5 Cool Things You Can 3D Print That Solve Common Household Annoyances

3D printing technology is a total game-changer. What was a very niche and experimental thing to do a few years ago has now become a full-blown hobby for many people around the globe. You don’t need to print huge items like walls or an entire house to realize the potential of 3D printing. You can solve various nagging household problems with a simple, downloadable file and a few cents’ worth of plastic. If you’re still thinking about how a 3D printer works, it basically melts plastic filament layer by layer to build solid objects from a digital model.

While industrial machinery has evolved so much that it can now print even with the hardest tungsten metal, desktop printers are perfect for printing clever designs for the home. From a small key hook to a remote control holder, you can use 3D printing technology to not only keep things organized around your house but also save money.

In this guide, we have listed five of the coolest things that you can 3D print at home that could solve everyday household headaches. The best part is that you don’t need an engineering degree (though I have one) to start 3D printing. All you need to do is load up the slicing software, heat up the print bed, load the design file, and wait for your design to take shape. Let’s solve the household annoyances one by one.

Imagine working at your desk and wanting to eat your favorite chips. You get up from your desk, head over to the kitchen, bring the bag of chips back, and start eating. You are done eating the chips, but the bag is not empty. You try giving the packet a couple of twists, only to realize that it isn’t airtight and your favorite chips can go stale. Enter the 3D-printed custom bag clips. While you can also use rubber bands to securely seal a chip packet, a bag clip, especially the one I found at MakerWorld, is a bit special.

Unlike other models that have a separate hinge and clamp, the one we’ve mentioned has a one-part design. Just download the file, hit go, and watch the interlocking bag clip get printed. It’s ready to be deployed because it’s a one-part model; you don’t have to spend extra time fiddling with metal springs or tiny screws. Since the clips are reusable, they can reduce the need for disposable bag ties or clips. You’ll find different sizes: 45mm, 70mm, 100mm, and 200mm, and the design supports different printer types such as A1 mini, P1S, P1P, X1, X1 Carbon, X1E, and A1.

Such clips also take less time to print, and they usually take around 30 minutes or so to get ready. If you want to give your kitchen a special touch while searching for the best 3D printer accessories, you can look for different color filaments so you can print bag clips in different colors.

One of the most common clutter areas in our homes is the entryway. We all leave our keys, bulky wallets, and other small items on the TV console table. This turns both a vital and aesthetic part of our home into a mess. While it may not seem like a massive deal, finding the right key when in a hurry is a situation we all can relate to. It’s just enough of an annoyance to start your day off entirely wrong. You can buy a key holder from the market, but if you have a 3D printer at home, you can create one for yourself.

The best part about using a 3D printer to print the key holder is that it lets you choose the design of the holder as per your needs. You can even add a personal flair to it, like the name of your house or the names of everyone in the household, giving each person a dedicated hook for their keys. There are a lot of templates to download, but the one I chose from MakerWorld adds a garage door that opens when you hang the key. You can even add a billboard based on your car’s brand to make it unique. If you want a simple one, you can also find options at Cults3D.

Another nifty tool that you can print is a grocery bag holder, which can come in handy when shopping. Human hands have limits, and you can only carry a few shopping bags before you start dropping them. A grocery bag holder gives you a simple way to carry more bags without hurting your hands.

We all have that one drawer that is a mess and is basically a junk drawer. You throw in anything you have in your hand, thinking that you will put it in the right place the next day. But that day never comes. If you want to save yourself from the embarrassment of someone opening that messy drawer, then you should put your 3D printer to work and print custom drawer dividers. You can easily download drawer divider models from different websites, or take measurements of your drawer, decide on the number of grid sections, and get them printed.

Or you can get a ready-made model like the one on Thingiverse. The best thing about drawer dividers is that they help remove the frustration of not finding the right item at the right time. You can even get custom drawer dividers for all of your drawers to make them look neat. This modular approach is also apt for heavily used storage areas, where many people rely on similar 3D printer projects to upgrade their garages.

The modular drawer divider reduces the guesswork and fits neatly into your cabinet (provided that you have the right measurements). It instantly turns your drawer into a well-organized space for everyday items.

Another annoying thing that often happens in many homes is the case of a lost remote. I can’t remember the number of occasions when I have lost either my TV remote or my home theater remote. And the frequency of losing a remote is so high that I sometimes think there’s nothing wrong with me, but that remotes themselves have a mischievous personality. While you can go on an everyday hunt searching for that lost remote, you can also put your 3D printer to work and print a remote control holder.

These are minor annoyances in the household, but they can turn into big frustrations when you don’t find the remote at the right time. Imagine a situation where you cannot find your home theater system remote on the night of a get-together. While printing fun and simple 3D printer toys at home is great fun for kids, you can also print practical items, such as a remote control holder, and maintain your peace of mind.

We found a template from MakerWorld that works as a two-section remote control holder. You can obviously choose a different template as per your needs. Just get the measurements of your remote, print the holder, and put it on your center table or near the TV console. Remotes, you are now under arrest!

Is there anything more annoying than a toothpaste tube that’s technically mostly empty, only for you to find that out in the morning? The worst part is that when you press the tube, you can feel plenty of paste left inside, but your fingers just can’t squeeze it out. This infuriating wrestling match may leave you annoyed because there’s a high chance you’ll lose. Even the classic roll-from-the-bottom trick is never perfect.

Since we’re in the world of 3D printing, you can just get yourself one of the most practical tools to squeeze out the paste from the tube. We’re talking about a toothpaste squeezer that, once you bring it to your bathroom, will make things easier for you and prevent frustration, especially in the mornings.

The specific model at MakerWorld that we’re talking about is one of the best designs that we’ve come across. This simple yet rigid mechanical ratchet mechanism is one of the most satisfying things that you’ll see get printed on a 3D printer. You simply need to clamp this device to the very end of the toothpaste tube and roll the gear mechanism to extract every drop of toothpaste.