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10 Alternatives to Paper Products: You Can Make These at Home!

By: Author Vanessa Hamlin

Posted on Last updated:

Is your local grocery store sold out of paper goods? Don’t worry – here’s 10 alternatives to paper products that you can make at home today!10 Alternatives to Paper Products 2 - Food Life Design

Happy Tuesday, you guys! I hope you are still feeling well and haven’t gone completely stir crazy with being stuck at home! Today, I’ve put together a little round up of 10 simple, easy-to-make AND reusable alternatives to paper products below.

As I mentioned the other day, toilet paper was one of those products that was wiped out (no pun intended!) at my local grocery store.

But, it wasn’t just the toilet paper shelves that were empty…the paper towels, household cleaning supplies and personal care products were gone, too.

Which got me thinking…maybe you need some alternatives to paper products during this crazy time?

I’m sure for some of you, it’s been more than a week since you’ve been stuck at home and unable to get to the grocery.

And I’m guessing, you might be running low on things by now…

Or maybe you just want to reduce your waste or even your grocery shopping budget…

So, you’re probably in search of how to make all of these usual paper products at home, right?

Lucky for you, I’ve already done the hard work!

There’s no need for you to waste hours upon hours searching for different tutorials…unless of course you want to, then feel free to proceed!

If you’d rather have everything laid out for you nice and neat, then read on, because, below, I’ve listed 10 really awesome alternatives to paper products, like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning wipes, feminine products and more!

Most of these items can be made at home with little to no extra supplies! As long as you have a sewing machine, some scrap fabric and a few other basic supplies, you’ll be on your way to a paper free household in no time at all!

Let’s have a look, shall we?

10 Alternatives to Paper Products: You Can Make These at Home!

DIY family cloth made from two layers of flannel. Letter board: What is Reusable Toilet Paper? DIYDanielle

DIY Reusable Toilet Paper from DIYDanielle

Toilet Paper

It seems that toilet paper is sold out throughout the country, but you can easily make your own using some old, scrap fabric. Choose different fabrics for each family member, so everyone gets their own!

Paper Towels

Can’t find paper towels? Or maybe you just don’t want to waste your money on them right now? Make your own “paperless” paper towels instead or use this option to create an actual “paper” towel roll.

Napkins

We’ve been using cloth napkins at our house for YEARS. I stopped buying paper napkins somewhere around 2005 and have never gone back, although I do purchase them for parties. So, if you can’t find any paper napkins at the store, stitch up a few of your own DIY cloth napkins using some scrap fabric!

Cleaning Wipes

Like I said above, the household cleaning supply shelves were stripped bare at my local grocery store. Luckily, I asked the cashier if they had any more and another employee managed to find me the very last package. If you weren’t so lucky, these DIY Reusable Clorox style wipes are super easy to make and you only need a few basic ingredients!

Dryer Sheets

No dryer sheets to keep your clothes wrinkle free? Make your own DIY Dryer Sheets from scrap fabric and a few natural ingredients!

Floor Cleaning Pads

Swiffer pads are expensive! And if you can’t get to the store right now, how are you supposed to clean your floors? Mix up a batch of my favorite floor cleaner and make your own DIY Reusable Swiffer pads instead!

Feminine Products

As I said above, personal care products were also getting really thin at my local grocery. So, if you’re stuck at home and can’t get any, you have to come up with a solution, right?!

Make your own reusable sanitary pads in all shapes and sizes! And you can even add wings with snaps and/or Velcro to keep them in place, if you like.

Prefer a different solution? Here’s a tutorial to make your own tampons from With a Tangled Skein. As always, consider any internal product carefully and use at your own risk.

Makeup Remover Pads

Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t look your best! But, if you can’t find disposable makeup remover pads or wipes at the store, how do you get it off?

Personally, I’m a big fan of a plain, old-fashioned washcloth and soap, but if you prefer a smaller solution, then make your own reusable cotton pads from old washcloths! It’s easy to do and it won’t cost a penny if you already have thread on hand!

Baby Wipes

Homemade baby wipes were my first experience with alternatives to paper products. Way back in 2003, when I had my youngest daughter, I made them all the time. In fact, we almost never used store-bought wipes on her! However, full disclosure: I made them out of Viva Paper Towels…so, not exactly an alternative to paper, but homemade, nonetheless.

If you need some baby wipes and you can’t get out, try making your own reusable baby wipes instead! Not only are they perfectly safe for baby bottoms, but you can use them as an alternative to toilet paper, too!

Fabric Bowl Covers

Have you run out of plastic wrap or aluminum foil? Stitch up a few of these adorable fabric bowl covers to keep your leftovers safe in the fridge!

Beeswax Wraps

And last, but certainly not least…this is for those of you that hate to sew! if you’ve run out of plastic wrap or foil, make your own DIY Beeswax Wraps to cover your leftover food instead!

10 Alternatives to Paper Products You Can Make at Home - Food Life Design

I hope that alternatives to paper products help you get through this crazy time without a huge mess!

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Have a Spectacular Day!