11 Genius Ways You Never Thought To Use An Old Paper Towel Holder In Your Home

Did you know your average old paper towel holder that sits on your countertop can be transformed into something new? If you were getting ready to toss out those old paper towel holders or dispensers (or know where to get some inexpensive ones, like from the Dollar Tree), hold off on that clean-out because there's a whole roster of things you can turn them into. From clever storage solutions to becoming parts of tasteful furniture, these metal kitchen staples can do so much more than just hold a paper towel upright.

For some of these ideas, it may require a quick trip to the hardware or craft stores, while others you can use the holder pretty much intact, but in a novel way. While some hacks will call for quite a bit of construction and crafting, there are plenty of easy lifts. However, if you choose to reuse the holder, it'll get you wondering how you can reuse other seemingly mundane things in your home in unexpected, but brilliant ways (maybe these old pillow case hacks will pique your interest, or even these clever ways to reuse dryer lint? Yes, that really is a thing!).

A paper towel holder can be upcycled as the base for a genius, multi-tiered organizational stand or tower for places like the bathroom or bedroom. Grab two or more wired baskets (you can easily find these items at a thrift store of Dollar Tree), then cut a hole at each baskets' base. Ensure the hole is large enough for the top of the paper towel stand to thread through. Slide the baskets onto the holder, then zip tie them in place. For an added flare, spray paint the entire thing a single color for decorative cohesion.

If you're a lover of mid-century modern (MCM), then this trick is for you. You'll likely need at least two matching paper towel holders for this, but the payoff is worth it. If needed, paint the holders whatever color you'd like, then attach them to the underside of a flat wooden surface using staple nails. Flip the entire thing over, and you have a nifty, MCM-inspired side table complete with hairpin legs that look straight out of "Mad Men." For a unique and antiqued-looking piece, opt for an odd number of legs or slightly distressed wood.

Storing extra toilet paper close to the toilet, for some reason, seems to be an aesthetic challenge – either you have a basket of rolls (which takes up space) or it's stored out of sight (not great when you're in a toilet paper emergency). You can store your extra toilet paper easily and prettily using a paper towel holder, though! Simply place it next to the toilet bowl and stack several rolls onto it, or up the design factor by mounting the base of the holder onto the wall so that it sits perpendicular.

This craft room organization idea will bring you joy, but as a reminder, this trick is not about aesthetics, and is all about ease. Grab your paper towel holder and some rigid plastic cups, and then stack the cups at the base of the holder. Attach them together with tape or glue, whichever feels more secure. Once you're done, add a second layer; it should resemble a tree when you're finished. Fill those cups with all sorts of things your crafty children like markers, crayons, pens, and pencils.

This hack feels almost too obvious and easy, but once you use it this way, you won't be able to look at hair tie organization the same way. If you're someone who loves a cute scrunchie or has an excess of hair ties, use a paper towel holder as an organizational tower for these hair tools. It keeps them organized and prevents any from getting lost in the depths of your drawers or behind vanities. Really anything with elastic, like bracelets, can be organized this easy way.

This is another incredibly easy way to transform your paper towel holder into something really useful. Pop on various ribbon spools, one on top of the other, onto the holder to create an easy DIY gift wrapping station. If you don't want gift wrapping out all the time, though, this makes it easy to store those pesky ribbons without the spools rolling around in a box or drawer. You can also apply this same idea with shorter rolls of wrapping paper, too, making it even easier to handle when you're wrapping presents solo.

With a few added components, a paper tower holder can be transformed into a useful makeup stand and organizer. Grab several wired napkin holders, some rigid plastic sheeting (like those thin cutting boards from the discount store), and your paper towel holder. Cut the plastic sheets into the same shape as the sides of the napkin holders. Glue the plastic onto one side of each napkin holder then glue and zip tie each napkin holder to the paper towel holder. The result should look like a standing organizer with several compartments on each side.

Another delightful storage solution for your craft materials is to fashion a craft paint caddy using paper towel and napkin holders, all from the Dollar Tree. This trick is a lot like the makeup organizer idea, except instead of orienting the napkin holders perpendicularly to the paper towel holder, you attach them parallel. Tie them together with zip ties, and then you can store your small bottles of craft paint on their side. Not only is it nicely organized, it's easy to transport from room to room.

For another quick and easy trick that improves storage and organization, consider installing a paper towel holder onto a wall or the interior of a cabinet near where you store your cleaning chemicals. Like the toilet paper holder, you can hang spray bottles from this now-horizontal rod, utilizing taller spaces to store things, rather than losing that vertical space by placing things on the floor. Just be sure to anchor the paper towel holder securely to the place you're hanging it so that it doesn't fall under the weight of the bottles.

There are a few paper towel holder hacks that keep hangers from cluttering up your laundry room, depending on where you're storing them. The first way is by mounting the paper towel holder to the wall, like you would in our bottle or toilet roll storage trick, for hangers to sit. Another way to use paper towel holders for this trick involves two holders. Glue them on a stuff board, hanger-width apart, and once dry, slide the hangers through the holders to stack them neatly. This is a great way to store a larger number of hangers at once.

Have you ever been to a home decor store and seen those screen-like picture holders that look industrial, yet rustic? Well, you can make your own version of that using a paper towel holder and four metal, wired cooling racks. Slip the holder between two back-to-back racks, and secure the racks in place using – you guessed it – zip ties. Repeat this with two more racks toward the top of the holder so you have a large square of criss-crossing metal beams. Once you're satisfied, paint with your favorite metallic color.