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One thing that any adult who has spent their time living with roommates can surely agree on is that good roommates don’t grow on trees. In fact, good roommates are harder to come by than you might think, so when you find one you can count yourself very lucky.

But what makes a good roommate? Well, it varies from person to person, but it’s not just limited to paying the rent and utilities on time (which, granted, is the first and fundamental thing to look out for). It’s about many things, from being sociable but not too much, to doing their fair share of chores, and being respectful of the other folk they live with.

It’s about not blasting music or having parties that get out of hand without their roommate’s agreement; it’s about taking out the trash and not letting dirty dishes accumulate; and importantly – as the person in this story discovered – it’s about replacing the toilet paper when you’ve used up the last sheet.

Read on to find out what happened here.

Roommate kept forgetting to replace the toilet paper, so I made it impossible to miss

My roommate has this talent where they can use the last square of toilet paper and still somehow not notice the empty roll.

It’ll be the saddest cardboard tube on earth, sitting there like a warning sign, and they just walk away.

I’ve asked nicely, I’ve joked, I’ve even put a sticky note on the holder. Same result.

So I decided to stop arguing and make the problem visible.

Let’s see how they managed to do this.

I bought one of those cheap over-the-door hanging organizers and labeled the top pocket TOILET PAPER with a marker. Then I put it on the bathroom door at eye level.

Every pocket below it had something random like wipes, extra soap, trash bags, just to make it feel normal. But the toilet paper pocket was the star of the show.

I also stopped storing backup rolls anywhere else. No cabinet stash, no hidden roll on the window sill, nothing.

If the roll ran out and they didn’t replace it, they had to stand up, open the door, and stare directly at the giant TOILET PAPER pocket while grabbing a new roll.

Read on to find out how this plan worked out.

The first time it happened, I heard them mutter something under their breath.

The second time, they actually replaced the roll without being asked.

Now, when the last roll is in that pocket, they refill it because it’s so obvious it feels embarrassing not to.

It’s petty I know but…

This is actually a genius plan, and clearly has had the desired effect.

Sometimes when you live with other people, it’s all too easy to just rely on others for things like replacing the toilet paper.

And at the same time, when others are relying on you, it’s also very easy to not notice that they’ve not replaced the toilet paper until it’s too late – and that’s the most frustrating feeling of all.

Let’s see how folks on Reddit reacted to this.

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This person could relate to the frustration.

While for others, it was paper towels.

And plenty of folk were resorting to similar strategies.

It’s one thing if you’re a parent living with your kids, to accept when they forget – or completely neglect – to replace the toilet paper after they’ve finished a roll. Because the thing is, they’re kids and they’re learning. You do all you can to encourage them to replace it, but sometimes being a parent means having to take responsibility for these little tasks until your kids have grown.

But when you’re an adult living with another adult, and it’s not just a one-time mistake, it’s a habit, it can get really frustrating. Because you’re not their mom, it isn’t your job to go around remembering to do all the little jobs that they’ve forgotten. And when you’re about to wipe and then realise that your roommate has used all the paper and neglected to replace it – for the hundredth time?

That would make anyone go bananas.

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Author

Kyra Piperides

Kyra Piperides, PhD | Contributing Science Writer

Dr. Kyra Piperides is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter, specializing in Science & Discovery. Holding a PhD in English with a dedicated focus on the intersections of science, politics, and literature, she brings over 12 years of professional writing and editorial expertise to her reporting.

Kyra possesses a highly authoritative background in academic publishing, having served as the editor of an academic journal for three years. She is also the published author of two books and numerous research-driven articles. At TwistedSifter, she leverages her rigorous academic background to translate complex scientific concepts, global tech innovations, and environmental breakthroughs into highly engaging, accessible narratives for a mainstream audience.

Based in the UK, Kyra is an avid backpacker who spends her free time immersing herself in different cultures across distant shores—a passion that brings a rich, global perspective to her writing about Earth and nature.

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