DIY Mini Toilet Paper Storage with Real Tiny Toilet Rolls
Way back in 2012, Donna from Funky Junk published a toilet paper crate and it blew up FB. I was one of the many people who went bonkers over her idea. I had never seen anything so creative and scoured the thrift shops for weeks afterward hoping to find an old license plate so I could make something similar. Sadly I didn’t have much luck, but the idea always stuck in my head. And now after all these years, I can finally say I am the proud DIY-er of a license plate toilet paper storage. Well, a mini version anyway 😀 But who cares. It’s mine and I made it and it’s stocked with real teeny, tiny, toilet rolls.
So this blog post is all about how you can make one too and it includes a free license plate printable 😉 I’ll also show you in a video tutorial how to make those tiny toilet rolls.
Adorable right!!? Wanna see the original from Funky Junk that I minified?
Isn’t it beautiful? Just like the inspiration, the mini toilet paper storage crate holds a few rolls of real tiny toilet paper.
The toilet paper filled crate forms part of a small bathroom complete with a Victorian toilet we’re making for a friend of mine.
It also fits with this month’s IBC challenge too, which is …… toilet paper. We thought we’d do a weird and slightly wacky challenge for a change and toilet paper seemed like a great idea. Especially since so many people stock-piled the stuff when COVID-19 came knocking.
So what’s the IBC all about?
We’re a group of bloggers from all over the world who challenge each other to make something using a common theme. Our previous challenge was “Environment Day” and we made a kokedama fairy village. This month it’s all about that ass wiping stuff. I’m always surprised by how we all interpret the same theme in so many different ways and I’m really keen to see what my blogging buddies have come up with. You can see what everyone else did with their toilet paper challenge at the bottom of the tutorial.
What you need
For the mini toilet paper storage
- Thin balsa wood
- Ice cream sticks
- An empty soda can cut open
- Skewers
- Wood stain
- Superglue
- Scissors and a sharp craft knife
- Free license plate printable
For the tiny toilet paper
- Cardstock
- Straw
- Nail scissors
- Double-ply toilet paper – go on spoil
your assyourself
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How to Make a Mini License Plate Toilet Paper Storage
Decide how big or small 😉 you want to make your toilet paper storage and cut the ice cream sticks to size.
You’ll need two for each side and four for the back. Measure the width of the back and cut a skewer into two equal lengths based on your measurements. Measure the width of the skewer and the width of the sides. Subtract the skewer width from the side width and cut four small skewer pieces.
Glue the skewers down with superglue as shown below.
And then glue the sides to the back piece.
Place the little form on a piece of balsa wood and trace around the edges. Use a sharp craft knife to cut the balsa wood. Sand lightly.
Print out the free license plate printable and cut out the appropriate size. Glue the license plate to an empty soda can. The can will make it stronger. If you don’t have a soda can you can use a piece of cardboard instead.
Use a pair of scissors to cut the license plate out and check if it fits nicely on the crate.
Paint or stain the little toilet paper storage crate. I used some of our homemade Rusty Nail Muti (the Balsamic version) to get that rich brown, weathered color.
Once the stain dries, glue the miniature license plate on to the front of the crate and your mini toilet paper storage is done. Now, all we need to do is make some of those teeny, tiny toilet rolls to go inside 😉
How to make tiny toilet rolls
I’m always a little surprised at how much these tiny toilet rolls cost when they are so easy and cheap to make.
All you need is double-ply toilet paper, a straw, and some cardstock. If you want to see how I made them, just hit play on the video below.
Or if you can’t watch or need more details, then here goes………….
Cut the cardboard and toilet paper into strips. The strips need to be as wide as the height of the toilet paper roll you’ll be making. Roll the cardboard strip around the straw and glue to secure. Place a strip of double-ply toilet paper on the cardboard tube and roll away 😉 Once you’re happy with the size, trim the toilet paper.
So easy right 😀
The same tutorial can be used to make tiny paper towels for your doll’s house kitchen too. Just make the cardboard and toilet paper strips wider 😉
Aren’t they just too cute for words?
