How To Create A Primitive Toilet Paper Holder For Camping
If you’ve gone camping anywhere more rugged than a Holiday Inn, you’ve probably wished you knew how to create a primitive toilet paper holder for camping. I’ll let you in on a little secret: You can make a perfectly functional DIY toilet paper holder with stuff you’ve already got lying around the house.
Here’s what you need to create a DIY toilet paper holder.
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How To Create A Primitive Toilet Paper Holder For Camping
You can create a primitive toilet paper holder for camping using some household supplies you already have. Soda bottles, coat hangers, coffee cans, and zip-top bags can all be transformed into high-quality toilet paper holders for camping.
If none of these solutions work for you, well, there’s always natural toilet paper.
Use a 2-Liter Soda Bottle
I’m going to start us off with two options that use stuff you already got lying around the house. Rather than throwing these items away, we’re going to turn them into other paper holders. Let’s start off with a 2-liter soda bottle.
- Wash and dry any 2-liter soda bottle
- Mark the height of a roll of toilet paper on your 2-liter bottle. Add a little extra to account for those “feet” on the base of the bottle
- Cut the top of your two liter bottle where it meets the body
- Cut off excess height from your 2-liter bottle by cutting down to where you marked earlier
- You should now have two halves of a 2-liter bottle that can accommodate a toilet paper roll with some extra room
- Now, remove the inner cardboard tube from your toilet paper without unspooling it
- Pull some toilet paper out through the center of the roll
- Feed that toilet paper through the top of the two liter bottle
- Put the toilet paper into the base of the 2-liter bottle
- You can connect both halves using tape
You’ve now got a modified 2-liter bottle that dispenses toilet paper!
Modify An Old Coffee Can
It’s actually even easier to use an old coffee can. You won’t need to bother doing much measuring or taping with this method. This has the added advantage of being much easier to reuse than the 2-liter bottle method I mentioned above.
- Wash and dry an empty plastic or metal coffee can
- Cut a slit into the side of the can. It Should be about ¼ of an inch wide and run from the top of the can to the bottom
- Insert a roll of toilet paper into the can
- Feed some toilet paper through the slit you cut earlier
Your coffee can TP dispenser is now complete!
All You Need is a Coat Hanger
Here’s a versatile DIY toilet paper holder. By using an old metal coat hanger, you can have a DIY toilet paper roll that you can easily hang up where you do your business outdoors.
- Find an old, metal wire coat hanger
- Use a pair of wire cutters to snip one of the top arms of the coat hanger
- Run the coat hanger through the cardboard tube in your toilet paper roll
- Use a pair of pliers to wind the cut sections of your coat hanger back together
You’ve not got toilet paper that hangs on a coat hanger! You can even use the coat hanger hook on a tree branch for extra convenience.
Even Easier: A Zip Top Bag
This is by far the easiest option on this list. It’s literally just a zip-top bag. Besides being the easiest option, it has the advantage of being completely waterproof when sealed.
This is a great option for people who are expecting rain or are going to be out on the water.
- Get a zip top bag that fits a roll of toilet paper
- Remove the cardboard tube from the roll
- Insert the roll into the zip top bag
- Pull some toilet paper out through the center of the roll
That’s it! Really! This is the easiest method for creating a DIY toilet paper roll holder.
The Most Advanced Option: DIY Camping Bucket Toilet (With TP Holder!)
What if you want something a little bit more than just a coffee can or zip-top bag? Here’s an advanced option that combines the toilet with the toilet paper roll holder.
- Get your supplies. You’ll need a five gallon bucket from your local home goods store, a foam pool noodle, and garbage bags
- Remove the wire handle from the bucket
- Run the wire handle through a toilet paper roll
- Reattach the wire handle with the toilet paper roll on it
- Measure ¾ of the radius of your bucket and cut a pool noodle to that length
- Cut a slit in your length of pool noodle and fit it onto the rim of the bucket
- Line the bucket with a garbage bag and make sure to cover the pool noodle as well
Now you’ve got a DIY porta-loo with a toilet paper holder. This is practically glamping!
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Create a Toilet Holder For Camping
Toilet holder for camping questions are way more common than new campers think! Here are some more questions I’ve been asked in my years of camping.
What Toilet Paper is Safe for Camping?
Instead of talking about specific brands, I’m going to talk about the two features you need to find in toilet paper that is safe for camping. You need to find toilet paper that is both biodegradable and safe for septic tanks. This will cover you for every situation from camping in your RV to roughing it in the deep woods.
How Do You Dispose of Toilet Paper Safely When Camping?
Remember that you never want to leave anything behind while camping. You should plan on packing out the toilet paper and taking it to a proper disposal site. Many campsites throughout the country have designated locations for where you can dispose of waste such as toilet paper.
Do Campsites Have Bathrooms?
Most of the commercial campsites throughout the country have their own bathrooms. These are typically bathhouses that serve the entire campsite or at least a large portion of it. The more rustic your camping location is, the less likely it is to have its own bathhouse.
Your Next Camping Trip Is Going To Be A Little More Comfortable
Now that you know how to create a primitive toilet paper holder for camping, where’s the first camping destination you’re heading? I’m a big fan of the deep woods, but there’s something to be said for deserts and lakeside retreats.
Need more DIY camping tips? Check out some of our other outdoors articles!
