It wasn’t until I saw this Tube door stopper that I realized an empty (or not-so-empty) tube of anything makes a cheap and easy DIY door stop!
There are companies that actually sell colorful silicone tubes — that look similar to a tube of hand lotion, facial cleanser, or toothpaste — and market them as doorstops to keep your doors propped open.
While those tubes may be more fashionable and modern than your typical door stopper (and even “regular” tubes of stuff, for that matter), I can’t help but think that it makes more sense to re-use than buy new sometimes.
After all, don’t we all have about a gazillion tubes of something around the house???
Perhaps just one of them could be spared in order to serve as a DIY door stopper the next time the need arises.
For what it’s worth, I’ve tested this theory to see if an everyday tube of something can sufficiently prop open a door.
As you can see, my large half-empty tube of Eucerin body lotion works just fine on a windy day when I have most of the windows in the house open. As does a much smaller full bottle of Neutrogena sunscreen — both seen here:
Yes, the fun colors that the official Tube doorstop come in are quite nice. But I’m just sayin’… maybe you could manage this one on your own!
Okay, so that’s #1 on my DIY door stop list. Following are the rest:
- 8 more items that I’ve personally used as homemade door stops
- 7 DIY door stop alternatives from other clever people who share their tutorials online
- 16 things to use as a door wedge that you can buy online
8 Other DIY Door Stops I’ve Made (with photos)
Using old makeup tubes is my idea #1 for how to make a door stop yourself using items you already have around the house.
Here are a few more homemade door stopper ideas that I’ve come up with that will help you keep your doors propped open…
A Glass Jar Or Vase As A DIY Door Stop:
Another way that I’ve made my own improvised door stopper is to take a relatively heavy object and simply place it in front of the door — like this glass jar that I turned into a vase.
The clear decorative marbles inside weigh it down, so it won’t tip. And I’ve filled it with eucalyptus leaves — which are a natural room deodorizer.
That kind of “decoration” works great as a DIY door stop!
As a way to repurpose another household item and use it for a practical purpose inside my home, I turned a large pickle jar into a spare change jar — and I used it as a doorstop. (Plus, I made some money in the process, since we kept tossing all of our loose change in there!)
As you can see in this next photo… Before filling the empty pickle jar with loose change, I initially filled it with Mardi Gras beads and used that as a doorstop:
TIP: If your glass jar will be placed on a slick surface, just add a piece of felt to the bottom so it won’t scratch the floor.
Baskets As DIY Door Stop Alternatives:
For a cozy, homey look…
I’ve placed large baskets in front of doors and filled them with interesting things.
For example, in the guest bedroom the basket is filled with things that overnight guests would enjoy (books, towels, magazines, a candy jar, etc).
In the office, I have a basket filled with relevant magazines, 3-ring notebooks, pens, and paper.
There’s nothing more practical — and useful — than that!
An Old Boot As A Homemade Doorstop:
For something that’s fun and a bit out of the ordinary…
I’ve taken kids’ rubber boots and filled the insides with various items to weigh them down.
You can use a single boot, or a pair of boots, as an improvised door stopper.
You could also turn an old work boot or a cowboy boot into a makeshift doorstop in a similar way.
The idea is to make old and unused shoes “fashionable” again…
This time, repurposed as a door stop!
Rocks & Logs As DIY Door Stop Alternatives:
Here’s an earthy solution…
I’m always looking for interesting ways to “bring the outside in” around my house.
There’s just something grounding and fresh about doing that.
Plants are one way. But there are other ways, too:
- Natural materials – I like to incorporate natural materials like wood and stone my home decor to create a refreshing and inviting space.
- Windows – I don’t use curtains (except in the bedrooms and bathrooms), and I always try to let in lots of light. These two things alone are the next best thing to being outside. Another thing that helps make it feel like you’re outside is to open the doors and windows as much as possible — for a breath of fresh air inside the home.
- Earthy colors – I tend to have an earthy color palette inside my home — lots of browns and greens and oranges.
- Mirrors – I have mirrors in every single room. Some are quite small (on shelves, or attached to other forms of wall art). It’s just enough to reflect life, movement, and colors. (Using larger mirrors inside your home also makes small rooms look much bigger.)
- Greenery – I think I have a plant in every single room, as well. Adding greenery inside your home helps you feel more relaxed — and closer to nature. Using real plants also helps to purify the air in your home. I have a good mix of real and fake plants in my house.
One time, I used a large rock as a doorstop (only on carpet, not on hardwood).
If you find a cool-looking rock that would make a nice doorstop, why not bring it inside? And to personalize it, you (or your kids) could even paint the rock, or write messages on the rock.
This is the rock I used as a doorstop for my husband’s office door:
For a more woodsy or rustic touch, I’ve used a wooden tree stump as a makeshift doorstop in these 2 ways:
Anything Heavy Works As A Makeshift Door Stopper:
If you can’t find an item with some weight to it around your house to use as a makeshift doorstop, you can actually turn any lightweight object into a weighted DIY door stop by simply filling any open cavities with heavy things!
