While most people use their bathroom breaks as an excuse to scroll on social media or attempt to solve the New York Times crossword, it used to be common practice to keep some paper reading materials near your toilet. In fact, today you may even notice that some of the older generations have stuck with this habit. This trend first began around the 1700s and only died out with the development of recent technology. While magazines may not be as popular as they once were, they were once a household staple, as were the many variations of magazine holders (though they evolved in materials and design through the decades). Since it was once such a mundane item, there are a ton of vintage options out there to choose from. Accordingly, you should thrift a magazine holder because it can be used for bathroom double duty, working as initially intended and as a toilet paper holder.

For this hack, you need a magazine holder that works for holding both reading materials and toilet paper. There are tons of other creative ways to repurpose magazine holders around the house, and this hack allows you to bring a vintage item back as a design feature. It also give it a current and universal purpose so your holder isn’t just another piece of décor taking up space.

When looking for a magazine holder for this hack, there are two features that the handle will need to have in order to perform this double duty — it must be both removable and slim enough to fit easily through a toilet paper roll. The most important feature here is the removable aspect; if you are unable to get it separated from the base, there will be no way to change your roll. You also want to be sure that there is enough room between the handle and where the tops of your books or magazines will sit so you aren’t snagging pages as you pull. The look of your finished product will depend on what is available to you, but you can also modify it with paint or stain to make a toilet paper holder for your quirky bathroom aesthetic. 

Since this was once such a popular item, there are tons of second-hand options out there. If you are looking for the most affordable option, check your local thrift stores or Goodwill. You may also be able to find some models on Facebook Marketplace. For a quick fix, there are some basic metal holders that are in the $20 range, but if you want a vintage feel, you will have to do some thrifting. If you already have a model that doesn’t quite work for this hack, don’t toss it just yet — you can also store blankets in a stylish way with an unexpected repurposing idea that utilizes a magazine rack.