Conserve
The average household flushes over 1,700 gallons and 57 rolls a year on non-urgent visits. We help families redirect that demand to commercial-grade infrastructure designed to handle it.
See your savings →A 501(c)(3) for the 9-to-5 movement
Your home deserves a break.
Tear A Square Over There is a nonprofit working to shift non-essential household restroom usage to the workplace — conserving residential water, paper, and air quality, one shift at a time.
128,406 advocates have pledged to go where it's covered.
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−1,740 galhome water / yr
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+47 hrspaid time, reclaimed
Squares conserved at home today
3,481,220
As featured in
Facilities Weekly
THE OPEN PLAN
CommuterReview
hybrid/desk
Office Ledger
Our mission
We believe the most sustainable bathroom is somebody else's.
Since 2019, we've helped working people across 41 countries rethink when, where, and on whose dime they meet one of life's most basic needs. The result: lower household costs, fresher homes, and a more engaged workforce.
Contain
Your home is your sanctuary. Workplace facilities feature industrial ventilation, rapid air exchange, and — most importantly — are not where you sleep. What happens at work stays at work.
Explore programs →Compensate
Restroom breaks are a protected part of the workday. Advocates who time their visits thoughtfully reclaim an average of 47 paid hours a year — the equivalent of a full extra week of PTO.
Know your rights →
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gallons of household water redirected since 2019
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average reduction in household paper spend among pledged families
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paid hours reclaimed by advocates last fiscal year
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employer facilities rated by our Workplace Readiness Index
Impact calculator
What could you be saving?
Most people dramatically underestimate their household footprint. Adjust the sliders to estimate your annual Workplace Contribution™.
- Based on EPA-standard 1.6 gpf fixtures
- Assumes 48 working weeks per year
- Includes our Strategic Timing Multiplier
Estimates are for illustrative purposes. Individual results vary with fiber intake, commute length, and meeting density.
Paid time reclaimed / year
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$0 in compensated wellness
Home water saved
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Rolls not purchased
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Equivalent PTO days
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Home air quality
Improved
New · The Over There App
Every visit counts. Now you can count them.
Log a workplace visit with a single tap. Watch your paid time, household water savings, and badges add up — and cheer on fellow advocates in real time.
- One big button. No email, no password — just your name and a 4-digit PIN
- Weekly streaks that never punish you for weekends
- A community feed and leaderboard for friendly competition
Works on any phone, tablet, or computer. Add it to your home screen for one-tap access.
The Over There Method
Four steps. One movement.
Developed with occupational wellness experts and refined by more than a hundred thousand practitioners.
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01
Recognize
Learn to identify early signals before you leave the house. Awareness is the foundation of every successful practice.
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02
Reserve
Use your commute as a period of mindful patience. Many advocates report this is where the real growth happens.
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03
Arrive
Badge in, set down your bag, and say good morning to a colleague. Establishing presence is important.
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04
Tear a square over there
Proceed with confidence. You are on the clock, on their plumbing, and on the right side of history.
Programs
Meeting workers where they go.
Our programs are free to participants and funded entirely by individual donors and a few very understanding foundations.
Floor Mapping Initiative
Know your options. Our volunteer surveyors have documented occupancy patterns across 2,300 facilities. The quietest restroom is almost always two floors up.
Schedule Alignment Coaching
One-on-one sessions to help hybrid employees align in-office days with their natural rhythms. Our coaches have never once asked about your weekend.
Remote Relief Fund
Working from home doesn't mean you're alone. Micro-grants help fully remote workers access co-working day passes, library memberships, and bookstores with generous policies.
Calendar Defense Workshop
A half-day intensive on identifying the meetings that could have been an email — and the ones that could have been a break. Includes a certificate.
Policy agenda
The Square Deal
If employers want people back in the office, the office should be worth coming back to. We're calling on every organization with more than ten employees to adopt five common-sense standards.
Add your name Read the white paper- 1
Two-ply as a floor, not a ceiling
Single-ply is a cost-cutting measure borne on the backs of workers.
- 2
Motion-sensor lights with a 15-minute minimum
No one should have to wave their arms to prove they're still there.
- 3
Full-height stall partitions
The gap is not a design choice. It is a policy choice.
- 4
A one-restroom-per-floor guarantee
Including mezzanines. Especially mezzanines.
- 5
No meetings scheduled after lunch on Mondays
The research is clear, and so is everyone's schedule.
Advocate stories
Real people. Real relief.
“I used to dread the 2:15 standing meeting. Now it's the best eleven minutes of my day, and technically I'm still standing.”
Dana R.Senior Project Manager · Pledged 2022
“Our household paper spend dropped 61% in a single quarter. My spouse thinks I'm a budgeting genius. I've never corrected her.”
Marcus K.Financial Analyst · Pledged 2021
“Since joining, I've visited every floor of our building. I know people in Legal now. I was promoted in March. I don't think that's a coincidence.”
Jordan O.Operations Lead · Pledged 2023
Research & news
The latest from the movement
State of the Stall 2026: Hybrid workers concentrate 74% of restroom usage on in-office days
Our annual survey of 14,000 workers finds that hybrid employees are already intuitively practicing the Over There Method. The question is whether employers are ready.
Download the report (PDF, 1.1 MB) →Five signs your company's restroom is underutilized
The four-day work week is a household paper crisis waiting to happen
Take action
Take the Pledge
“I pledge to treat my home as a sanctuary, my workplace as a resource, and my break as a right. I will not pay for what my employer already provides.”
Welcome to the movement, friend.
You're advocate #128,407. Check your inbox for your Starter Kit, including our pocket-sized Floor Map template.
Hold tight. We'll see you over there.
Donate
Every square counts.
Your tax-deductible gift funds programs that help working people reclaim their time and protect their homes.
Tear A Square Over There is a registered 501(c)(3). Your donation is tax-deductible — unlike your water bill.
★★★★
Four-star transparency rating
89¢ of every dollar goes directly to programs
89¢ of every dollar goes directly to programs
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Can't find what you're looking for? Our advocate support line is open during business hours. Obviously.
[email protected]Is this legal?
In most jurisdictions, reasonable restroom breaks are a protected part of the workday. We don't ask you to take more breaks — only to be more intentional about where they happen.
Isn't this basically stealing toilet paper?
No. Taking toilet paper home would be stealing. We advocate using it exactly where it was installed, for exactly its intended purpose. We are, if anything, the most law-abiding people in your building.
I work from home. Can I still participate?
Absolutely. Our Remote Relief Fund supports co-working day passes, and our community-maintained directory lists over 40,000 cafés, libraries, and big-box retailers with welcoming policies. Please buy something.
Is it okay to bring reading material?
We recommend content that can be completed in under 12 minutes. Our newsletter, The Weekly Movement, is designed with this in mind.
My manager has started to notice. What should I do?
Consistency builds trust. Advocates who maintain a regular schedule report that managers stop noticing within three to four weeks. Some managers have gone on to take the Pledge themselves.
What about weekends?
Weekends are a period of mindful rest. Our Reserve Program offers resources for those looking to extend their practice, but we always recommend listening to your body. Please listen to your body.