The $29 Find That Solved My Biggest Bathroom Storage Problem

One of my friends has coat hooks in various sizes of wooden circles covering an entire entryway wall, and I’ve always thought this is both brilliant and beautiful. There are usually never enough coat hooks at a party, but I always have a place for my coat in her home.

I feel the same way about towel bars in a bathroom. Unless you live alone, you probably don’t have enough. I’ve shared a bathroom with up to five people, and let me tell you: Towel bars are prime real estate in a roommate situation. The problem is they can be tricky to install and they make giant holes in the wall, which is a big no-go if you’re a renter.

Enter: Command bath towel bars. These renter-friendly bars can be installed in seconds with damage-free Command Strips — no tools required. I own the bath towel bar in matte black, but it also comes in satin nickel. You can order either color in a smaller hand towel version, too. The bath towel bar is 24 inches long and can hold up to 10 pounds; it’s definitely strong enough for a damp towel. The hand towel bar is nine inches long and holds up to three pounds.

I wondered if the Command Strips could withstand the moisture-rich environment of my bathroom — I like my showers screaming hot, so there’s often more steam than my vent can keep up with — but the strips are water-resistant and have held up with no issues.

You can even install them on glass shower doors if you’re short on wall space or want to place the towel within easy reach. They also adhere to metal, tile, laminate, finished woods, and painted surfaces.

Using a level helps with installation — especially if you own the longer bath towel bar version. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, including prepping the wall with rubbing alcohol, installing right-side up, and waiting 24 hours before adding any weight to the bar. It’s easy to remove the bar for deep cleaning; simply slide it off the plastic mounting base.

If you don’t have space for a bar, you could use Command Metal Bath Hooks instead. I recommend the bar if you have room, though, because towels dry faster when spread out.

Order enough towel bars for everyone in the home, and never worry about accidentally using your roommate’s towel again. That alone is worth the price.

Buy: Command Bath Matte Black Towel Bar, $28.95 (normally $34.99)