When you first get a 3D printer, you’re likely to spend some time printing fun things that get you excited about your new hobby. Benchy boats, articulating dragons, and cute little figurines are likely at the top of your list. Once you’ve had some time doing that, you might start to see your printer as more of a household appliance than a hobby toy. I’ve written about six things to print instead of buying (chip clips, can lids, paperclips), but the more time I spend with my P1S from Bambu Labs, the more items I realize I never have to buy again. Her are four more things that I’m printing for my household, all printable in a single day and all cheaper than what Amazon, Etsy, or the hardware store will charge.
Wall hooks
Stronger than Command strips, and cheaper than buying
I have lots of stuff I like to hang on the walls. Dog leashes, headphones, a spare jacket by the front door, and even a bathrobe hook in by the shower. They all end up on hooks, usually Command-branded ones, and the least expensive cost between $8 and $12 at the store: the price adds up fast.
Printed wall hooks solve all that. I printed this set on MakerWorld, which gives you eight different hook sizes and shapes all at once. You can print one hook in about 45 minutes, and the entire set of eight took my P1S about five and a half hours. The filament cost for the whole batch? Well under a dollar. The hooks mount with two screws (or Command strips, let’s be honest) and can hold bags, leashes, coats, and anything else you’d use on a store-bought hook. There’s also a hidden-screw version linked in the model description, and you can print them in whatever color matches your wall or decor. I printed mine in white to blend in with the walls, and they look great.
Soap dish
This one has a removable drain insert for easy cleaning
A ceramic soap dish from a home goods store can run you $10 to $20, and usually has the same issue: water pools at the bottom, turns into soap scum, keeps your soap gross, and becomes yet another chore to manage. The cheap plastic ones are even worse.
This soap dish and sponge holder collection on Makerworld solves that with a two-part design. There’s a base that holds everything in place and a removable drain insert that lifts out for easy cleaning. It also holds your soap out of the scum at the bottom of the dish.
I printed it in PLA, but you can also use PETG for better moisture handling and repeated rinsing; it will likely last a little longer that way. At one hour and 33 mins of print time, and just 49g of filament, it’s a quick win on the list. Plus, you can match it to your own bathroom decor without having to find the right one on Amazon.
Cotton swab travel container
Perfect for a quick trip
I printed this one a while back, and it’s become an essential part of my travel kit. A dedicated travel container for cotton swabs sounds minor until you’ve had a bunch of loose swabs rolling around your toiletry bag. Retail options to handle your swabs range from flimsy $5 cases to $15 acrylic ones, and none of them are super well-made at that price anyway.
This well-designed travel container on MakerWorld prints in only 1.2 hours and uses just 29g of filament. Here, again, PETG is the better call than PLA, as it’s a bit more impact-resistant, handles moisture better, and won’t get brittle from sitting in a bag that gets tossed around in your travels. The resulting screw-top cylinder has a ribbed exterior that makes it easy to grab while also keeping a solid grip. Plus, you can print it in whatever color you like (I stuck with black since they match pretty much everything). Bonus: I printed a second one and keep toothpicks in there, though next time I’ll likely print them in different colors to make it easy to know which is which.
Vinyl record display holder
This one only costs an afternoon and a few grams of filament
I wanted something to display the currently playing record on my turntable, like they do in record stores. I went looking on Ebay and found “now playing” shelves coming in around $25 – $40 for the laser-cut wood versions, or cheaper acrylic ones that just looked, well, cheap.
This wall-mounted vinyl record holder on MakerWorld is the version I ended up with on my wall. It printed in 2.6 hours and used 80g of PLA (about $1.04), mounted with two screws, and needs no supports to hold a single record. I got to print it in my own fun green color to stand out as a display, and people comment on it every time they come over; it’s a great conversation piece. If it ever breaks, it’s an easy print to re-do, too.
Easy to print, fun to make
All four of these can print in a single day (though if you print more than one, the time increases), and they cost a fraction of their retail equivalents. You can grab the files for free on MakerWorld and get started today.
