How Many Towels Do You Really Need?

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How many towels do you really need? Hint: Probably less than you think!

2 white towels next to a basket of clean laundry

Towels are one of those things that seem to multiply on their own. You buy a few, inherit a few more, and before you know it, your linen closet is overflowing with mismatched, frayed, and questionably old towels.

But how many do you actually need? Let’s break it down.

stack of beige towels on a side table

How Many Towels to Keep

  • BATH
    • How many people live in your home?
    • Keep 2-3 per person: one in use, one clean, one spare
  • HAND
    • How many bathrooms are in your home?
    • 2-3 per sink (rotate daily or weekly)
  • WASHCLOTHS
    • How many people shower/ wash their face everyday?
    • 5-7 per person (if used daily)
  • GUEST
    • What’s the max # of overnight guests you have?
    • 1 per guest
  • PET
    • How many pets need towels in your home?
    • 1-2 per pet (for baths or muddy paws)
  • POOL/ BEACH
    • How often are you at the pool or beach?
    • 1 per person (2 if frequent swimmers)
pool and beach towels stacked in piles

What To Do with Extra Towels?

  1. Donate to Animal Shelters – Most shelters love old linens for bedding, cleanup, and pet care.
  2. Turn Them into Cleaning Rags – Cut them into smaller pieces and use them for dusting or scrubbing.
  3. Donate to Homeless Shelters – Some shelters accept gently used linens for hygiene kits or resident use.
  4. Recycle – Google “How to recycle towels” for online or local companies near you.
  5. Donate to Daycares or Schools – Some use them for nap time or crafts.
  6. Donate to Friends or family – If they need extras, pass them along!
3 towels rolled in a basket

Consider Your Laundry Habits

Your laundry routine plays a big role in this decision:

  • Do laundry multiple times a week? You can get by with fewer.
  • Wash everything once a week? Having a couple extra makes sense.
  • Only wash when you absolutely have to? First, yikes. Second, you might want a few more backups.

More to Consider

  • HOW MANY EMERGENCIES ARE YOU PLANNING FOR?
    Most households only need a few extras for guests or spills, not an apocalypse.
  • TOWELS DON’T LAST FOREVER.
    All linens degrade over time, even if theyre not used. Keeping a huge stash means most will just sit and collect dust or smell musty.
  • YOU’RE NOT A HOTEL.
    You don’t need to cater to 20 imaginary guests at once.
  • USE THAT SPACE FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
    It’s better to have a clean, organized space than to hoard excess linens.
  • HELPING OTHERS FEELS GOOD.
    Giving usable towels to shelters or charities is a great way to declutter and do good.
  • THEY’RE ALWAYS REPLACEABLE.
    You can easily replace or borrow them if you ever need more, (and that’s a big IF).

The Benefits of Owning Fewer Less

A streamlined towel collection means:
✅ More space in your linen closet
✅ Less laundry to deal with
✅ A simpler, more organized home

So, how many do you have? More importantly, how many do you actually use? If your linen closet is looking like a Bed Bath & Beyond clearance sale, it might be time for a little decluttering session.

Helpful Links

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