How to Arrange Bathroom Towels

The best way to arrange your bathroom towels largely depends on the colors you choose and the overall mood of your bathroom. There are a few basic arrangement techniques that can be adapted for almost any color or style, however. Try hanging your towels for a more practical method, or setting them out in folded or rolled arrangements for a more aesthetically-pleasing solution.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Hanging Your Towels

1
Fold your towels into thirds and layer with smaller towels for a spa-like feel. Fold your bath towel into thirds, length-wise, then drape it over the top of a hanging bar with the folded side underneath. Then, fold a matching hand towel into thirds the same way. Drape it over the center of the already-hanging bath towel for a layered effect.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Repeat this process with another set of towels if there’s space on the hanging bar.
2
Stack a trio of towel bars on the back of the door to save space. Purchase three identical hanging bars, double-checking to make sure they’re not wider than your door. Evenly space the bars along the length of the door, then hang the hardware according to the package directions.
- Alternate the colors of the towels for a more deliberate look—black and white for a monochromatic color scheme, for instance, or warm tones for a bathroom painted in shades of yellow or red.
3
Install hooks on your bathroom wall for an alternative to a towel bar. Bar racks are the most common fixture used to hang towels, but hooks offer another functional and stylish option. Install individual hooks in the most space-efficient way, or find a coat rack or accordion rack that matches your decor.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Hang decorative hooks featuring the initial of each towel user for a more personalized arrangement.^{[3]XResearch source}
4
Drape your towels over the rungs of a ladder. If you have the space, prop a tall wooden ladder against one wall of your bathroom to introduce a touch of rustic flair. Hang your larger towels across the middle and upper rungs. Smaller towels can go closer to the bottom.^{[4]XResearch source}
- To ensure that the ladder doesn’t slip across the bathroom floor, attach rubber tips made for chair legs to the feet of the ladder.
- To make the ladder even more secure, attach the top to the wall with hooks and eyes.
5
Repurpose a coat rack in the bathroom for a quirky touch. This is a great option when you aren’t able to permanently install hooks or bars on your bathroom walls. Position the coat rack near the tub or shower to make sure that the towels are close by when they are needed. The hooks can be used for other bathroom necessities, like loofahs or robes.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If the coat rack is wood rather than metal or plastic, paint or seal the surface to protect it from moisture.^{[6]XResearch source}
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Rolling Your Towels

Fold your towel in half, width-wise. Select one corner and bring it across until it is parallel to the far edge. Flip the towel, then bring in the two outside corners to fold the towel into thirds. Flip the towel again, then roll tightly from the bottom to complete the process.^{[7]XResearch source}
2
Tuck the towels away into their own cubby holes. Position a large, open cabinet with multiple cubby holes against one wall of the bathroom. Slide the rolled towels into the cubbies with their rolled ends facing outwards. Assign each person who uses the bathroom his or her own cubbyhole, or store the towels by type: one cubbyhole for body towels, one for washcloths, and so on.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Store additional bathroom necessities in the remaining cubby holes.
- Make sure you also have a hook or bar to hang the towels on when they get wet.
3
Set out rolled towels in a large basket. Storing rolled hand towels and washcloths in a woven or wicker basket gives your bathroom the ambiance of a relaxing spa or hotel, especially if you use white or ivory towels. Arrange the towels so that the rolled tops peek out from the basket, instead of stacking the towels inside.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Buy a second, matching basket to collect used towels, making it simple to carry them to the laundry.
4
Tie the rolled towels with a ribbon and arrange them on the countertop. Add a welcoming touch of elegance to a guest bathroom by tying each rolled towel with a wide satin ribbon. Pile the rolled towels up in a miniature pyramid. Place two towels on the bottom and one on top, centered between the other two.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Keep in mind that ribbons often look the best when used on small or medium towels.
5
Slide rolled hand towels into a wine rack for a clever storage solution. Position a metal wine rack next to the sink, either on the floor or the counter, to allow hand-washers to easily access the towels. Consider arranging the hand towels in alternating colors for an eye-catching addition to your bathroom.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Place a basket next to the wine rack as a receptacle for used hand towels.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Stacking Your Towels

Select a hotel-style multi-tiered rack and hang it on the wall next to the shower or tub for easy access.^{[12]XResearch source} To fold bath towels in a visually pleasing way, master the tri-fold or deep fold methods. Then, slot these folded towels into your vertical rack, with the large bath towels on the bottom and the small washcloths on the top.
If you have the space, a piece of antique furniture makes a quaint decoration and a convenient surface to arrange your towels on. Neatly pile your towels atop the chair or other piece of antique furniture, arranging them from largest to smallest.^{[13]XResearch source}
3
Put up glass-front towel cabinets to display your folded towels. Select either a low cabinet that sits on the ground or a high cabinet that must be nailed to the wall. By opting for a cabinet with a glass front, you can store your spare towels while simultaneously using them as decorations. The cabinet will also protect the items inside from moisture and humidity.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Stacks of crisp white towels can make your bathroom look cleaner and more refreshing, while stacks of colorful towels can introduce vibrancy and a pop of color into the space.
If you prefer to keep your towels out of sight, arrange them inside a more decorative container such as a large, lidded wicker basket. Or, introduce a more functional piece into the room, like a window bench or vanity seat with built-in storage. This will serve double duty as both towel storage and extra seating.^{[15]XResearch source}
5
Stack your towels neatly on open shelves for a classic look. If your towels vary in size, place the largest towel on the bottom of the pile and work your way up with smaller and smaller towels to form a pyramid. Limit the stacks to three or four towels to keep the shelves from looking overloaded.^{[16]XResearch source}
- With open shelves, you can easily tell when you are beginning to run low on fresh towels.
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