If you use "unpaper" towels...

LolaGeek

How do you store them so they're as handy as paper towels? I just got a bunch of birdseye cotton reusable towels and we're about to make the switch from paper towels and napkins, but I'm worried I (or more likely DH) will forget or get annoyed if they're not convenient.

I really like these dispensers, but I feel like there must be a less expensive option. I just don't want a big bin of rags sitting out on my kitchen counter, you know?

Lisa78

Do you have a drawer you can use for them? That's what I did - I knew mine had to be super accessible for DH to remember! I have a pic and post about them here.

LolaGeek

Great post! Our kitchen was really poorly planned out, so no, we don't have much free drawer storage for them. I liked the idea of the "towel house" because I could sit it on the counter where the paper towels are now, and it wouldn't be much of a change. Also, if you have something messy or drippy and just want to grab a towel quickly, I didn't want to have to be messing with drawers or things with lids, etc.

pixy_stix

I have a basket that I just keep them neatly folded in.

Jen&Joe06

I have ours in the drawer with the dish towels.

Jeff & Em

If you put the paper towels away in your pantry or someplace that's not super accessible, you'll be less likely to use them.  Ours stay on the top shelf of our pantry.

Our napkins are in a basket in our dining room.  Our unpaper towels are folded and sit underneath our kitchen sink.  Unfortunately, we don't have much drawer space in our kitchen.  We've got one drawer for silverware, one for spices & hotpads, two drawers are full of utinsels, one drawer is full of washcloths and towels, and the biggest drawer is full of dog toys.  

chw57

We have a drawer full of them right next to the sink

LolaGeek

Thanks girls. I guess I will try out the basket idea and see how that works.

Related question: What do you do with the dirty ones? Do you have a special spot for them, or just dump them in the laundry room right away? Our laundry is just off the kitchen, so I figured we could easily throw them in a laundry basket after using.

suzymarie

Location:  in a drawer in the kitchen.  Sorry

Laundry:  I find they get nasty if I put them in the laundry basket wet.  I hang them to dry on the handle of my oven, and then every morning when I get up I toss yesterday's dry ones in the regular laundry basket. 

blue_elle

We keep ours in a drawer next to silverware, but if we didn't have space there I'd do a nice basket on the counter.

We put our dirty cloth napkins in the basket for towels, but I do sort them out for washing. If any get wet from mopping spills and whatnot I stick them over the oven handle to dry before going to the laundry.

Jeff & Em

LolaGeek:

Related question: What do you do with the dirty ones? Do you have a special spot for them, or just dump them in the laundry room right away? Our laundry is just off the kitchen, so I figured we could easily throw them in a laundry basket after using.

If they're wet, we'll run them upstairs to the laundry area.  If they're not, we just toss them at the foot of the stairs and take them up the next time we go up.  I think you have the advantage in this area.  ; )

LolaGeek

Thanks again! I think in our next house the kitchen will have to be 90% drawers. This one is really so poorly laid out.

I have some ideas about baskets to keep the towels out on the counter. Despite our lack of drawers, counter space is plentiful. Or I could just go with something like this, LOL!

CutesBoots

That roll you posted is a neat idea.  It looks like you could just sew some snaps (or even use adhesive velcro strips) to mimic the same idea. 

We have a bar on the side of our island cart, and I hang our towels off the end of that.  Extras are stored in a drawer (sorry).  I also keep a pile of rags under the sinks in the bathrooms.

SuperGreen

We moved the paper towels to the top shelf of the pantry, so we can't just grab them out of habit.  We keep the unpaper towels in a drawer next to the stove.  If you don't have a drawer available I think a nice basked would work just as well.  When they're wet/dirty, they collect in a pile on the kitchen island and we take them upstairs and toss them directly in the washer.  Etsy has tons of cute wet bags if you don't want to hike to the washer.

Roni.Cedra

We have nice white ones, and we have big random microfibers and shamwows and some other randomness. 

Under the sink I put:

 

I keep spounges and rag rags on the bottom drawer and the nicer cloths on the top. I also have a drawer beside that holds overflow.  

Kyle523Nicole

Roni.Cedra:

We have nice white ones, and we have big random microfibers and shamwows and some other randomness. 

Under the sink I put:

 

I keep spounges and rag rags on the bottom drawer and the nicer cloths on the top. I also have a drawer beside that holds overflow.  

Kyle523Nicole

Roni.Cedra:

We have nice white ones, and we have big random microfibers and shamwows and some other randomness. 

Under the sink I put:

 

I keep spounges and rag rags on the bottom drawer and the nicer cloths on the top. I also have a drawer beside that holds overflow.  

Where did you get that?!  I want one (or six!!)

Val&B0604

Here's a link to a DIY blog for rolled unpaper towels. 

http://sewastraightline.blogspot.com/2010/04/rolled-kitchen-towels-tutorial-and.html