Goodbye, Bathroom Clutter: This Clever IKEA Hack Keeps Towels Neat And Organized

If you have towels stuffed into every drawer and cabinet of your bathroom with no idea of how to keep them from turning into a messy pile the moment you need to pull one out, it might be time to think outside the box. There's a simple solution that's perfect for keeping towels neat and tidy, and it can be found at IKEA. Not in the bathroom aisle, though — instead, head to the kitchen section and grab a baking sheet rack.

The idea comes from Instagram creator @bysandradiy. Instead of stuffing towels in a cabinet or drawer, she used the SVARTABBORRE foldable black baking sheet rack, which costs just $14.99. The creator placed the rack on a wall and filled it with folded towels instead of baking sheets. Then, she added two SKOGSVIKEN black hooks to the bottom of the rack to hang brushes or loofahs. This DIY is perfect for tight spaces because even though the rack acts as a small bathroom shelf, it can be folded up against the wall to save space when it's not in use.

Normally, this rack is meant to organize baking sheets. It can be used to cool cookies when they come out of the oven, or to keep a muffing tray off the counter while you finish your second batch. For most families, this is not an everyday kitchen tool, so it needs to be stored away in between baking sessions. That's why it even has the ability to neatly fold into a flat structure. But for our purposes, that foldable aspect is perfect.

The SVARTABBORRE is designed to be placed on a counter. Therefore, the baking sheet rack doesn't come with attachments to go onto the wall. It's not clear how the original mind behind this idea managed placed the rack there, but there are some options. First, some tech-savvy baking enthusiasts have come up with 3D models of wall mounts for these. If you don't have access to a 3D printer, you'll have to use another method, but there are some other easy and simple solutions. You can place four drilled-in hooks on the wall and place the rack on them using the two bars at the back of the structure.

Once it's securely on the wall, fill the rack with towels. The racks are 10 inches by 9 inches, so they're perfect for neatly folded bath towels. If you prefer to make your bathroom feel like a spa by rolling them, you can still use this method as long as your rolls aren't too thick. Repeat this step for all three upper "shelves" and leave the bottom one empty. From that lower rack, you can hang the towels you're currently using. Add some over-the-door hooks to the bottom bar to hang tools like loofahs and scrub brushes, or use them for smaller towels for your face, hands, or hair. 

There are many ways in which you can adapt this DIY to solve your problems. For example, the rack can be used to hang clothes on their hangers to dry. It can also be used in a walk-in closet to store bedsheets, or in a small kitchen as a functional towel rack.