The Home Decor Staple That Turns Curtain Rods Into Extra Storage For Toilet Paper

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Tension rods are one of the most versatile tools you can have in the bathroom. Hang one up, throw on a curtain, and you're ready for a shower. No need for a tool chest full of screws and electric drills. No need to build anything from scratch. It's that same no-build quality that makes this type of curtain rod a great choice for toilet paper storage. A couple of tension rods placed between two walls at the same height become a shelf. Such a set-up is easy to put together and strong enough to hold something light, like toilet paper.

For myriad reasons, some homes just don't have enough shelf space. Older homes, like Victorian houses, for example, don't have many closets, with shelves or otherwise. Or it may be the case that a bathroom is tiny. Half and quarter baths come to mind: many just have a toilet and a sink. The latter is often just a pedestal without cupboards underneath — not a lot of built-in toilet paper storage to speak of there. 

Floating shelves might solve your toilet paper storage problem, but those require tools and some handy skills to install. Plus they can cost more money than you might want to spend. There's also the time factor. You might need storage space right now. In all cases, this solution would work. Making the shelves only takes a couple of minutes and will only set you back about $10.

This bathroom storage hack requires at least two tension rods and a pair of walls that are close enough together to accommodate them. If you're fortunate, your bathroom toilet sits in a recessed alcove. You'd just need to place the two curtain rods between the alcove walls a couple of feet above the toilet. Otherwise, your tension rods could go into a shelfless hall closet or another recessed area where the walls aren't far apart. If there's too much space between the walls, the rods' tension feature won't work.

For a more solid set-up, hang three or four rods at the same height instead of two. This closes the gap between the rods, making it less likely that a small package of toilet paper will slip through. This option is also something to consider if you buy toilet paper in packs of 24 or more rolls because they will weigh more and need more support. Extra tension rods distribute the weight of all the packages more evenly. In this case, you should buy a heavy-duty option, like the AIJIEGUANG Spring Tension Curtain Rods, to keep the tension rods from falling down or bending under the weight of the load. Finally, if you think that toilet paper stored out in the open will be an eyesore, just put an additional rod in front of the the other two. A curtain hung on the third tension bar hides the toilet paper and makes the setup more decorative.