My Mom Told Me to Put a CD Holder in My Bathroom, and It’s the Smartest Storage Trick

Earlier this year, my family found ourselves in between homes: We had just moved out of our old home, but our new place wasn’t quite ready, so we moved into a short-term rental for 10 weeks. The rental was near-new and lovely, but some parts of it, especially the bathrooms, felt unfinished. The primary bathroom had a European layout, which meant the toilet was in its own small room, completely separate from the shower, sink, and tub, and without any storage.

At first, we just perched the toilet paper roll on the back of the toilet, but it was hard to reach and way too easy to knock into the bowl. The window ledge was too high. And, worst of all, someone started putting the roll on the floor. By day three, my mom came to visit — she took one look at the bathroom and said something I never would’ve expected: “Get a CD tower.”

If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably remember the tall, narrow towers designed to hold dozens of CDs. They’re slim, vertical, and often made from wire or plastic. As my mom explained, the dimensions of a CD shelf are actually perfect for toilet paper storage.

Each shelf fits a standard roll, the narrow frame tucks neatly between the toilet and the wall, and most towers have enough shelves to hold four to six rolls, which is actually pretty spacious as far as toilet paper storage goes.

That same day, we went thrift shopping. And sure enough, in the first store we checked — sitting between old puzzles and stray knitting needles — was a black mesh metal CD tower with five shelves. It measured 29 inches tall and six inches wide and deep. It was exactly what we needed, and it cost just $4. Amazon also sells this 6-inch-wide organizer that’s great for tiny bathrooms and comes in two-, three-, six-, eight-, or 10-shelf options.

Originally, I planned to donate the CD holder back when our rental stay ended, but when we moved into our home, I found a new use for it. While our house has built-in toilet paper holders, the bathroom lacks drawer and cabinet storage — and once again, the CD tower saved the day. It now sits in our new bathroom, stocked with extra rolls, and looks sleek against the black-and-white decor.