Once the world of body washes and poufs happened sometime in the early 90's I didn't think I'd ever go back to bar soap. That all changed when my husband and I fell madly in love with Zum Bars, but we haven't had a great way to store them — until now.
We ran across this image over at Martha Stewart and our problem was instantly solved! We're in the process of renovating so the idea of having real bathroom walls — let alone a built-in soap holder — seemed like a far-off dream.
We've been using the window sill and the floor to hold our shower products and although it hasn't been the end of the world, there has been a serious amount of time peeling the bar soap off the windowsill when it's required. A simple box of rocks would do the job nicely and I think a trip to the craft store is in order this weekend!
Do you use bar soap? What do you use to keep it contained? Share your thoughts, examples and links in the comments below!
Image: Martha Stewart
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Nomade Express Slee...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
How to Make Buckwheat Soba Noodles from Scratch
I'm cheap & unimaginative so I just use one of those clear plastic holders with suction cups that stick to the walls of my shower. It works, that's all I needed.
This is THE BEST idea I've seen for bar soap! My bathroom has a stone bath mat which will compliment this idea PERFECTLY! Plus, it gives my bathroom the spa feel that I'm going for!
This is one of those "why didn't I think of that before?"moments. Such a simple and brilliant solution! Thanks so much!
After realizing that most the things the filled my recycling box was shampoo, conditioner, and body wash plastic bottles, I switched over to bar everything. I now use Lush bar shampoo which also works as a conditioner, and I use bar soap.
This is a great idea for storing soap. My mother places her bar soap on a glass bowl filled with sea glass for her beach inspired bathroom. It's pretty, but you do have to clean the sea glass/rocks/whatever you use occasionally. I don't think that's a problem though.
love this...been doing the same for years. I saw a version of this in a wonderously lovely Palm Springs home at the time. BUT, i recommend slightly larger rocks than pebbles. I actually lost a smallish pebble down the drain when I didn't realize a smaller one was stuck to the soap. woops. i'm more careful now...
In the early '90s, I switched to the pump soap dispensers thinking they would be easier to keep clean. Just last month, I decided to start switching back to bar soaps as the pump dispensers clog terribly. Some even seem to squirt liquid soap at odd angles and actually require more work to keep clean.
However, I still need liquid soap sometimes like liquid dish soap, liquid bleach and liquid clothes washing soap and I've discovered that olive oil/vinegar dispensers work much better than the pump soap dispensers and usually have more stylish designs.
Won't the box of rocks get all slimy from the soap residue?
Great idea! Yes, just remember to wash the slime off of your rocks periodically. um, i mean...
I love this. Not only do I do this for my bathroom sink soap; I use for my kitchen sponge. And, I use rocks that I have collected over the years!
Great idea I will give it a try. I too fell in love with Zum bars years ago. I switch up between Sandlewood & Almond, but Almond is my favorite.
Um, wouldn't it get all stinky/slimy/gross?!
I much prefer that soap bar shaver featured like a week ago. The soap doesn't get wet, which I'm sure is the best way to prevent waste and mess!
Interesting idea, I always have a problem with bar soap slime in the soap dish, I'll give it a try.
This is great! My sister gave me 10 lbs of amazing homemade coconut and palm oil soap bars, but they melt so fast in the shower. I think this would help them keep a little longer.
In the kitchen, we keep this soap in a bowl on top of used mesh onion bags. The mesh bags absorb the soap slime and dry out quickly, then we can use the mesh as pre-soaped scrubbies.
Hm. Just seems like you'd trade spending time peeling soap off the sill/floor for spending time peeling pebbles off the soap when you want to use it...? Those who do this, is that the case, or does the soap really just lift off the pebbles without taking 10 with it?
I dont use bar soap but this makes me want to try it....love it!