Space saving towel storage ideas

Towels are an essential part of our lives. We use towels daily to dry our hands, faces and bodies, clean up messes and wipe muddy dog paws. So, large families with bathrooms in constant use can look overrun by towels.

Finding a good place for your towels is challenging in small bathrooms. But, with the proper towel storage ideas, you can transform your messy bathroom into a spa-like one.

Some of the popular ways to store bathroom towels include towel rails, shelves and baskets.

Check out more top towel storage ideas below to get your bathroom in order.

Best towel storage ideas for bathrooms

Which towel storage you opt for depends on the size and aesthetic of your bathroom and how you use it. Whether your bathroom is compact, fancy or family-friendly, these towel storage ideas are perfect for any bathroom.

1. Hamper towel storage

Use hampers to store bathroom towels if you want that hotel-chic, spa-like bathroom ambience on a budget. Rolling or stacking folded towels in a hamper can make your bathroom look much tidier.

You can also store your towel hampers near your bath or shower for extra convenience.

Adding labels to your towel storage hampers adds an extra layer of convenience and organisation. You can choose a mix of rigid and loose baskets in various sizes to keep your towels tidy.

The bathroom pictured below shows how easy it is to create an elegant bathroom on a budget. Mimic it’s an excellent combination of coloured towels, chic hampers, shelving and accessories to create a well-thought-out look.

2. Ladder up your towels

Upcycling an old ladder is a creative way to store your towels. Add a lick of paint to an ageing ladder, or buy a bamboo-style leaning ladder to store your wet or dry towels, like the one below.

The bathroom below needs no applause, but we’ll give it some anyway. This discreet wooden towel ladder complements this modern bathroom’s boho vibe and provides an efficient towel storage solution.

Lean your towel ladder storage against an empty wall or corner of your bathroom so you can display all your colourful towels. Choose contrasting colours and sizes to match your bathroom decor or crisp white towels for that classy touch.

3. Open cabinets for easy access

Tall, fitted wall cabinets are among the best options for displaying neatly folded towels. Just leave the door off. Instead of wasting all that lovely floor space, use your bathroom ceiling height and take your cabinets as near to the ceiling as possible.

If you’d like to hide your toiletries and cleaning products that don’t look great on show, choose a mix of open-fitted shelves and closed cupboards.

The bathroom below shows how it’s done in a stunning period style-maximalist bathroom – its intricate tall open shelf displays a gorgeous combination of white and colourful towels.

Always hire a professional carpenter to install your fitted bathroom cabinets for the best finish.

4. Open under-sink towel storage

There’s nothing worse than standing cold and dripping after a shower, only to realise that you’ve left your towel in the utility room. Avoid those towel-forgetting days, and keep your folded dry towels where you can reach them under your sink cabinet.

You can fold or roll your towels on solid wood or slatted wooden shelves underneath your sink unit. Slatted shelves are a great option to stop your towels from getting damp and musty if mould is a problem in your bathroom.

5. Mix old and new

Adding some vintage or rustic towel storage is an excellent idea if your bathroom could do with an injection of character.

Adding a black vintage towel rail underneath your sink, like the one below, provides a stunning contrast in white period-style bathrooms or modern bathrooms.

Find old medical cabinets, rail sleeper cabinets or shelves, or train luggage shelves/hooks at Carboot sales, eBay, online marketplaces, or antique stores.

6. Cheap towel storage ideas

Keeping your bathroom tidy is much easier when your toiletries and towels have their own home. A dedicated free-standing open or closed-shelf unit is a cheap and easy option. You just need a little furniture assembly skills.

A simple online search will show a wide range of free-standing shelves for towel storage, whether you need a cheap standing shelf with hooks, baskets or hampers.

If you have available wall space, why not purchase free-standing storage like the ones pictured below to transform your bathroom into a clutter-free zone instantly.

7. Trendy towel rings

Sometimes, the old ideas are the best towel storage ideas. Choosing towel rings that match your bathroom aesthetic is an easy way to display your hand towels.

Taking your hand towels off your radiators and bathtub and putting them onto towel rings looks infinitely more stylish. We recommend hiring a handyperson to install your towel ring.

8. Use any space you have

Any flat surface in your bathroom can become an excellent form of storage for towels. Deep alcoves, window sills or tiled areas covering pipes are perfect flat surfaces for towel storage.

