You're Probably Storing Your Kitchen Towels Wrong (But Here's An Easy Fix)

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If you spend any time on social-media kitchen sites, you've likely seen videos of creators triumphantly sliding open a drawer to reveal neat rows of tightly rolled kitchen towels. They sometimes look more like hotel or spa towels — and definitely not like the cleaning rags in your own kitchen. It can certainly be inspiring to imagine that kind of organization and control over what's often a jumbled mass of mismatched, well-worn cooking companions that swipe, soak, and scrub our splatters and spills. Perhaps you would fold and stack your rags like some folks do. But is rolling them a practical alternative that's actually worth taking the time to do?

That's what we're looking at here — and be forewarned: There's a good chance you'll be doing some kitchen-towel rolling on upcoming laundry days. This surprisingly functional upgrade helps with aesthetics, space conservation, ease of access, and even cleanliness.

First of all, rolled kitchen towels just look good. It's the same inspiration you get when stepping into a retail showroom and thinking, "Maybe, just maybe, my kitchen could be this organized and functional." Whether you call them dishcloths, tea towels, or kitchen rags, it helps to start off with options that have fresh, matching designs (like these dobby weave-style Utopia Kitchen Towels). Then dedicate a specific drawer, or portion of one, to the endeavor. It may help to insert freestanding, adjustable drawer dividers to keep towels firmly in place. (And remember to repurpose those old kitchen towels.)

Practice your kitchen-towel rolling technique, which is pretty much the same as rolling bath or gym towels, just on a smaller scale. For the ultimate aesthetic, try a method for rolling spa towels. It starts with folding down one top corner of your kitchen towel to create a triangle, then folding the rest of the rectangular towel in half lengthwise beneath the triangle. Next, flip the towel over, and roll the rectangle tightly toward the triangle. When it's fully rolled into a log-like, Tootsie Roll shape, tuck that little triangle tip into the edge of the entire roll. 

Now you're ready to tuck those little Lincoln Logs, side by side, into their new home. You'll be instantly maximizing available space with minimalist, clutter-cutting, KonMari-style appeal. You want the kitchen towels to be close-knit drawer companions, but laid loosely enough for easy removal during busy cooking sessions. Yes, those pristine new food catchers will eventually pick up the usual pasta-sauce or coffee stains, as in any well-loved kitchen. But since rolled towels in neat rows are easier to grab with messy, meal-prep fingers, they stay stain-free longer. 

Rolling also leaves fewer creases and crannies in which crumbs and dust can hide, and storing the towels in a closed drawer protects them from errant spatters, sputtering grease, and fading under sunlight exposure. That increases kitchen hygiene and reduces laundry loads. For more ideas on quick, affordable storage options, check out our dollar store solutions for optimizing kitchen towel storage.