'Couldn't believe it': Family ends up with 2300 toilet paper rolls after costly mistake

An accidental order of toilet paper has led to one family sitting on a goldmine of Australia’s most-coveted item as coronavirus panic-buying continues to make headlines.

The Janetzki family of six, from Queensland, use toilet-paper subscription service Who Gives A Crap.

Every 12 weeks a box of 48 extra-length, 100 per cent recycled rolls arrive on their doorstep from the company who donates 50 per cent of their profits to building toilets in developing countries.

When Haidee Janetzki decided to edit her usual subscription, she thought she was ordering 48 rolls – but when her order arrived she was shocked to see two large pallets filled with toilet rolls on her doorstep.

“I couldn’t believe it, I thought surely this is a mistake,” Ms Janetzki told Yahoo News Australia.

She counted 48 boxes filled with 48 rolls each, that’s a whopping 2304 toilet rolls, or a 12-year supply for the Janetzki family that cost them $3264.

“I went and grabbed my phone and checked the email order form and, yes, I guess we did really order 48 boxes, so I guess we’re going to have to sort this out,” she said.

The monster delivery arrived before coronavirus fears sent Australia into toilet paper panic buying frenzy, so the family struggled with whether they should keep it or not, and where to store it all.

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“We got this delivery on the 11th of February, so it was a while before toilet paper started becoming a crisis and even back then everyone thought it was quite funny,” she said.

When March hit and supermarket shelves cleared out, the Janetzki family realised they had a garage full of the most-wanted item of the moment.

“My husband and I realised that we were basically toilet paper royalty now,” she laughed.

After receiving a discount from the company, the family decided to keep the supply and used the boxes to build a wall in their garage.

Ms Janetzki’s husband, Chris, had other plans though.

“My husband decided he wanted to build a throne, so while he was doing that, I was making a crown and a sceptre,” Ms Janetzki laughed.

While they didn’t plan to buy 12 years’ worth of toilet paper, the family are making the most out of the unusual situation.

“Somebody had suggested we sell it as a fundraiser for a school camp,” Ms Janetzki said.

And for their family and friends who are in short supply of toilet paper, the Janetzkis have got them covered.

“Quite a few family and friends did reach out and say, ‘we order from that company as well, so we’re happy to grab it off you next time instead of them and help you guys out with recouping your money’,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the company confirmed the Janetzkis' story to the ABC.

“Haidee and Chris were so patient about this situation. I can't even imagine what it would have been like to have a whole pallet of toilet paper turn up at my front door,” ABC said.

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