Martha Stewart's Kitchen Towel Storage Tip Will Free Up Your Drawer Space

If you want to cook like Martha Stewart, you've got to organize like Martha Stewart. Kitchen towels pull a lot of weight around the house, and they can pile up before you know it. The first step is to set aside a drawer or basket specifically for towels. Once you have designated space, the way you fold and store them will make a huge difference to your overall kitchen organization.

Martha Stewart recommends laying the towels out flat, folding them into thirds, and then folding that long rectangle in half (per Oprah). This gives you neat, uniform, and compact rectangles that are just slightly longer than squares. This method doesn't result in bulkiness, and you can press each folded towel with your hands to give it a final flattening, releasing any crinkles or excess air. They will stack neatly and create ample room for all of your towels.

Building on this, you can further categorize your kitchen towels by color, fabric, or use. Pro chefs prefer kitchen towels over oven mitts for many reasons, so having a lot available and ready to use will speed things up, even in the generally slower pace of home kitchens. This will help keep track of your inventory and laundry requirements, while also being just plain pretty to look at. Who doesn't want an aesthetically pleasing and practical kitchen?

Drawer space is prime real estate in many kitchens, so keeping them accessible and not stuffed beyond capacity is important. Firstly, understand the actual space that you're working with. One hack is to measure out the space and cut baking paper to that size, so when you do your home goods shopping, you can buy organizers that actually fit, and there's no wasted time or space. Next up is the purge. Everyone has items that they don't use anymore, but can't let go of, just ignoring until the clutter becomes too much. Every couple of months, take stock of what's in your drawers and rehome or throw out what you don't need.

Also keep in mind that drawers lend themselves well to stacking, but not all items are best organized this way. Large knives, appliances, and pots and pans are at risk of damage if stacked – not to mention it makes for a tricky and potentially dangerous job to retrieve one of those items stuck at the bottom. Towels and linen are perfect for stacking and easy to pull out, even at the bottom or back of the pile, so it's best to prioritize these in your drawer space and reserve hanging or cupboard space for larger and bulkier items.