The Stylish $13 West Elm Find That Will Help You Win Back More Counter Space (and Waste Less)
I have a love-hate relationship with paper towels. On the one hand, I love them for cleaning up spills, without having to use my dish towel and then throw it immediately into the laundry bin. And for making sure my cast iron pan is properly cleaned and seasoned. And for mopping up my dog Charlie’s more-frequent-now-that-he’s-old accidents. And, occasionally, for emergency TP use!
But I also hate knowing that I’m wasting paper when I could be using something non-disposable (like a dish towel or microfiber cloth). In fact, I have a particular fondness for Viva paper towels because they feel cloth-like and make me (sort of) believe that it’s okay, really, to use paper towels sometimes.
So, I’ve come to a compromise solution: I buy paper towels, but I just make sure it takes me a while to use them. And when I say “a while,” I mean a single roll will last me a good two or three months.
And a good part of the reason why I’ve become so zen about this and why I can be so spartan with my paper towel use is the YAMAZAKI home Magnetic Paper Towel Holder.
For starters, it’s so pretty to look at. I mean, LOOK AT IT. It might be the most stylish paper towel holder of all time. There are many times that I’ll just pause and admire it —and it truly does spark joy just to know that it’s there.
Just as importantly, it’s magnetic, which means I have it on the side of my refrigerator, totally within reach whenever I need it, but also tucked away so that it’s not the very first thing I reach for. And it frees up counter space. I used to keep my paper towels in a holder on the counter and, even though a vertical roll of paper towels doesn’t exactly have a large footprint, it does take up space — space that I’d rather use for a utensil crock or my tools while I’m meal prepping.
And right now it’s on sale at West Elm for $13, which is cheaper than when I bought it on Amazon (for $18). So it’s really a steal. For basically the price of a large pack of paper towels, you can get this gorgeous holder that’ll spark joy, free up space, and help you waste less. The ultimate trifecta, no?
