Keeping Your Towels Neat

Keeping a bathroom inviting and neat is a constant challenge, especially if it's a small one. Add one, two or more people into the mix and keeping it clutter-free can turn into a giant headache with messy towels a common complaint. Although keeping your towels neat is an easy way to avoid visual clutter, keeping them folded is a job unto itself and when everyone has a different method, chaos, and argument, often ensue...

If you have the option, simple pegs or hooks are the easiest way to go. Whether the row marches straight across or on the diagonal (to accommodate household members of various heights or to just add a pleasing and unique visual pattern), it's neat, it's easy and it can go a long way towards keeping order in your bathroom and peace among your co-habitants.

Comments (10)

Awwwww. and I was expecting that you'd source me a half dozen or so really cool examples..... And at least one with a totally outrageous price tag.

This one looks very cool, but doesn't work that well. Great look, but it's too short.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20075570

This one works, but looks a little clunky. It is actually a robe hook. We have two of these until something better comes along.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40075569

posted by quiltmaster on June 30th 2008 at 3:34pm
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Hooks. Love them. Polished nickel from Restoration Hardware.

posted by blackbird on June 30th 2008 at 4:28pm
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I second the polished nickel hooks from Restoration Hardware!

posted by right angle on June 30th 2008 at 5:02pm
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I am a hook lover, but have converted to bars because of the mildew issue here in Virginia. Even if you have great ventilation and AC, you really only get a clean smelling towel for two days.

Don't you hook people find yourselves running through a lot of towels?

posted by vjm on June 30th 2008 at 5:24pm
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vjm- same thoughts from my end. bars promote faster drying towels, although they do place towels on display while they dry, so hooks look better but bars function better.

posted by sarahjam on June 30th 2008 at 6:40pm
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Yeah, I prefer bars so much more. Dries more evenly and more quickly. No worries about the towel stretching at the hooked area from its water weight. Obviously, they do require more room, which isn't always available, especially if you have more than 2 people sharing a bathroom. But towels on hooks just don't look neat to me. I save the hooks for the bathrobes.

posted by randomname on July 1st 2008 at 1:16am
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Hate to climb onto the bandwagon, but my experiment using hooks from Restoration Hardware ended quickly after I realized they weren't drying and mildew was suddenly around. And I'm in Los Angeles with great ventilation.

The hooks looked much better but ultimately lost out to a towel warmer/shelf that has all but eliminated the problem.

posted by mr.O on July 1st 2008 at 4:34am
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Double bars -- how I wish we had installed them instead of singles! Also, make sure to install towels high enough so they don't droop down and get wet when they hang into the tub.

posted by monarda on July 1st 2008 at 5:36am
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Had to go with hooks because DH won't take the time to hang them on bars! Fortunately the dry heat in Salt Lake takes care of all those pesky mildew problems.

posted by TannerAdair on July 1st 2008 at 5:55am
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Ooohhhh I got all excited with the hooks idea. Didn't know about the mildew problem.
Back to the original double bars idea....

posted by danze on July 1st 2008 at 9:01am
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