This Incredible Gadget Makes Changing the Toilet Paper Roll a One-Hand, One-Step Chore

Failing to swap out the empty roll of toilet paper for a new one would likely top the list of the most common roommate issues. While it’s far from the most time-consuming, disgusting, or aerobic chore, it still feels unnecessarily complicated and irksome.

Some clever engineers are hoping to change that with TP Sidekick, a set of two plastic mechanisms that you fasten to the arms of your toilet paper holder to make changing the roll a one-hand, one-step job. Ultra-strong double-sided adhesive foam keeps the pieces firmly in place on your holder, and all you have to do is push the new roll of toilet paper up through the bottom of your holder. That will push up the small plastic tabs, releasing the existing empty roll and locking the new one into place.

We recommend practicing a few times so you can see where the empty cardboard cylinder usually lands on the floor—then you can place a wastebasket to catch it (as long as you’re planning on recycling the contents of the basket). The TP Sidekick makes changing the roll more convenient for children, elderly people, and those with motor disabilities, and it’s also much more hygienic, considering you don’t have to touch the holder at all.

Before you decide to back the project on Kickstarter, make sure you have toilet paper dispensers that will work with the design: The TP Sidekick fits onto standard dispensers that have two extended, flat-surfaced arms that secure a spring tube in the middle. As seen in the video above, your holder doesn’t have to be totally flat—the arms can be slightly curved upward or inward, and the plastic pieces will still fit well.

One TP Sidekick costs only $11, and you can see more purchasing options from Kickstarter.

While we’re talking about toilet paper, find out if you’re wiping correctly here.

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