If you like the idea of making a mini toilet paper storage crate for your doll’s house or miniature scene, don’t forget to pin it for later.
Sharing is caring 😉
Pssssssst, don’t forget to see what the other ladies from the IBC have done with their “Toilet Paper” challenge. And if you’d like to explore the art of making miniatures a little more, then you’ll love this post that shows you how to miniaturize almost anything.
Northern Feeling | Interior Frugalista
Unique Creations by Anita | Raggedy Bits
Oh and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more amazing craft ideas to share with you 😉
Or if you prefer to buy rather than DIY
And as always, here’s wishing you a beautiful crafty week filled with love and laughter. Thank you so much for popping in for a visit.
Noooooooo, I can’t believe you made such tiny rolls of TP. My granddaughter is going to flip when I make her some for her doll’s house ?
😀 I bet her dolls will be happy too 😀
This is just too adorable and CUTE, and how timely, what with the pandemic. I will need to make one of these and my license plate number will simply be 2020. Speaks volumes about THIS year! Thank you for sharing and inspiring!
😀 Oh goodness yes, that would be a classic reminder of this very strange year
Gaaahhhh!!! I can’t even wrap my head around how epic this turned out! That printable and toilet paper though… seriously, this is just too good to be true.
I’ve featured this amazingness in this week’s DIY Salvaged Junk Projects 534. Thanks for linking it up… and even making it in the first place!
I had the BEST inspiration to work with on this one Donna. One day I’m going to make myself the big version too 😀
This is so cute, I remember Donna’s original. You are the queen of making things in miniature. It’s amazing how making something smaller makes it cuter.
Small and cute always works for me 😉
This is adorable, and oh so ironic considering the pandemic. 😀 Those teeny, tiny toilet paper rolls are just perfect. I can’t wait to see the whole bathroom!
Thanks so much Amy. I can’t wait to share the little bathroom with you all next week. Figuring out how to make the toilet with a working lid really made the hamster in my head work overtime ?
Your imagination never fails to amaze me. This is adorable Michelle. Beautiful new “pit” accessory lol. Pinning.
And we were just talking about them this weekend too. Thanks so much Leanna
You are the queen of miniatures Michelle!! This is just the cutest right done the sweet crate! So clever!!
Thanks so much Sam
I remember that post! your mini one is too cute
Right!!! When Donna ut it up I think the whole world went license plate crazy 😀
Oh that’s so adorable and tiny! It’s amazing the cute things that you come up using ice cream sticks.
We love using ice cream sticks in our miniatures. The possibilities are endless 😀
This is so adorable. Of course my butt will need at least ten of those rolls if it is to be clean. Haha!!
Mine too Mary 😉
Michelle, I am always amazed at your talented mini creations. And the toilet paper crate is the best!
Thank you Deanna, I had a wonderful inspiration piece to work with
I remember Donna’s popular TP holder. Oh my word, is your miniature version absolutely ADORABLE! My granddaughter’s DIY dollhouse needs one of these, even though it doesn’t have a bathroom. Those rolls are so coveted they could be displayed on the fireplace mantel. LOL You rocked this challenge girlfriend!!!!
Thank you GF. I’ve been wanting to do this one for such a long time and now it’s finally out there 😀 Oh BTW, even Barbie needs to go to the loo 😉
They are to cute for words! Wow wow and wow, it’s incredible what you come up with! I loved Donna’s crate too but the fairies will love this bathroom even more!!!
Thanks so much Katrin. Now the fairies have some double-ply miniature rolls to stock up on if they ever run out 😉
Oh my Michelle; I went crazy for that post too and now I’m crazy for yours. Love the video, but watching you roll toilet paper is like watching paint dry ????. Pinned to my toilet paper board!
😀 😀 😀 😀
This is the most adorable project in your miniatures. I can see why you wanted to make the crate it is really gorgeous.
Donna’s license plate crate will always be my all-time favorite recycled thing. I
wasam sooooooo in love with how it turned out