Towel Closet Organization with Antiques & Baskets

Antiques and baskets were the storage solutions I used for my recent towel closet organization project in my primary bathroom.  This closet is tucked into the corner of the room next to one of our vanities.  It is deep and narrow, measuring in at 25.5” W by 21” D.

 

[Affiliate links are used in this post.  As an affiliate for a program (including being an Amazon Associate), I get a small commission (earn money) from qualifying purchases made through the included links, at no additional cost to you.]

 

 

Previously, this closet was packed full of towels, bedsheets, quilts, pillows, medical supplies, and random bathroom backstock.  Oftentimes the door would be left open, revealing the unsightly jumble.  It was neither organized nor functional.

 

 

 

As I was working on organizing the other spaces in our primary suite, I was hoping a solution would come to me for this closet.  Much of the backstock was moved to our bathroom vanities and the medical supplies to our medicine cabinet.  I researched for quite some time for storage containers for sheets, but I ended up using our antique English pine armoire for bedding storage instead.  The same baskets I used for the sheets in that armoire were actually the storage solution that inspired the organization of the towel closet, and I could not be happier with the end result.

 

Below I have listed each item I used in my towel closet organization project, and how I used it:

 

Using Baskets in my Towel Closet Organization

 

As I was searching for a storage solution for the closet, I was looking for quality pieces.  Unfortunately, most of the home products on the market today have gone down in quality since the pandemic, so it takes a little research to find newer ones that are sturdy and potentially long-lasting.

 

(1) Woven Rattan Baskets

I was beginning to think I would need to look for vintage solutions until I came across a dark rattan basket.  Not only were these baskets vintage-looking, but the quality was so good that I knew they would last a long time.  With this towel closet being a space that would be highly-used, these baskets would be the perfect solution if the measurements worked, which they did!

 

 

 

(Note:  I have provided the affiliate links for the exact baskets I used.  If they are sold out, check out the designer because there has been a new version of the basket released for the past few seasons.)

 

I purchased four of these rattan baskets to hold all of our towels, and chose to place them on the shelves with the handles not visible.  I like how solid the baskets looked in the space this way, and I still had space to roll up towels next to them.

 

(2) Reproduction Olive Buckets

I had debated using one of the dark rattan baskets on the floor to hold toilet paper rolls, but it looked too short for that wider opening.  I searched the house and remembered some reproduction olive baskets that I purchased years ago for around $10.  In our previous house, I used them in the pantry to hold plastic bags and paper towels.  I had considered taking them to Goodwill since they were reproductions I bought on a previously tighter budget, but I am happy I had tucked them away in a guest closet hoping to find a use for them.  Saving money by repurposing an owned item is always nice!  Plus, they can hold quite a few rolls of toilet paper too, and this was a storage solution we desperately needed to find in this particular bathroom.

 

 

 

Using Antiques in my Towel Closet Organization

 

As an antiques dealer and collector, I do not usually advocate investing in reproduction pieces.  I prefer to use authentic pieces.  In the case of my towel closet organization, I used antique ironstone in a couple of places as well as vintage card catalog labels.

 

(3) Antique Ironstone

An ironstone slop pail, complete with its lid, holds backstock of soap and Epsom salts.  It fits perfectly on the floor with the reproduction olive buckets.  On the top shelf, an ironstone footbath holds medical equipment that is too large to be stored in our bathroom vanity drawers or medicine cabinet.  I have debated adding some more of my bathroom-themed ironstone in this space, but for now, I like the streamlined nature of this closet.

 

 

 

 

(4) Antique Card Catalog Labels

Because the rattan baskets looked best turned lengthwise and could not hold a label turned that direction because of their thickness, I wanted to find a label solution.  The space felt like it needed just a touch more character, so I searched for something vintage or antique.

 

Luckily, I was able to find an online vendor who had several card catalog labels that were the right size for our custom shelving edge.  The mister added these to the shelving using brass screws, and I added cardstock labels for each category of towels—hand towels and washcloths, bath towels, bath sheets, and pool towels.

 

 

 

Related Posts, Pages, and Sources

• My go-to stores for organizing are The Container Store, Target, and Amazon.

 

• If you are looking for more organizing sources, check out my Organization Shop Page.

 

• You can also head to the “Organization” board on my Amazon Storefront for more resources.

 

• If you are looking for more organizing inspiration, check out these posts:

• • Utensil Drawer Organization,
  • Pantry Organization Project, and
  • Create a Home Coffee Bar Using an Antique Cabinet.

 

• My go-to stores for vintage and antiques are Ebay and Etsy.

 

• If you are looking for more antiques, check out my Antique Shop Page.

 

• If you are looking for more inspiration for using your antique pieces, check out these posts:

• • A Look Inside of My Antique English Pine Armoire,
  • 4 Ways to Repurpose an Ironstone Relish Dish, and
  • Two Modern Uses for a Vintage Wicker Mannequin.

 

Old and New in my Towel Closet

Now when the door to the towel closet gets left open, I smile.  When it is laundry day, and I am putting away the towels, I smile. The new baskets paired with the ironstone and brass are a combination of old and new that make me smile.  At least for me, there is a happiness (and a ton of smiling) that comes with having a space organized and aesthetically pleasing.  I hope that something I did in this towel closet organization project can help you put a smile on your face too!

 

 

 

 

 

What item—basket or antique—could you see using in your towel or linen closet?

 

If you are inspired to organize your towel closet or borrow a storage solution idea from this post, I would love to see your completed project.  Be sure to tag me @inheritedadco in your photo, so I can share it.