You Only Need a Magazine and Glue to Make This Adorable Trinket Bowl

Isabel Petrou

Wed, September 2, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC

3 min read

A trinket bowl is a useful item for storing small belongings like keys and AirPods, while also serving as a decorative piece.
A DIY trinket bowl can be made from old magazines and simple supplies like hot glue, offering a creative and inexpensive way to stay organized in a dorm or apartment.
The process of making a trinket bowl involves cutting paper into strips, folding them, rolling them into spirals, and shaping them into a bowl before sealing with Mod Podge.

Dorm Therapy and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

A wooden desk organizer filled with art supplies, photos, and decor, featuring a colorful lamp and a yellow mug. — Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe. Prop Styling: Vicky Wasik and Maya Borrero

Whether it's earring backs, hair ties, keys , or AirPods, there are so many smaller items that you can easily lose if you don't have a spot for them. That's where a trinket bowl comes into play. Perch one on your nightstand or desk, and you'll always have a spot for those things that make you wonder: "Where do I put this?" Plus, a cute catchall can help organize your belongings and serve as a piece of decor.

If your dorm could really use a trinket dish and you're feeling a little crafty, I recently saw the cutest way to make one from an old magazine and a few simple supplies.

How to Make a Trinket Bowl Out of Paper

In a TikTok video about this must-see trinket bowl hack, creator @goatedpickleliving shows a step-by-step method to make a dish using a magazine (or any paper you have — she used pages from a crossword puzzle book) and hot glue. While the craft looks a little time-consuming, it's perfect for when you have a good chunk of free time, and it'd pair great with watching a comfort show . Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Cut each page into several vertical strips (the ones in the video look to be about 1.5 inches wide each, so aim for 4-5 strips per page).
Step 2: Take one strip of paper, fold it in half, then unfold it.
Step 3: Fold the outer edges of the strip into the center crease you created.
Step 4: Keeping that folded shape, fold the same strip of paper in half again.
Step 5: Repeat steps two through four for all your strips of paper.
Step 6: With all your strips folded, roll one strip of paper into a tight spiral.
Step 7: Put a dot of hot glue on the end of the spiral and glue another strip to it.
Step 8: Repeat steps six and seven for all the strips.
Step 9: Glue the final strip down to the end of the big spiral.
Step 10: Gently start pushing the middle of the circle down to slowly form a bowl shape.
Step 11: Cover the bowl in Mod Podge and let it dry.
Step 12: Fill it with your trinkets!

A wooden dresser topped with a vintage mirror, decorative trays, a vase of eucalyptus, and makeup brushes. — Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Prop Styling: Vicky Wasik

How I'd Use This Trinket Bowl

This handmade, DIY trinket bowl would be the perfect place to store hair clips, lip balms, keys, or my everyday jewelry. It's such a great, inexpensive way to stay organized in your college dorm or apartment. Not to mention, it's a fun way to use up old magazines, calendar pages, or other old paper — and flex your crafting skills at the same time!

Don't Miss:

You Only Need a Magazine and Glue to Make This Adorable Trinket Bowl

How to Make a Trinket Bowl Out of Paper

How I'd Use This Trinket Bowl

Further Reading