For years, my roll of paper towels sat right in the middle of the countertop, wedged between the coffee maker and the dish rack. Handy, yes, but always in the way when I cooked or cleaned. I believed it was the only possible spot, until the day I came across a kitchen organization video that literally made me rethink the entire layout around my sink.
In this short clip, the decor content creator Teresa McGarr, known by the handle @ahomebodyjournal, shows how a simple change of holder and a bit of vertical organization are enough to free up the countertop. She even states: “It’s a sign that you should remove the paper towels from the countertop,” in a video posted on Instagram. After watching her tip, I realized I would never again place a paper-towel holder on the countertop.
Why a countertop paper-towel holder becomes a real headache
A roll laid flat takes up more space than you might think. It slides when you pull a sheet with one hand, it soaks up splashes near the sink, and it often ends up surrounded by other items, giving off a sense of constant clutter. In a small kitchen, every square inch counts, and that white cylinder in the middle of the countertop gouges out space that could be used for cooking or for placing a hot dish.
We get so used to seeing it there that we stop questioning the choice. That’s where Teresa McGarr’s idea becomes interesting. Rather than buying yet another countertop holder, she uses a wall-mounted paper-towel holder to make use of a surface often overlooked in the kitchen. The trick lies in moving the roll to a place where it remains accessible, but no longer rests on the countertop at all.
The trick: attach the paper-towel holder to the side of the cabinet, near the sink
In her video, Teresa McGarr selects a Bollove brand holder, stainless steel, with an L-shaped design. This model, sold on Amazon for about $8.99 (roughly €8.30), consists of a bar about 33.5 cm long, mounted on a small metal plate roughly 14.5 cm by 4.5 cm, for a total depth close to 8.9 cm. It easily accommodates a standard roll, even a bit thicker.
Most importantly, this holder can be fixed either with adhesive strips or by screwing. Teresa McGarr places it vertically on the side of her kitchen cabinet, within arm’s reach of the sink, which completely frees up the space between the bottom of the cabinet and the countertop. For a clean installation, simply degrease the surface, present the holder at the desired height, glue or screw it on, then check that the roll spins smoothly without rubbing against the cabinet.
A single holder, several smart uses around the house
Once installed, this type of paper-towel holder isn’t limited to paper towels. Teresa McGarr shows that by adding a few small hooks, the bar becomes a clever storage solution for measuring spoons or small utensils. The product page also mentions the idea of slipping a roll of plastic wrap there, so packaging and paper towels can be kept in the same spot, right next to the prep area.
Nothing prevents repurposing this holder beyond the kitchen. In a bathroom, it can hold a small hand towel on a roll. Near the entry, it serves as a bar for hanging reusable bags. And in a bedroom, some people even use it as a mini display stand for accessories. Among the possible uses:
- hang folded grocery bags by the entry;
- store bracelets, necklaces, or light scarves near a vanity;
- place a roll of thin wrapping paper in a corner of a desk or workshop.
Sources
- Maison & Travaux
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