Think Outside the Toilet Paper Dispenser

Bathroom floor plans aren’t always ideal, and often, the toilet paper is mounted to a wall that’s simply not within reach of a seated child’s relatively short arms. And if you’re working with a spring-loaded toilet paper dispenser, it’s easy for you to switch out an empty roll for a full one, but it’s not easy at all for a young child. In a house with kids, these little frustrations can add up fast. And so often, they are simply a matter of mechanics.

So if you’re dealing with toilet paper issues at your house, bypass them altogether by skipping the toilet paper dispenser. From Lowe’s to Ikea to Restoration Hardware, many home-improvement and design stores are now offering unique toilet-paper-storage options, including baskets and vertical stackers. Keeping a stack on hand means toilet paper is always within easy view and easy reach of your kids, and when one roll runs out, the next one is ready and waiting.

[Picture above: Photo by Micah Kandros; Stylist Amy Jacobs] Decorating your bathroom and not sure where to start? Use a piece of art as inspiration for the entire room. Here, the yellows in the elephant print are highlighted in the shower curtain and bath mat.

Excerpted from Design Mom: How to Live with Kids: A Room-by-Room Guide by Gabrielle Stanley Blair (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015