If you were anything like me as a kid, you remember rescuing those empty paper towel rolls from the trash to make stuff with them. (Maybe it was just me…) Now that you’re grown up, your creative side still wonders if you should really just be throwing those away. Well, at Organization Junkie, we’re happy to tell you that the answer is NO! Whether you’re the crafty type or just don’t like seeing things go to waste, here are 11 totally tubular ways to put those empty rolls to good use...dude.
1. Desk or tabletop organizer
How cute is this? Save a few rolls and cut them to different lengths, and you can easily make a cute organizer for pens and pencils, scissors, and more. You can make one as seen below, or choose to do it this way.
2. Keep gift wrap neat
I don’t know about you, but at our house, wrapping paper ends up with torn or wrinkled edges from not being put away properly. Sigh.. But with your empty paper towel tube, you can keep the roll neat and together. Just cut it up the side and slip it on.
3. Keep cables tidy
These days, most of us have a mess of tangled device cables in a box somewhere. You aren’t even sure which ones you still need, so you’re afraid to throw them away. But with a few paper towel tubes cut in half (or toilet paper tubes) and a shoe box or plastic bin, you can make this awesome cable organizer. Now, you can store each cable in their own OCD-friendly compartment. And the world makes a little more sense…
4. Fire starters
Like camping or roasting marshmallows in your own backyard? With a cardboard tube and some dryer lint, you can turn household trash into memory-making treasure by putting together these easy fire starters.
5. Adorable lacy bracelets
Oh my goodness. Who knew you could turn empty cardboard rolls into jewelry? Well, you can — and thanks to this fun and easy DIY, now you know how! Your secret is safe with us.
6. Seed starters
If you love to garden, chances are you’ll take the opportunity to start some of your seeds indoors. But those little pots can be pricey for just one use. Save money by using cut cardboard tubes for seedlings instead. Pure genius.
7. Feed the birds
Expensive bird feeders are…well..for the birds! But so are the nearly-free ones you can create with empty paper towel tubes, bird seed, and peanut butter!
8. Adorable wreaths
This super-cute wreath is easy and cheap to make out of cardboard tubes. It’s easy with this quick tutorial, and with a little imagination, yours can be made in any number of styles.
9. Plastic bag holder
Few of us can resist the urge to save those plastic grocery bags. They come in handy for all sorts of things! But as you know, they can quickly create a big mess as they pile up. Try using empty cardboard tubes to keep them together. You can even paint or wrap the tubes in cute paper, and glue a bunch together for a more stylish storage system.
10. Let it snow
With this cute tutorial, you can make darling snowflakes for your windows or Christmas tree. And just like the real thing, you can make each one unique!
11. Free phone speaker
It’s easy to stream music to your phone, and thanks to this tip, it’s almost as easy to make it louder with this basically free cardboard tube speaker.
See? Your 6-year-old self was right. Don’t throw away those paper towel tubes! Rescue them from the landfill and you can make some pretty cool (and useful) stuff!
