Ditch The Basic Paper Towel Holder For A Cuter Alternative That Adds Extra Storage

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Paper towels are an essential in most homes and many households prefer to keep them out on countertops, so they are easy to grab during spills and mishaps. Transform a plain old paper towel roll into a decorative accent by giving it a more inspiring holder. Instead of leaving it out by itself or stowing it on a standard stainless steel rod, try DIYing a creative rustic design.

The Instagram user the.crafty.corners came up with an adorable paper towel holder that doubles as storage for other countertop items. It only requires a few budget-friendly supplies and doesn't require any special tools to assemble, making it an easy DIY for anyone to undertake. The primary pieces in the project are repurposed wooden cutting boards, so the project naturally fits seamlessly with most kitchen designs.

In addition to being cute, this holder has functional appeal. It doesn't just store a paper towel roll, it hangs it on a rolling dispenser for convenient use. Below the dispenser is also space for small countertop decor, such as small artificial plants, electronic candles, or a catch-all tray. You could also use it to hold other kitchen items that you prefer to keep out on countertops, such as a favorite coffee mug or commonly used seasonings. The other benefit of this idea is that it potentially frees up an old paper towel holder for other genius uses around a home.

You'll need to gather some materials before getting started on this idea. The essentials include a wood dowel, two cutting boards, a small slab of plywood, and super glue. Choose two identical cutting boards, preferably with a handle and a hole for hanging, such as the Qukemax Small Bamboo Cutting Board for Kitchen. If you want more space below the paper towel roll, be sure to go with the bigger sized option.

You'll need a small piece of plywood, around the same width as the cutting boards or slightly smaller so it can fit between the boards without extending outwards. Make sure it's at least a foot in length, so there's plenty of room for the paper towel roll to hang horizontally above it. You'll also need a wood dowel that fits in the handle hole, likely around a half-inch or smaller diameter (since the average paper towel roll has an inner tube dimeter of 1.5 inches) and around a 12- to 13-inch length. If your chosen cutting boards don't have that hole included, DIY the hole yourself with a drill. To cement the project in place, ensure there's also a bottle of E6000 Plus Multi-purpose Clear Glue on hand.

Stain the plywood to match the cutting boards and let it dry. Lay it down flat, and prop up the two cutting boards on either side, handle facing up, and superglue them in place. Slide the dowel through one of the handle holes, put on the paper towel, and slide it through the other side. Don't glue the dowel in place, or you won't be able to remove and replace the roll when it runs out.

At this point, the project is finished and ready to be set up on a countertop. However, the customization can also be taken a step further so the holder better fits your kitchen aesthetic. You could sand down the cutting boards before assembling them then stain the surface another shade. Another option is to paint them with an acrylic paint, like Apple Barrel's Acrylic Paint, for an opaque, bold color. You could also make the holder more intricate by adding a beaded trim with Nuanchu's Decorative Beads or Psyqtsuary's Poplar Wood Mini Flowers.

How you style the space below the paper towel roll also impacts its decorative value. Leave this space empty for a more minimalist aesthetic. If you make a lot of home-cooked meals, this could be a clever way to store and organize a spice collection, or at least the most-used ingredients. Another idea is to set up a catch-tray for your keys, sunglasses, or any other items that often get scattered on countertops.

Don't forget to combine this idea with other methods to optimize your paper towel storage. If you buy your rolls in bulk, you'll need to find another place to stow the extras. While you can't store all the remaining rolls in the shelf of this DIY project, there's a way to save space by storing back-up paper towels behind a bungee cord.