure to keep the bowl regularly stocked so you or your guests are never left wet-handed. 28 of 28 Simple Towel Hooks EMR Photography Hanging towels allows you to store more of them in a narrow area. For small hand towels and washcloths, Mount simple hooks above or next to the sink. This solution also makes smaller towels easy to change out. When Is It Time to Replace Bath Towels? If you think it's time to replace your bath towels, you're probably right. You may notice they've become less absorbent, lost their soft feel, or faded in color. Depending on the quality and frequency of use, towels will last two to five years. When you purchase new towels, wash them correctly and often to keep them from developing an unpleasant odor. Old towels can be repurposed as household cleaning rags or donated to local animal shelters (check before dropping them off to ensure they're accepted). Frequently Asked Questions Should you hang towels on a hook or a towel rack? Towel racks (or bars) allow individual towels to dry faster (when spread out flat), but they take up lots of wall space and often require drywall anchors for stability. Towel hooks are a popular choice for shared bathrooms because they use less space and are usually relatively easy to install. However, towels hung on hooks may dry more slowly because the fabric is doubled over. What’s the best way to hang towels to dry in the bathroom? To expedite the drying process (and deter bacteria and mold growth), it’s best to spread the towel out as much as possible. A towel bar is best if you can spread your towel flat over the bar, but for shared spaces where multiple towels are needed within reach of the shower or bath, hooks may be a better choice. How do you keep bathroom towels from falling off the hooks? Hang the towel centered on the hook with at least an inch or two of fabric behind the hook. Then, using both hands, tuck the edges of the towel toward the wall. If your towel still tends to slip, apply a dot of hot glue or silicone caulk to the backside of the hook for grip. As a last resort, consider swapping your existing hooks for hooks that extend further from the wall. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit