My towel rack was initially hung by a single screw and sheer willpower. Every single time I reached for my towel after showering, it would swing precariously to the left with a look of disgust. I would pull it back straight and promise myself I’d fix it “this weekend” and immediately didn’t follow through 8 more times.
Fast forward to a particularly rainy Tuesday morning. I came out of a hot shower (yes, those showers where you feel like all the troubles in the world just drip away) and reached for my towel. Instead of just swinging left, it gave up.
Completely gave up. The end closest to the wall detached from the rack and dropped my fluffy towel right into the toilet.
This is when I had my “ah ha!” moment.
Although let’s be real – maybe I was just super pissed at this point. But whatever it was, I stormed into my bedroom to my computer (still wrapped in a towel that was slightly dry) and jumped on every towel rack website trying to find the towel rods of my dreams. If I could go back, I would have told past me that towel rods matter.
How you store your towels can either elevate your bathroom or add to the frustration of your morning routine. I’m talking the difference between wrestling with wet towels every morning vs actually enjoying your time after a shower. Discovering that towel racks with multiple bars ruled ones with a single bar was mind-blowing to me.
I had been trying to dry two bath towels, washcloths, and sometimes my robe on a 24” single rod. No wonder my towels were all lumped together not drying! Since then I have three separate rods at different heights- game changer doesn’t even begin to describe it.
I even had to play around with where I placed the rods. At first, I put one directly over the toilet. That seemed logical until I realised I was creating a towel fortress over the dirtiest part of the bathroom.
Whoops. Eventually, I moved it over to the wall next to the shower and about 30” off the ground. It was low enough where I didn’t have to reach up or squat down to easily grab my towel.
I also didn’t realise how wonderful heated towel racks could be until I had one. I installed an inexpensive electric option (roughly $180) on the wall across from my shower with my towel rods. WOW.
Stepping out of a freezing bathroom in the middle of January and wrapping yourself in a towel that is actually warm? It’s kinda like your future self giving you a hug. Bonus – they were also super easy to install.
I already had an outlet behind my vanity that I simply had to run wire down to. Something else that wasn’t on my radar was that towel rod styles can really impact how your bathroom looks. I always went with chrome because it was played it safe.
Switching to all matte black made my bathroom look instantly updated. My bathroom went from feeling like it wasn’t thought through to having style. Black also really helps hide water spots vs chrome.
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As far as material goes, I quickly learned that not all towel rods are made equal. I am a sucker for pretty packaging and loaded up on a cute brushed brass option. It worked great for…. about 6 weeks.
Then I started to notice discoloration where my towels would touch the rod. After some research I learned the finish was just for looks. Now when I shop, I either look for solid materials or read reviews to see if anyone mentions rust with time.
Pro tip: towel rod spacing actually matters. When I haphazardly hung my first towel rods, I didn’t put them far enough apart. I had them about 8” apart because I “needed the space.” What ended up happening was my towels weren’t drying all the way before their next use.
This led to a funk smell that I couldn’t shake no matter how many times I washed my towels. Once I spaced my towels farther than 12” apart they have been able to dry completely. Another thing I didn’t consider was how I grab my towel.
I am a grab and go kind of person. When I’m rushing out the door in the morning I need my towel easy. Mounting my main towel rod where I can grab it without having to step outside of the shower made my life easier.
Saving me a couple seconds each morning isn’t super noticeable, but when you’re rushing to get out the door that few seconds adds up. I also fell in love with using a corner towel rod. My bathroom happens to have a weird angle going nowhere.
Insert towel rack and now I had the perfect spot to hang my hand towels and washcloths. I also love that these are separated from my bath towels. My OCD self appreciates it more than it should.
Lastly, I didn’t realise how important investing in good tools would be. I wasn’t going to spend money on a good stud finder or name brand drill bits. BIGGEST MISTAKE.
After realising you can only use a “stick” on stud finder in HOME DEPOT paint colours because the magnets won’t stick to your walls or that cheap drill bits can and WILL strip your screws – I changed my tune.
Spend the money on good tools! That being said, I also learned to use wall anchors that could hold more than I thought my towels would weigh.
Trust me when I say wet, bunched up towels feel heavier than they are. One mistake I almost made was not taking into consideration how my door swings. I loved my new heated towel rod until I tried to open my bathroom door and it wouldn’t open all the way.
I eventually moved it over about an inch, but that meant patching and painting holes. Trust me, you don’t want to do that. The biggest lesson towel racks taught me?
Practical towel storage isn’t about having a place to put your towels. Practical towel storage is about having a system that compliments your life. My set up now (which has a designated spot for hand towels, hangs down far enough for air flow, and can easily be reached from both the shower and vanity) has completely changed my experience with my daily routine for the better.
