Organize & Clean

Build a Custom Cord-Storage Box from Toilet Paper Rolls

published May 4, 2011
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

We know how a hoarder is born. So many things become useful and valuable well after their traditional life span, it’s tempting to just hang on to everything. Case in point: You can use one hoarded object (a bunch of empty toilet paper tubes) to store another hoarded stash (your extra wires and cords).

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

We’ve already praised the re-use loving technique of using discarded toilet paper tubes to wrangle errant extension cords. The tube is the perfect length and width to keep a wrapped up cord in order.

Now, that low-brow hack becomes the root of this fantastic cable-organizing storage idea from berserk at Instructables: Layer the inside of a shoebox with as many empty toilet paper rolls as will fit, then use them as cubbies to store spare cords.

Your cords stay stashed without fear of tangles in one compact box, and you’ve finally made a use for the several dozen toilet paper tubes you’ve been hoarding saving for something useful.

The hack is perfect as it is, but here’s a few customization ideas:

  • Use PVC pipes instead of cardboard tubes.
  • Cut up long wrapping paper tubes or paper towel tubes instead of using toilet paper tubes. As a bonus, you can cut them to exactly fit your box.
  • Glue the tubes into the box for security, or leave ’em loose to pull out when you need them.
  • Use containers of various widths—like oatmeal canisters or soup cans—instead of cardboard tubes to fit your different size cords.


Happy organizing!