8 Decorative Ways to Fold Your Toilet Paper Roll

Whether you’re renting out an Airbnb or just having people over, folding your toilet paper assures your guests that your bathroom is clean and adds a decorative touch. Also known as toilet paper origami, there are so many simple designs that will impress anyone who sees them, and they only take minutes to fold. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through the most popular toilet paper folding techniques step by step!

Easy Way to Fold Toilet Paper

Unroll 1-2 sheets from your toilet paper roll. Fold the bottom right corner behind the paper so it lines up with the left edge. Then, bring the left corner behind so it lines up with the right corner and forms a triangle in the middle of the roll.

Method 1

Method 1 of 8:

Toilet Paper Hotel Fold (Triangle Fold)

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Bring the corner to the left edge of the toilet paper so it’s perfectly aligned.^{[1]
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Hide the folds on the back of the toilet paper so the front has a clean triangle shape.^{[2]
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Roll the toilet paper back up to prevent it from hanging loosely.

Method 2

Method 2 of 8:

Diamond Fold

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The folds on the toilet paper will look like a triangle.^{[4]
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Fold along the triangle’s longest side so it points up.
Make a fold where the point of the triangle touches the toilet paper. Bring the toilet paper up so the triangle is hidden.
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Impress guests with creative designs. "I love having people over and want to go above and beyond for my guests. This article gave me cool toilet paper folding ideas like pleats, hearts, and baskets — stuff I never would've thought of. Now I can surprise visitors and make them smile when they go to the bathroom. It's a fun personal touch!" - Peter B.

Follow clear visual instructions to simplify learning. "At first I was intimidated by the fancy folding techniques. But the step-by-step pictures walking through each fold made them super easy to pick up. Seeing exactly how to manipulate the toilet paper helped me get the hang of the designs way more than words alone could have." - Mary Z.

Add a professional hotel touch as a house cleaner. "I'm always trying to impress my housecleaning clients. The beautiful toilet paper folds here, like the gem and diamond, make a bathroom look extra tidy and fancy. It's like a hotel! Leaving these neat designs behind makes my customers really happy. Such a great pro touch." - Becky B.

Practice toilet paper folds to achieve perfection. "When I first tried some of the more complicated folds, like the boat, my attempts were messy. But after practicing a few times, as the article suggested, I got way better. Now, I can make all sorts of decorative folds to spruce up any bathroom. The step-by-step instructions and photos were so helpful for improving with practice." - Noeline V.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 8:

Pleated Fold

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Start pleating the sheets with an accordion fold. Leave a gap that’s about 1 in (2.5 cm) between each fold.
- For a smaller pleat, space the folds ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) instead.
Work your way up the sheets you pulled out so they have consistent folds.^{[6]
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Pinch the middle of the pleats in your finger and bring the ends together toward you.
Let go of the toilet paper and let the folds relax.
Form a small triangle with the fold. Fold this corner down once more to lock the two halves together.
The end of the roll will resemble a a fan or seashell.

Method 4

Method 4 of 8:

Tucked Pleated Fold

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Start from the end of the sheet and leave about ¹⁄₂–1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) between each fold.^{[7]
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Bring the ends of the stack together so they’re touching.
Let go of the pleats, and find the two that are closest to one another.
Make a second triangle fold down to lock the two pieces together so it looks like a fan.
Insert the fan into a diamond fold or basket fold.

Method 5

Method 5 of 8:

Basket Fold

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The second fold hides the raw edge so the basket will have a soft rim.
Bring the fold up as much as you want up depending if you want a shallow or deep basket.
This forms the sides of the basket. Make the angle of the fold sharp if you want a narrow base or subtle if you want a wide base.^{[9]
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If you are going to add a decoration, like a pleated piece of toilet paper, lower the basket so the decoration is in the center.

Method 6

Method 6 of 8:

Gem Fold

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Make the fold about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the triangular folds.
This makes the tapered bottom of the gem. If this is too tricky you can lift the toilet paper up.

Method 7

Method 7 of 8:

Heart Fold

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Make the rip nearly 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.
This makes two small triangles in the center. Try to make these the same size and make sure the folds are at a 45-degree angle.^{[10]
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Make these triangles the same size as the ones in the middle.
Fold up about 3 inches (7.6 cm) of the toilet paper.
This makes the pointed bottom of the heart. Ensure you keep the other folds neat while you form the bottom of the heart.

Method 8

Method 8 of 8:

Boat Fold

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Make the edges meet in the center.^{[11]
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If you want a narrow sail, fold in a lot, and if you want a wide sail, fold just a small amount.^{[12]
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This creates a triangle that points up.
This creates the ship’s hull. For a shallow hull, only fold a tiny bit. For a deeper hull, make a larger fold.
This makes the shape of the boat look more rounded.
Admire the shapes of the bow and stern of the sailboat.

Community Q&A

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What is the purpose for this?

HumanBeing

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It's decorative, and shows attention to detail. If someone has gone to all the trouble of folding the last couple of sheets of toilet roll into a fancy shapes, you can usually feel assured the bathroom is clean and tidy.

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Why go through that much effort just for one person to look at, then all your work is gone?

TriteAndJaded

Community Answer

It's usually something a hotel would do, as a sign that they show attention to detail. It also leaves a lasting impression that they care.

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Tips

To seal a triangle fold, run your faucet for a second, then turn it off and blot the excess water with a towel. Press your toilet paper lightly to the faucet opening; the remaining moisture will form a circular seal to hold your triangle in place against the roll.

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