Personally, I’ve used uncooked rice, river stones, and marbles to add weight to objects.
You could also use cement or Plaster of Paris (as long as you don’t ever want to use the object for its original purpose again).
You could even use an empty tin can or bucket filled with something heavy and decorated with fabric or (my favorite) wrapped in rope — like jute or hemp.
7 More DIY Door Stop Alternatives
Here are a few more door stop things to use as a door wedge from other clever thinkers — plus their own tips for making a door stop yourself:
- DIY Draft Snake Doorstop
While this is intended to be draft stopper to keep cold air from coming in underneath the door, this actually has some weight to it — so it could also be used to keep a door propped open, too.
- Make A Door Stopper Out Of A Fork
Of course every home as a fork! Just make sure to only use this on a carpeted or concrete floor — because the tines of a fork could scratch your flooring.
- Turn Any Rustic Post Into A Door Stopper
I have several plaster or terracotta columns in various shapes and sizes. These definitely have some weight to them and make great doorstops. You can even put something cute on the top flat part!
- Make A Fabric-Covered Brick Door Stop – This is a very sophisticated professional-looking fabric cover tutorial for a brick door stopper. Because I’m lazy, I would probably just use rubber bands to wrap a single piece of fabric around the brick — but that’s just me.
- 40 DIY Door Stop Ideas
A great list of things you probably have round the house that could be used to make the fabric covering (old jeans, a painter’s drop cloth, leftover upholstery fabric, linen tea towels, burlap scraps) AND the filling (fish tank gravel, kitty litter, sand, pebbles, beans) for your DIY door stopper.
- Knit A Giant Lego Block Doorstop
Where are all my Legos fans at? If Legos are your thing, but knitting isn’t… you could just use regular fabric for the covering, then follow this tutorial to make the Lego bumps (or studs).
- DIY Pool Noodle Door Stop
For this last one, all you need is a pool noodle. If you really just want for the door not to slam shut, then a small piece of a pool noodle hugging the edge of the door will solve all your problems!
So now you know how to make a DIY doorstop yourself using the tips and tutorials above!
Are you still wondering what to use as a door stopper?
I can see where there could be times when it might be quicker and easier to buy one instead of making one yourself.
Next up are some genius door stop ideas that would make great gifts — for yourself or someone else…
16 Interesting Doorstops You Can Buy
If you’re considering buying a door stop because you want something a little classier — like for your office. Or, if you’re just tired of hunting around for something at home to turn into a makeshift door stop, then you’ll appreciate these really unique and fun doorstops that I found online. (I keep adding more of them to this list as I come across them.)
These next examples include everything from cute & whimsical to rustic & practical door stop alternatives:
#1 – Sometimes you need to keep a door open part-way. The Jamm door stop works 3 ways — to keep a door fully open, to keep a door fully closed, and to keep a door part-way open:
#2 – A small, fabric doorstop that’s weighted, but won’t damage your hardwood floors. And when it’s not being used as a door stop, it can be hung on a hook or on the doorknob itself (depending on which style of knobs you have):
#3 – Dorothy’s ruby red slippers door stop… There’s another version too. These would be fun to use in a bunch of different ways:
#4 – These 4 silicone door stops are versatile… and adorable. They’re 4 different colored leaves! When not being used as a doorstop, they can be hung on the handle of the door. And for doors with wide gaps, you can use 2 of them together:
#5 – A large jute rope knot ball can be used as a door stopper. Plus, it can conveniently hang on the handle of the door when it’s not being used. (TIP: This one can easily be made yourself):
#6 – A classy silver shoe door stop. You can also choose from black, gold, or red:
#7 – This uniquely shaped door stopper has a brilliant design so that it also works with house windows to keep them propped open:
#8 – Cute as a mouse door stop:
#9 – Looking for a door stop alarm? Available in black or white, this door stop makes a noise whenever pressure is applied to it:
#10 – A banana peel door stop shows your fun personality:
#11 – The Wedge-It door stop is industrial strength. Invented by a fireman, it props doors open exactly 90-degrees and can be used 3 ways:
#12 – Golf anyone? This door stop doubles as a fun golf game. It’s a clever time-killer for the home office:
#13 – Made of heavy-duty cast iron, this starfish door stop will last for years — and it’s available in several colors (even white):
#14 – The dog lover in me had to end this post with some fun door stops for dog owners! First, this colorful happy puppy door stop:
#15 – Next for dog lovers… the weighted message pillow that serves as a door stopper AND a door hanger in one. Except it should say, “A house is not a home without dog fur!”:
#16 – And finally, for all the dog lovers in the house… this cast iron dog door stop:
The Bottom Line
So now you know how to make a doorstop yourself using things that you already have around your house.
Plus, I’ve shown you some super clever, unique, and interesting door stops that you can buy — if you’re looking for “the perfect” doorstop for one specific place.
DIY door stops are my favorite… Who knows what I’ll find next to use as a makeshift doorstop!
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