How to Store Household Paper Products

Paper products are a necessity in many households, but they aren't always easy to store. Between bulky packages of paper towels and toilet paper to smaller items like napkins and cotton pads, paper products take can take up a lot of space in your home. Keeping these items neatly stored doesn't just keep areas like the bathroom and kitchen organized, it also ensures they don't get damaged or misplaced.

Remove Original Packaging

When it comes to storing any paper product, start by removing the item from its original packaging. This typically makes storing paper towels and toilet paper easier, as you can organize each roll according to the space you have available. "I always recommend removing the packaging," says Meredith Goforth, the founder of House of Prim. "It will help you avoid the mess of extra plastic left behind after you go through the majority of the stock, which ultimately distracts from how much you have left. You want to maintain automatic visibility of what you have so you never wait too long to resupply."

Store Extras in the Closet

After removing the packaging, place paper products where they're easy to access. For toilet paper, this likely means in a bathroom vanity or cabinet, while paper towels can go on their designated dispenser. Then, store the extras on a lower-level shelf of a closet or pantry. "This allows the stock to stay tucked away behind closed doors yet keeps the supply easily visible to you and allows accessibility to grab and go in a rush," says Goforth. "It also prevents the extra rolls from occupying precious real estate in main areas where products you use every day should be stored, like the bathroom or kitchen cabinets."

Keep Only Essentials in the Kitchen

Keep a small stack of napkins intended for every day use on your dining room table or kitchen counter. "Then place the rest of the pack nearby in a pantry or kitchen cabinet for easy re-stocking," says Darla DeMorrow, certified professional organizer, owner of HeartWork Organizing, and author of the best-selling book series SORT and Succeed. The same goes for paper towels—keep one roll handy and store the rest out of sight. "Either store paper towels in a large basket or nicely lined up in rows in a cabinet or on a pantry shelf," says Ashley Murphy, the co-founder of NEAT Method. "If you are short on space, just keep one to two rolls under your kitchen sink in a bin with your other cleaning products."

Store Themed Paper Products in Bins

If you enjoy hosting, you may have themed napkins and matching paper plates on hand. "Store these themed sets together in a mid-sized, see-through bin in your storage area so you can easily use them, protect them from getting crushed or dirty, and limit your stock to what can fit in your bins," says DeMorrow. If you have room, keep the bins in your kitchen or pantry. "Once you send them to the party supply section of the basement, you forget what you have, and are prone to accidental re-buying," says DeMorrow.

Avoid Buying in Bulk

No amount of storage will solve your issues if you're buying more products than you have room to store. "Our number one piece of advice is to shop for the space you have," she says. "If you are tight on storage space, then we suggest buying smaller amounts of paper essentials," says Murphy. And, whenever feasible, consider reusable products, Murphy says. Not only are they better for the environment, but they'll cut back on how much product you need to keep on hand regularly.