Fold your towels or roll them into baskets for an extra neat look. Add some fun or classy bathroom decor to create a well-planned bathroom.

Adding flowers, soaps, and oils is an easy way to create towel storage that looks light, inviting and purposeful, just like the bathroom below.

9. Undersink towel baskets

Keeping your towels within reach is easy with under-sink storage for towels. No matter the size or style of your bathroom, this is a versatile yet simple bathroom storage idea.

Place your towel baskets on top of under sink open shelves or on the floor for a cheap towel storage solution, just like this stunning bathroom below. 

Alternatively, if the doors and shelves to your vanity unit are worn out, remove them and leave the base to store your baskets.

9. Hidden towel storage

If you love the idea of a minimalist bathroom that always looks clean and tidy, try to find homes for everything behind closed doors. Although some people love displaying their towels, those who like to keep their dry towels hidden can try these hacks:

• Pull-out towel holders use less space in small bathrooms and let you keep your towels tucked away
• Vanity units allow you to store your towels behind closed doors
• Window seats and benches can be transformed into hidden storage solutions for towels

10. Combine open and closed

You can easily combine open lower-shelf storage with closed cabinets to organise your bathroom towels and toiletries. Combining different towel storage solutions lets you easily access your frequently used towels while keeping the rest neatly stored away.

Additionally, you can utilise the open space beneath your vanity countertops to store rolled or stacked towels.

This under-sink towel storage unit is not only convenient, but the dark wood and matching mirrors are aesthetically pleasing against the muted tones of this bathroom.

But, this type of bathroom furniture will only look its best when fitted by a professional tradesperson. Use our directory to find the best plumber, carpenter or other tradesperson to get the best bathroom for you.

11. Double up your storage for towels

If you have a large empty wall in your bathroom, use it to combine any of these towel storage ideas in this article to house all your towels.

Combining multiple towel storage ideas can help keep your bathroom looking chic and tidy all day.

This towel holder idea is a cheap option to store all your wet and dry towels because you can use various materials and accessories. Use baskets, hooks, free-standing cabinets and shelves to store your towels and other bathroom items.

12. Bench it

Using a Japanese-style bench, upcycling a rustic farmhouse chair, or a storage box that doubles as a towel holder is a functional and fun bathroom storage idea.

Fold your towels neatly on top of the bench or chair so your bathroom still looks orderly. But, only stack two or three towels at a time so they don’t fall over.

13. Undersink towel rail

An under-sink towel rail is a perfect idea for limited-space storage. Install a contemporary, rustic, vintage or industrial towel rail under your sink for a unique functional towel holder.

The bathroom below shows us how it’s done with a mix of rustic and contemporary design choices.

Check out this article if you’d like some help designing your bathroom.

14. Budget-friendly wooden towel storage

Storage for towels doesn’t need to be expensive. You can create decorative shelves by recycling cheap materials before they end up in the skip.

Use light and airy wooden frames like the ones below to store your towels, bathroom accessories and toilet rolls. Or get creative by painting some recycled wooden crates in bright colours.

15. Move your towels

For tiny bathrooms or bathrooms that suffer from mould/damp, storing your towels in a different room can be a better option. If you have a utility room, keeping your wet towel hampers and dry towel storage in your utility room can be a cheap and easy option.

Choose baskets and shelving units that match the decor of your utility room for a classy vibe. The muted colours and natural-looking cream wicker baskets below give calm and cosy vibes.

Where should towels be stored when not in use?

Finding a place to store your wet towels is also the easiest way to keep your bathroom clutter-free.

Here are some of the most popular damp towel storage ideas:

• A wall-mounted towel holder for compact spaces
• A towel ladder is also perfect for storing wet towels
• Hooks are easy to install and can be placed virtually anywhere
• Use a repurposed coat rack to dry your towels
• Place a towel bar wherever you have the wall space

Whatever towel storage idea you choose, your bathroom will thank you. Using bathroom storage ideas will help turn your bathroom from haphazard to haven.

When completing any minor or major work on your bathroom, we always suggest hiring a recommended tradesperson to help you achieve the best end results.

Use the Checkatrade to find a quality tradesperson today. To get started, enter your postcode below.