I just had to share...
- Cord caddy. Perfect for the cords bunched up behind the sofa, pooling around your entertainment center or waiting to trip you along the floorboards. Simply accordion-fold the excess and thread through the TP roll before plugging in. The tubes are also great for neatly storing idle extension cords.
- Fire starters. Stuff TP roll with lint from your dryer, tie a piece of natural twine around the middle for a ‘fuse,’ and dip the whole thing in melted wax. You can use paraffin or old candle nubs. Dry on wax paper and they’re ready to light your fireplace or get your campfire going.
- Bird feeder. Punch a hole in one end of the roll and tie a string through it (length will depend on where you plan to hang it). Slather the roll with peanut butter, cover it in birdseed and hang it from a branch.
- Napkin rings. Quickly, easily and cheaply make napkin rings for any occasion when you cut a TP roll into quarters and glue fabric to both the inside and outside.
- Maracas. Trace a TP roll on a piece of cardboard (like an empty cereal box) twice and cut out the circles. Tape a circle securely to one end of the tube, fill with dried beans or rice, tape the other circle to the top and shake, shake, shake your maraca.
- Travel storage for socks and undies. Simply roll up a pair and push into a tube for a quick way to keep these items easy to find at your destination and discretely stored should TSA choose your bag for an impromptu inspection.
- Glove dryer. Shove a TP roll inside a damp glove or mitten, clothespin it to a hanger and hang in sun. In no time, they’ll be dry and ready for your next foray into the cold.
- Seed starter pots. Cut TP rolls in half, pack a plastic or foil tray with the pieces, fill with soil and plant your seeds. Get full instructions here.
- Gift boxes for small or flat items. Cover your TP tube with wrapping paper, scrapbook paper or a piece of cloth; glue on to hold in place and trim to fit. Flatten roll with the seam on the bottom, going over the creases well. Then place gift in roll (you can wrap it in tissue paper first to fill in extra space) and fold down the sides of the tube openings one on top of the other to secure. Finish with a piece of ribbon or raffia.
- Ponytail holder caddy. Slide your elastic ponytail holders over an empty TP roll and you have an easy way to keep them together without stretching them out.
- Garbage bag holder. Some folks like to keep a spare bag in the bottom of the can for easy access when it comes time to change it. But instead of keeping bags underneath all that smelly garbage, stuff one or two into a TP roll and tape it to the back of the can.
- Holiday lights organizer. Take some of the frustration out of hanging lights at the holidays by keeping them untangled. Accordion-fold as you would a cord and slip inside tube.
- Extremely similar to the gift boxes, you can paint your rolls to match the party theme. Then fill with candy or small toys.
- Compost. Short on brown, high carbon ‘ingredients’ to compliment the nitrogen-rich food scraps and grass clippings in your composter? You’re sitting on a veritable gold mine.
- Hair rollers. Roll dry hair up in TP rolls instead of curlers. Secure with bobby pins and leave in for about an hour. When you take them out, your hair should be fuller with a little wave at the bottom. Personally, this did not work that well for me, but others swear by it, so why not give it a try? If nothing else, your husband will get a good laugh out of it.
