This Common Thrift Store Find Doubles As The Cutest Toilet Paper Storage Solution

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If you have a large household, live with multiple roommates, or host guests often, you probably go through a lot of toilet paper. "A lot" may even be an understatement if you have young children who are still learning how to use the lavatory. Whatever the case may be, having a dedicated spot to corral extra rolls is an easy way to keep your bathroom both tidy and fully stocked. There are all kinds of budget-friendly toilet paper storage hacks to consider, including one that reduces bathroom clutter and eyesores by creating a niche to hide TP overstock in a wall. Or, you could use this as an opportunity to decorate. A couple of stylish upgrades can turn a thrifted magazine rack into a toilet paper organizer that elevates the look of your entire bathroom and keeps a reusable item out of a landfill.

Old magazine racks are a common sight at thrift shops, flea markets, yard sales, and other places that sell secondhand goods. They're often made of sturdy wood, and they tend to cost very little since the digital revolution has reduced demand for them. Many of these racks have multiple compartments that can hold objects other than magazines. As it turns out, some of them are just the right size for several rolls of toilet paper. Before hunting for a rack to repurpose, measure a roll of the bath tissue your household uses most often as well as a tucked-away spot near your toilet. When you go shopping, bring along these dimensions and your tape measure. They can help you choose a wood magazine rack that meets your needs and doesn't take up prime real estate in your bathroom.

Once you've found an inexpensive magazine rack that will hold plenty of toilet paper, give it a thorough cleaning and fix any loose screws or damaged parts. Then, decide how you'd like your new toilet paper holder to look. You could leave the rack as is, maybe just apply a topcoat to keep it shiny. 

Or consider applying two coats of spray paint to the rack, which can give it an entirely different vibe and help it complement the color scheme of your bathroom.  Alternatively, you could dress up the rack with leftover nail polish. If you go this route, sand the rack and apply a primer if you have one handy. Both of these steps will encourage the nail polish to adhere to the wood. Let each application of nail polish dry completely before adding more. For a vibrant look, use several different colors of nail polish to cover the wood with overlapping dots and then spray your creation with Rust-Oleum All-Surface Clear Spray Paint or another transparent topcoat to prevent the polish from peeling. No matter how you decorate your thrifted rack, make sure the finished product is easy to clean, considering where you intend to keep it. 

Find two marvelous magazine racks at the thrift store? Score! Bring them both home, but give them different jobs to perform. Try repurposing the second rack as a smart shoe storage solution in your entryway or mudroom. Or, if you have two bathrooms, make a customized toilet paper storage station for each of them.