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My bathroom door doesn't have a handle, only a lock, and the door won't stay closed. As I have very curious cats, I can't just use a hook and keep it open, so right now, I've taped a piece of cardboard to the door so the pressure between the door and the frame keeps it closed.

This is a very ugly solution and I want to improve it, but I don't own this apartment (and will probably leave it in 2 years), nor a drill, so I'd like to avoid solutions that need drilling.

This question has some interesting ideas, but most of them do use holes. I also thought about attaching magnets to the metallic lock part (pardon my English) and hope that even if it doesn't touch the frame, there will be enough force to resist the wind (and the cats). I don't really have high hopes though...

Anything else I can try?

PS: I'm not in the US, so hardware may not be as cheap as suggested!

Edit: I'm adding images, as asked: image1

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  • Does the doorway have a sill? How much space is between the bottom of the door and the sill?
    – A. I. Breveleri
    Jul 22 at 5:42
  • A picture of the door/handle/knob area, both inside and outside, would go a long way toward helping people understand the situation and enable them to give good suggestions. Of course, if the door doesn't stay shut, that could be grounds for complaining to the landlord to have him fix it, since it's a rental.
    – FreeMan
    Jul 22 at 18:08
  • Attach a strip of self-stick seal or a piece of rubber to jam the door.
    – r13
    Jul 24 at 11:44
  • @r13 a more elegant take on my solution with cardboard, nice! I might go with that!
    – Fabio Freitas
    Jul 24 at 18:52
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This might not fit seamlessly into your situation, but there are spring loaded hinges that close a door. (The most common application here is for doors between garages and houses, as one doesn't want exhaust in a house.)

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You could replace the lock with a passage door knob set with or without a lock. Post a picture so we can get a better idea of what your problem is and maybe offer a better fix.

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If you can make it look good they probably won't notice it. or at-least won't complain.

Else maybe use releasable adhesive to attach brackets that hold magnets to the door so that the magnets can hold the door shut.

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How about an object weighing a kilo or two? A rock.. a brick.. a book.. a bag of sugar, flour, beans, etc.. a container with a couple liters of water..

When you're on the side where the door swings toward you, close the door and set the weight on the floor behind it.

Attach a cord, ribbon, etc to the object so that when you're on the other side, where the door swings away from you, the cord can be passed through the gap below the door. Pull the cord while closing the door so that the weight is drawn up behind the door and holds it closed.

If conditions are just right, even a draft stopper like the one pictured below might give enough friction for your purpose. (image credit: Amazon.com/VISEMAN) door draft stopper

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