Squishing a roll flat so it doesn't spin as freely means it stops sooner, and since most people use however much unspools before the roll stops, a slower spin naturally means less paper used per trip.
Three Ways to Make Household Staples Last Longer
Essentials like toilet paper, paper towels, and food eat up a big share of any budget precisely because they're essential, which makes a few tricks for making them last longer worth knowing.
Use a Hotel Trick to Save Toilet Paper
Add Days to Ground Beef by Browning It
Raw ground beef only keeps about two days, but cooking it right away extends that to four days safely refrigerated, ready to go into pasta sauce, scrambled eggs, tacos, or pizza whenever it's needed.
Stretch Paper Towels by Reusing Them
A paper towel used for something dry, drying hands or a clean dish, can be set aside to dry and used again (hung with a magnetic clip works well) for a second job like wiping up a counter or floor spill, getting two uses out of one sheet.
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This edition is part of the Genius House Hacks archive: 20+ years of tips, rebuilt from the original Handy Hints newsletter. Browse more hacks →