8 Items You Can Repurpose For Stylish & Functional Toilet Paper Storage

One of life's lessons usually learned the hard way is — if at all possible — to always keep a few extra rolls of toilet paper on hand. Of course, finding ways to store that extra tissue stylishly until you need it can be a little more challenging than buying a spare package at the supermarket. One thing to remember when you're organizing just about anything is that rounding up the clutter almost always looks better than leaving it loose, and toilet paper is no exception. If you want to keep this project simple, one of the easiest ways to repurpose an item you already own is to move an unused tray, decorative crate, or basket to your bathroom for storing toilet paper. Doing that doesn't require too much outside the box thinking, though. If you'd rather get into more serious repurposing, we have some ideas for you that can be sewn or glued together pretty easily to create toilet paper holders in a variety of styles. 

Additionally, there are several items that usually end up in the trash that can be made into custom storage solutions. For instance, you can DIY a cute toilet paper storage solution by saving old tin cans and decorating them, but there are several other up-cycles we're highlighting for you, too. With a little motivation and creativity, you can find that intersection where form meets function to store all your spare toilet rolls. 

This easy DIY project requires a wire paper towel holder from Dollar Tree, a craft store wooden disk painted white, a decorative paper napkin attached with Mod Podge, and a hot glue gun to affix the holder to the base. Bonus: if you already have Mod Podge and a glue gun, the expense is minimal. We also saw another idea where a Dollar Tree paper towel holder like this one was attached horizontally to the wall with small hooks. That's faster and certainly functional, but if you want something that's customizable, too, this one wins out.

This easy-sew idea is designed to create something that hangs from your wall so that two extra rolls of tissue are always close at hand. If you're handy with the sewing machine, maybe you can even use up some leftover fabric for this project to match bathroom curtains you made previously. Any type of material that coordinates your decor will do, though, as long as you have enough to cut two longer strips for the holder and two small strips of fabric or ribbon for the hanging loops. 

Much like moving a basket or tray to your bathroom, repurposing a French grocery bag to create boho toilet paper storage requires minimal effort. It is, however, something you might not think of off the top of your head and a great idea for saving shelf and counter space. If you don't have a French grocery bag you're not using, you might find one while you're out thrifting or you can buy them online, like the Reusable French Market Bags from Amazon. They come in colors other than off white, too. 

This project is designed to mimic a much more expensive toilet paper holder available through chic decor stores. Thanks to clever Dollar Tree crafters who come up with great ideas for inexpensive copycats, you can follow their lead and hot glue some rope to the plastic oval container from the Dollar Tree for tissue storage that looks very similar. They also fashioned a roll holder using a wooden rolling pin and plastic knobs attached with screws. In all honesty, though, the rope-covered bin would look great for storing rolls of tissue on its own.

One of the common pantry items you can repurpose for toilet paper storage is an oatmeal canister. Just wipe it out with a slightly damp paper towel to remove the oat dust and it's ready to decorate. You can use old greeting cards to make seasonal versions by cutting and gluing them as a DIY project or you can use contact paper for an easy self-stick decorative solution. You'll have to save a large oatmeal canister for this purpose, but don't toss the smaller ones as they can be repurposed for storing smaller items. 

Rather than throwing away those boxes from Amazon, you have the opportunity to upcycle them into something useful for your home. For example, you can make a storage box out of one to hold toilet paper. It's as easy as covering it with fabric or contact paper and adding any accents you might like. You can also unlock extra storage in your bathroom with a similar shoebox hack when you decorate one in much the same way. The result is a customized storage container to coordinate with your perfectly decorated bathroom. 

Let's face it, it's often a good idea to use plastic containers in a bathroom where splashes, leaks, and overflows can easily happen. That's the reason we like this DIY toilet paper storage idea, as it can hold several rolls with the help of a large plastic bottle and a leftover heavy cardboard tube. Cutting out the top portion of the bottle with a utility knife and decorating with scrap fabric and trim is all that's needed to craft a toilet paper holder. It will hopefully keep your extra rolls dry no matter what comes their way in the bathroom.

While it only holds one roll, in a half bath this would work on the back of the tank to keep a spare roll of toilet paper handy. This DIY example is made with a base of left over cardboard packaging inserts and pieces cut from boxes. The inside is lined with red felt while the exterior boasts painted ice pop sticks and other sparkly trimmings. Honestly, though, you could decorate the outside with just about anything including scraps from other craft projects, foam paper, fabric, or jute string trimming.