5 Ways You Can Organize with Toilet Paper Rolls (Really!)

published Jan 7, 2017
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(Image credit: Lilyshop)

Stop right there! Before you throw away your next empty toilet paper roll, consider this: with a little effort, you can probably get so much more use out of it (and keep it out of a landfill). From keeping unruly cords at bay to organizing your favorite makeup tools and jewelry, those cardboard tubes can come in incredibly handy. So, sure, you could toss it in the trash, or, you could use it to make your home a more beautiful, organized place with these projects—you decide.

Display your desk or craft supplies

With this super easy DIY desk caddy from Lilyshop (shown above), you can show off your perfectly organized pens, pencils and paintbrushes without sacrificing style. All you need to complete it—along with all those empty toilet paper rolls you’d normally trash—is hot glue, cardboard, and the spray paint of your choice.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Organize miscellaneous cords

The more tech you buy, the more random cords and chargers you accumulate— and if you don’t know what to do with them, you’re not alone. With a little craftiness (a.k.a. wrapping paper and tape) you can upcycle leftover toilet paper rolls to keep your cords rolled up and easy to store. This works even better if you label them, so you don’t have to search for what you need.

(Image credit: brunchpants)

Separate small items in drawers

This project is a simple and quick way to tackle your junk drawer. Simply cut empty toilet paper rolls down to fit inside the drawer you want to organize, and then place them in strategically like in this example from brunchpants. There’s basically no limit to what you can use these drawer organizers for—separate office supplies like paper clips and pushpins, or use them to keep hardware together in your garage (like nuts, bolts, and screws).

(Image credit: The Pink Doormat)

Store small items (or give gifts!)

Another way to keep small items like hardware, office supplies and jewelry safe? Turn empty toilet paper rolls into small pillow boxes with this tutorial from The Pink Doormat—no craft supplies required, since it’s all in the way you fold. Bonus: You can decorate them to use as packaging for small gifts, too.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Keep wrapping paper together

If you’ve got extra wrapping paper lying around, you know how frustrating it can be to keep it stored properly so you can use it again for another occasion. An easy way to keep your favorite wrapping paper rolls from unraveling is to cut open a toilet paper tube and slide it around the roll. Sure, it looks boring, but it does the trick—and you can always spruce them up with paint, washi tape, or contrasting wrapping paper.