Line Kitchen Drawers In A Cost-Effective Way Using This Household Essential

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Even if you keep your kitchen drawers clutter-free, vigorous use and constant removing and replacing of objects leads to significant wear and tear, not to mention a smattering of crumbs, moisture, and general kitchen debris collecting over time. Drawer liners help in both cases, protecting your cabinetry and simplifying clean-up. You may have seen both the disposable and the reusable kind, but the next time you need to line your kitchen drawer, try repurposing your old kitchen and hand towels for the job. You've likely got some on hand, making this a cost-effective hack you can try out right away.

Any kind of towel can be used to line drawers, but if you have different types, use them according to what the drawer contains. In general, towels made of thinner material are easier to cut, fold, and repurpose into liners, making them suitable for smaller drawers. However, if you've got a fluffy bath towel that's past its prime, consider using it to line that big drawer full of pots and pans. The towel helps hold the utensils and reduces the clattering they make whenever the drawer is used. Fluffy towels also make great liners for drawers used to store delicate china or crystalware, holding the pieces in place and reducing the chances of them colliding with each other or the sides of the drawer. Extending the liner up to the sides of the drawer makes it extra-safe for breakable objects. Furthermore, these towels do a great job protecting the insides of the drawer from getting scuffs and scratches, and with a quick wash when they're dirty, they're ready to use again. 

While old towels can help save on buying drawer liners, if you find them collecting too quickly, you may be making some mistakes that are damaging your kitchen towels. It's also worth noting some caveats when using this hack. For one, towels absorb moisture. Therefore, if you happen to place kitchenware that's not completely dry in the drawers, the towels can get wet. Staying moist in a closed drawer can cause musty odors — something you definitely don't want from a drawer liner. Hence, thinner towels that dry faster are better for using as liners if there's any moisture involved.

Second, while cloth stays in place better than paper, you'll still have to secure these towel liners to the base of the kitchen drawer. Consider using an easy-to-remove adhesive like these D-NYX removable adhesive stickers to keep the towel liner in place until it needs to be changed. Heavier and textured towels are generally easier to hold in place, while silky or smooth pieces of fabric will be harder to fix to the drawer and won't be as effective in holding the contents of the drawer in place. 

Finally, dark colored or patterned towels are a better option for certain drawers, since stains tend to show more clearly on plain, light colored ones. Martha Stewart's handy decluttering trick for storing towels also works well for these repurposed drawer liner towels, allowing you to easily store and pick out the right one for the kitchen drawer that needs a liner.