For A DIY Paper Towel Holder In A Pinch, Use This Household Item You Already Have

Even in the most environmentally-conscious homes, it's rare to find a home kitchen without a roll of paper towels near the sink or stove. Not only are they the most sanitary option when cleaning up things like raw chicken residue, paper towels may just be the key to keeping your sandwiches from getting soggy — a paper towel folded inside your sandwich bag can wick up extra moisture and keep that bread fresh and dry.

You can also use paper towels to decorate cakes in a hurry by pressing the texture of the paper towel into your frosted cake, leaving a pretty pattern behind. With so many uses, it seems like paper towels might be the one disposable product worth keeping around. Of course, that means you have to store them. However, simply tucking them inside a cabinet could be unsanitary, as they'll get covered in dust and other kitchen grime, and free standing paper towel holders take up valuable space on your counter.

Luckily, the solution to this issue might just be hanging in your coat closet. Plastic hangers aren't just durable, they're portable and easy to clean, making them great for turning into paper towel holders. Just snip into the bottom edge of the hanger, several inches to the left of center and slide your paper towels into place. The roll will rest neatly on the hanger, hiding the snipped part until it's time to slide the empty tube off to replace it with a new roll of paper towels.

Not only is this simple paper towel holder incredibly easy to make, it's most likely also free, since many people already have extra hangers in their closets. This hack is also more versatile than a stationary wall paper towel holder or a portable free standing one. Instead of having to walk back and forth across your kitchen to grab paper towels, you can simply add adhesive plastic hooks to your backsplash near your stove, above your coffee bar, or where you most frequently prepare food. Then, you can simply move your paper towel hanger from area to area as needed, or modify multiple hangers to have paper towels at your fingertips wherever you are.

You can even double the lifespan of each roll of paper towels by cutting them in half through the center to make two smaller rolls. These shorter rolls won't sit as neatly on the modified hangers, but you can simply hold the snipped area closed with a sturdy binder clip or colorful wire chip bag clip. When it's time to put a new roll on the hanger, simply remove the clip, bend the snipped edge slightly downward, slide on the new roll, and clip everything back into place.

Though this hack is fairly utilitarian, you can make it a bit more aesthetically pleasing by choosing hangers without additional dips or hooks for clothing straps. The sleeker, modern-looking design will fade into the background for a cleaner look.