Don’t throw away empty toilet paper rolls! Discover 10 clever, practical, and creative ways to reuse cardboard tubes around your home.
Before you toss that empty toilet paper roll into the recycling bin, take a second look at it. That simple cardboard tube can become surprisingly useful around the house.
Instead of treating empty rolls as waste, you can repurpose them into storage solutions, organizers, gardening helpers, craft supplies, and even simple household tools.
Here are 10 easy ideas worth trying.
1. Keep Cables and Chargers Organized
Tangled charging cables can quickly turn a drawer into a mess. Empty toilet paper rolls provide a simple way to keep individual cords neatly contained.
How to do it:
- Coil the cable loosely.
- Slide the coiled cable inside the cardboard tube.
- Label the outside if you have several similar cables.
- Store the tubes upright in a drawer or storage box.
You can label them “phone,” “camera,” “tablet,” or whatever makes identification easy.
Tip: Don’t bend or tightly compress delicate cables just to make them fit.
2. Make a Simple Seed Starter
Empty cardboard tubes can be useful for starting certain seedlings before transferring them to the garden.
Cut several vertical slits along one end of the tube, fold the sections inward to create a base, and fill the tube with suitable potting mix.
Place a seed inside and keep the soil appropriately moist.
Once the seedling is ready for transplanting, you can place the cardboard container into the soil if the cardboard is plain and untreated.
Tip: Avoid using tubes that are heavily printed, coated, or contaminated with cleaning products.
3. Create a Drawer Organizer
Small objects tend to disappear into drawers. Cardboard tubes can act as individual compartments.
Use them to organize items such as:
- Hair ties
- Scrunchies
- Small craft supplies
- Ribbons
- Paintbrushes
- Pens and pencils
- Small cables
Arrange the tubes inside a shallow box or drawer so they remain upright.
This is particularly useful when you want an inexpensive organizing solution without purchasing additional containers.
4. Store Wrapping Paper
Small rolls of wrapping paper can easily become loose and messy.
A cardboard tube can help keep wrapping paper from unrolling.
Simply cut the tube lengthwise, place it around the wrapping paper, and secure it gently.
This technique can also work for:
- Ribbon
- Decorative paper
- Craft fabric
- Gift wrap scraps
It’s a small trick that can make your craft or gift-wrapping supplies much easier to manage.
5. Make a DIY Pencil or Pen Holder
Turn several cardboard tubes into a simple desktop organizer.
Cover the tubes with decorative paper, fabric, or another suitable craft material. Arrange several tubes together and secure them to a sturdy cardboard base.
You can then use each compartment for:
- Pens
- Pencils
- Markers
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Craft tools
This can be an especially fun project for children, provided an adult supervises any cutting or hot-glue use.
6. Help Organize Your Shoes
Cardboard tubes can help with smaller footwear accessories.
For example, you can use them to store rolled-up shoelaces, shoe-care cloths, or other small accessories.
For boots, sturdier cardboard tubes can sometimes be used as temporary supports to help prevent soft boot shafts from collapsing.
Tip: Replace the cardboard if it becomes damp or damaged.
7. Protect Small Cords and Cables
If you have spare computer, audio, or appliance cables, cardboard tubes can prevent them from becoming tangled in storage.
Write the cable’s purpose on the outside of the tube so you don’t have to pull every cord out to identify it.
This is particularly useful when storing seasonal decorations or rarely used electronics.
8. Create a Simple Bird Feeder
An empty cardboard tube can become a simple bird-feeding craft.
Coat the outside with a suitable edible spread, then roll it in birdseed. Thread a piece of string through it and hang it in an appropriate outdoor location.
Important: Use only ingredients appropriate for the birds in your area, and avoid products containing artificial sweeteners or other potentially harmful additives.
Keep the feeder clean and monitor it regularly.
9. Make a Firewood or Kindling Helper
Dry cardboard tubes can sometimes be useful as part of a fire-starting setup for an appropriate outdoor fire or fireplace.
You can fill the tube with dry paper or other suitable combustible material and use it as a small fire-starting aid.
Safety first: Never burn cardboard that contains unknown coatings, plastic, metallic finishes, or heavy inks. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your fireplace or stove, and never leave a fire unattended.
10. Turn Them Into Fun Crafts
Perhaps the easiest way to reuse toilet paper rolls is to turn them into craft materials.
With paint, paper, glue, and imagination, they can become:
- Animals
- Flowers
- Binoculars
- Pencil holders
- Wall decorations
- Napkin rings
- Small gift boxes
- Holiday decorations
They’re inexpensive and easy to cut, making them useful for simple creative projects.
A Few Safety Tips Before Reusing Cardboard Rolls
Although cardboard tubes are useful, they aren’t appropriate for every purpose.
Keep these points in mind:
- Don’t use visibly dirty or damp tubes.
- Avoid using cardboard near food unless it is properly protected and intended for that purpose.
- Don’t use tubes that have been exposed to chemicals.
- Keep cardboard crafts away from candles, heaters, and other sources of ignition.
- Supervise children when using scissors, glue guns, or other craft tools.
- Replace tubes that become moldy, wet, or damaged.
Final Thoughts
An empty toilet paper roll may look like something destined for the trash, but it’s actually a surprisingly versatile piece of cardboard.
From organizing cables and drawers to starting seedlings and creating simple crafts, reusing these tubes can save money while reducing unnecessary household waste.
So next time you finish a roll, don’t automatically throw away the cardboard tube. Set it aside—you might find a clever use for it.