apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I used to hang my dish towels over the oven handle. When I cooked, I stuck one in my waistband for easy access (not an apron girl, here). But I had a permanent path of water droplets from the sink to the oven from walking across the kitchen with wet hands, searching for a towel. And when I had more than two towels in use (which was often), I ended up with a stack of damp ones by the sink.

My hook was a gift. It's a hefty, iron fleur de lis, the symbol of New Orleans, where I briefly lived. It's pretty, and yet I could never bring myself to hang it. It was too pretty to be hidden in a closet, but it wasn't quite big enough for coats in an entryway.

Last week, after reading Faith's post, I got out my tool box and screwed the hook into the kitchen wall, directly across from the sink. And I know it sounds silly, but it is honestly one of the most efficient, useful things I've done in my kitchen in years.

My towels are within arm's reach of the sink. They dry fast, hanging on that hook by the window. They aren't taking up space on my countertop. And they just look really cool hanging on a fancy hook rather than over the oven door. Also, I frequently hang more than one towel on the hook; it's strong enough.

If you're looking to give your kitchen towels a new home, I'd encourage you to buy a pretty, special hook that you love. It's wall adornment and kitchen organization in one, and you'll smile every time you see it.

Related: The IKEA Kitchen: TEKLA Towels (and Napkins)

(Images: Elizabeth Passarella)