Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read
How to Make a Toilet Paper Bow for Guests | Easy Bathroom Decor Idea
If you've spent any time on social media lately, you've probably noticed bows popping up everywhere. From fashion and gift wrapping to home decor, bows are having a major moment. While staying at an Airbnb recently, I spotted the cutest toilet paper bow in the bathroom. After searching online for instructions and coming up empty-handed, I decided to figure out how to make one myself!
The result was surprisingly simple, budget-friendly, and absolutely charming. Today I'm sharing my easy DIY toilet paper bow tutorial along with 15 creative ways to decorate your home with bows.
🛍️Shop the Post
Support me as a creator and shop my links with no extra cost to you! See my creations come together via my Amazon Shop plus get buying links at affordable prices!
We also love shopping CVS ❤️ (the ExtraCare card savings stack helping you to save!) and here are some of our CVS finds to stock up on (especially when you get that 40% off coupon!) and love Walmart (Walmart+ gets you free shipping and delivery on many items) and Sam’s Club for extra savings on beauty, fashion and we love their furniture too!
🛠️We also love Lowe’s (see our Lowe’s storefront here) for all our home improvement projects and gardening loves (and animal lover loves too!).
The Viral Toilet Paper Bow Trend You Need to Try in Your Bathroom
📕Bookmark or pin this one by clicking the Pinterest SAVE button on the images in this article for creative magic in an instant.
👉More Product Loves❤️
You can also get the products I’ve featured and more of my product loves via my Target shop here or my CVS Store here (use your ExtraCare card to double up on savings!) or via my shop my store here or below:
🔗Links go out to either the brand website, Amazon, CVS, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, or Lowe’s where we source our supplies based on discounts, budget and pricing.
Why Decorate with Bows?
Bows instantly make a space feel more thoughtful, whimsical, and welcoming. They're also incredibly versatile and can work with farmhouse, cottagecore, coquette, traditional, and even modern decorating styles.
Whether you make bows from fabric, blankets, towels, ribbon, or paper, they add softness and visual interest to almost any room.
15 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Home with Bows
How to Make Toilet Paper Bows
This adorable bathroom detail takes just a few minutes to create and adds a thoughtful touch that guests always notice. Read below the tutorial for more fun ways to add bows to your home in simple ways!
👀Check out my 1-minute 📹 video tutorial for this project on my TikTok now or coming soon here to my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden!
Supplies Needed
One-ply or two-ply toilet paper (I used our favorite, Cottonelle, and also some bamboo toilet paper I had left over from the years of the toilet paper shortage during Covid)
Water
A heavy flat object (I used a wax seal stamp)
How does this bow stay on????
Basically, the water-based binders or adhesives in the toilet paper activate and this keeps the bows on the roll. I thought they were glued on until I tried this process myself and realized the toilet paper and water work together to make it stick.
DIY Toilet Paper Bow Tutorial | Budget-Friendly Home Decor Hack
Instructions
Step 1: Tear Off Two Squares
Begin by tearing off the first two squares from the toilet paper roll.
Step 2: Fold the Toilet Paper
Fold the two squares in half.
Next, fold the open edge back toward the center to create a clean, finished edge. This helps the bow look neat and polished.
Add a little water…a little goes a long way!
Step 3: Form the Bow
Pinch the center of the folded toilet paper together until it resembles a bow shape.
Step 4: Add Water
Apply a small amount of water (a couple of taps of water from your fingers work) to both the front and back center portion of the bow. CAUTION: less water equals success on this! I tested using more water and the bow did not stick to the roll, so start with less water than you think you’ll need.
Press firmly to make it stick
Step 5: Attach the Bow
Place the bow onto the toilet paper roll so it covers the edge of the torn toilet paper.
Using a heavy object, such as a wax seal stamp, firmly press the center of the bow onto the roll. This helps seal the bow in place while keeping its shape. If your toilet paper is really soft, hold the roll firmly with your other hand while you press to maintain the toilet paper roll shape.
The finished toilet paper bow!
Step 6: Let It Dry
Allow the bow to dry for about one hour.
Once dry, place the roll on your toilet paper holder (we love our double holder which also has a shelf for phones and more!) or display it inside a decorative basket on top of your toilet tank.
Your guests will be delighted by this unexpected little detail!
Cute Bathroom Decorating Ideas Guests Will Absolutely Love
I love adding bows to my hair too. See my fluffy metal clip in bow hair tutorial below via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
15 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Home with Bows
1. Create a Bow Blanket at the End of a Bed
Another fun bow home décor touch I saw in an Airbnb! Lay a lightweight blanket across the foot of your bed and pinch the center together to create a giant bow shape.
For an even more realistic bow, wrap a second narrow blanket or scarf around the center.
Make towel bows to match!
2. Fold Towels into Bows
Guest bathroom towels can be folded into decorative bows for a luxury hotel-inspired touch.
3. Add Bow Ornaments to an All-Season Tree
Decorate your year-round home decor tree (see my driftwood tree tutorial here) with bow ornaments made from ribbon, fabric scraps, lace, or paper.
4. Tie Bows Around Throw Pillows
Wrap ribbon around decorative pillows and tie large bows in the center.
See my WASH driftwood sign DIY short video here on my YouTube channel.
It adds a cute touch…making leaving the toilet paper out not so plain
5. Decorate Dining Chairs
Tie oversized ribbon bows around dining room chair backs for holidays, parties, or everyday elegance.
6. Create Bow Curtain Tiebacks
Use ribbon or fabric strips as curtain tiebacks to add softness and charm to windows.
7. Make a Bow Wreath
Create a front door wreath made entirely of layered bows in coordinating colors. Or just tie a bow on a wreath using this simple wreath bow tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens.
Or make my balloon bow and wreath using my video tutorial…it’s fun!
8. Add Bows to Lamp Shades
Tie small bows around lamp bases or at the top of lamp shades for a subtle decorative detail.
9. Dress Up Storage Baskets
Tie bows onto woven baskets in bathrooms, bedrooms, and living spaces.
10. Decorate Candles
Wrap ribbon around pillar candles or candle holders and finish with a simple bow.
Budget-Friendly DIY Bow Decor Ideas That Look Expensive
11. Style Your Bookshelves
Tie ribbon bows around stacked books to create a curated designer look.
12. Add Bows to Houseplants
Attach weather-resistant ribbon bows to decorative plant stakes or cachepots.
13. Create Bow Napkin Rings
Use ribbon bows instead of traditional napkin rings for a beautiful table setting.
14. Decorate Doorknobs
Tie seasonal bows onto interior door handles and knobs throughout your home.
15. Make a Giant Bow Wall Hanging
Use fabric, ribbon, or even a lightweight blanket to create oversized statement bows for walls, nurseries, craft rooms, or bedrooms.
Love these!
Final Thoughts
Sometimes the smallest decorating details make the biggest impact. My DIY toilet paper bow may have started as a mystery spotted in an Airbnb bathroom, but it has become one of my favorite inexpensive ways to make guests smile.
Whether you're adding a bow to a roll of toilet paper, folding blankets into giant bows, or decorating your all-season tree, these simple ideas can help make your home feel a little happier, a little cozier, and a lot more creative.
Have you tried decorating with bows? I'd love to hear your favorite bow-inspired decorating ideas!
🎬Take Action
If you try any of my ideas, let me know how it turned out—or tag me when you try them because I LOVE seeing your posts💖 If you tag me using @carolynsbloomingcreations or @carolynjbraden, I’ll see it! Or tell me about it in the comments below.
If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Faux Jadeite and Bow Vase Using a Jar
Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.