How do you set up kitchen towels?

Sink Edge: A Charming Yet Tricky Choice

Opting for a sink edge as the designated spot for your dish towel can add a touch of charm to your kitchen. However, it's essential to consider the practical implications. If your sink doesn't have a divider and the faucet is positioned so water might splash onto the towel, it could lead to constant dampness. This may result in the hand towels getting wet each time the faucet is turned on, potentially causing inconvenience. While the aesthetic appeal is undeniable, it's crucial to prioritize functionality in a high-traffic area like the kitchen.

Dishwasher Handle: A Convenient Choice

Leveraging the convenience of a dishwasher handle as a designated spot for your organic dish towels is a practical choice, mainly due to its proximity to the sink. Most dishwasher handles are designed to accommodate a light towel, providing a convenient and easily accessible location for quickly drying hands or utensils. This option is handy for individuals who prefer a minimalist look in their kitchen or those with limited wall or counter space. It's a simple yet effective solution that seamlessly integrates into the kitchen's layout and workflow

Sink with a Towel Bar: The Ultimate Solution

For those willing to invest more in their kitchen setup, installing a sink with an integrated towel bar for hanging kitchen towels is an exquisite and effective solution. This design addresses the practical concern of keeping the dish towel dry and adds a seamless and sophisticated touch to the overall aesthetic. It combines functionality and visual appeal, making it a standout addition to any well-designed kitchen. The kitchen sink towel holder offers a dedicated and easily accessible spot for your dish towel, ensuring it remains clean and dry for its intended use.

Wall Rack: A Space-Saving Marvel

A wall rack is a versatile and space-saving option for storing and displaying dish towel hanging in standby mode. This choice is ideal for kitchens with limited counter space or individuals who prefer to keep their sink areas clear and uncluttered. However, it's important to note that if you intend to use this rack for damp towels, ensure the wall has a moisture-resistant finish or enough space for quick air drying. 

Other Smart Options for Hanging Dish Towels: 

• Towel Ring, Bar or Hook

Apply the same logic in your bathroom by installing a kitchen towel holder countertop in your kitchen. This can be on the side of an upper cabinet or a nearby wall. Just ensure the chosen surface can withstand moisture from a damp towel.

• Towel Bar on an Island

Attaching a towel bar to an island offers a convenient spot for absorbent dish towels. Take into account the space required for mounting hardware when considering this option.

• Over-the-Sink Bar

Like the towel rack, this solution keeps your cotton kitchen towels conveniently within reach for hand-washing. Just be mindful of the potential dampness it may encounter due to its proximity to the sink.

• A Quaint Ladder

While it might seem impractical at first glance, the Danish simplicity of propping up a ladder in the kitchen is undeniably charming. It serves as an inspiration to declutter and reassign worn-out linen dish towels.

The kitchen towel is an indispensable part of cooking and cleaning in any busy kitchen. From drying hands to wiping spills and getting that little morsel of food from the side of a dish, one is always ready to use during any meal or prep time.

You can usually find kitchen towels stacked deep in a drawer with their numbers and styles unknown. Most people are surprised to see what is actually in that towel area when it’s time to clean it out—if it ever comes time to clean it out.

If the drawer system has failed you, or you just need other suggestions, we have some ideas to organize towels in your kitchen to make them easy to find and use. 

How many towels should I have?

An optimal number of towels for your kitchen should be the amount that you use between laundry days. If you use a few towels every time you prepare dinner and only wash once a week, you should have around 14. If you use one, keep seven. 

Ways To Store and Organize Kitchen Towels

One of these organization methods should fit your style and kitchen storage arrangements. Or you may find a combination of styles works for function and style.

The KonMari Method

The most popular kitchen towel organization ideas come from the current queen of decluttering. As a 19-year-old student, Marie Kondo started a business transforming homes into tidy, well-organized havens for her clients. After years of practice, her approach to tidying was consolidated into the KonMari method. She’s written best-selling books and starred on a popular Netflix show with her skills. 

Marie Kondo’s method for folding and storing kitchen towels makes every piece of linen visible by folding each towel to stand up in the drawer by itself. This particular stroke of genius results in an organized, visually appealing collection ready to use and easily seen. You are able to lay your hands on just the right option.

To start, fold the kitchen towel in half on the long side, making it look like a rectangle. From that point, take one end and bring it to meet the other, folding the towel in half. The final step is to fold the towel like a letter, into thirds. 

This YouTube video gives a great demonstration of the KonMari folding method. If the kitchen towel is smaller in size like a washcloth, it might only be possible to make that final fold in half. 

Organization Tip

Take your whole collection out of the drawer and start by throwing away the stained or ripped cloths.

Display Them on Your Counter

If you have plenty of room in your kitchen, a nicely folded group of towels in a decorative container or basket can be conveniently located near your clean-up area. This will also be a great way for friends (and, ahem, family) to know where to grab a towel and clean up if they leave a mess.

Hang Them on Clips

These days, there’s a wide selection of adhesive clips and hooks that can make hanging kitchen towels under your sink incredibly easy. If you like the look, you can even install a wall-mounted coat rack in a bit of open wall space to hang towels for quick use.

Helpful Hints

Don’t reuse towels. Germs can spread from the cloth to your hands or kitchen surfaces. It’s a good idea to wash them after each use. 

If you’d like to get fancy with your folds, try this video by the Small Space Organizing YouTube channel.