Swap Your Old Toilet Paper Holder: The Modern Alternative From Amazon With Built-In Storage

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The bathroom may be the smallest room in the house, but that doesn't mean it requires the fewest amenities. Items like matches, air freshener, and lotion can all make the bathroom experience more comfortable, but sometimes counter space is scarce. Some homeowners add shelves to their bathrooms, but if wall space is also limited, opt for a space-saving toilet paper holder that doubles as extra storage.

The shelf of the AIDILI Toilet Paper Holder is the most visible part at first glance. But tucked beneath the shelf is a thin rod for toilet paper that can be installed in either direction. Customers can choose from a white shelf with black railing for a modern look, or a wood shelf, also with black hardware, to fit a rustic farmhouse aesthetic. This product works for even the smallest space, with its shelf measuring only about 8 inches wide by 2 inches tall and sticking out slightly more than 5 inches.

This is an easy way to add a phone shelf to increase the functionality of your bathroom layout (if you're not troubled by the germs that phones can pick up in there). But the shelf — with a weight limit of 4 pounds — can be used for other items, too: wipes, small decor, hand sanitizer, sanitary pads, fragrant diffusers, extra toilet paper, and more. For a less conventional placement, put it over the sink or next to the door and drape a hand towel on the toilet paper rod. Place your toothbrush, contact solution, makeup, or other personal toiletries for easy access when you're at the sink.

Among Amazon reviews, one frequent comment was about the ease of switching out toilet rolls. No more finagling of traditional rods, which could discourage people from replacing an empty roll with a new one. If you tend to avoid anything that requires installation, don't worry. Many reviewers noted that this was easy to install, either with two screws or a wide adhesive strip — both of which come with the product.

One recurring negative comment about the product was that the screws didn't match up with the holes, which some reviewers resolved by drilling new holes. Use a handheld drill with a basic twist bit made of high-speed steel for this task, along with a center punch, a tool you always want to have on hand when drilling metal. Some customers also mentioned that the provided screws were too short, which caused the shelf to easily pop out of the wall. This is an easy fix: Simply replace the screws with longer ones.

While some customers loved how easily the toilet paper spun on the rod, others complained that a strong tug would send the roll flying off. One person suggested taking the cap from a milk jug, painting it black, drilling a hole into it, and attaching it to the end of the toilet paper rod. The cap would then keep the toilet paper in place and could be easily removed whenever the toilet paper needed to be replaced.