Trash to Treasure: Re-Imagining Your Waste {Paper Tubes}

By Livinggreenor

As bad as this may sound, I only recently started recycling our toilet paper tubes.  I know, I feel REALLY bad.  It’s so obvious, I guess they just weren’t in an obvious place and until several months ago when our house got a recycling make-over, I didn’t have a trigger or a reminder to recycle them (no recycle bin in the bathroom).  I do now so it’s no longer a problem, but I still can’t help but think there’s got to be a better solution to recycling them.  Well guess what, there is!  These folks got creative with repurposing their paper tubes (including toilet paper rolls) – definitely more creative than me!

{super simple cardboard pen/pencil holder spotted over at re-nest}

{chaise lounge recycled tube cardboard furniture by Antonela Dada y Bruno Sala found at inhabitat}

{this toilet paper tube pencil holder was actually featured in the book “Treasure Trove of Ideas” by François Cherrier originally posted at the journals of giddy giddy}

{i absolutely love these paper towel tubes repurposed into flowers! you can find instructions for these recycled flowers over at design by night}

{this adorable toilet paper roll pin cushion can be found at michele made me, complete with full tutorial}

{no this is impressive! toilet paper roll art by french artist Junior Fritz Jacquet.  find more cool, toilet paper roll inspired art at brain pickings}

{toilet paper roll bird feeders by creative jewish mom}

{these cuff bracelets from toilet paper rolls by flipflops and applesauce make for a great kids project and way to use up leftover paper scraps}

{the environmentally friendly paper tube chair by Manfred Kielnhofer}

{a very creative way to reuse toilet paper rolls, using them as seed starts as spotted at saidos da concha}

{crafts by amanda actually has quite a few of these cute little cardboard tube animals, shown here is a goat.  visit her site for other animals including an angry birds theme.}

{these beautiful recycled art paper tube flowers are made by impress your kids, where you can find a tutorial and other adorable images.}

I’ve realized just how many ideas are out there, I’ll have to save a few more for another post.  But as you can see, there’s no reason to throw away let alone even recycle cardboard tubes – there’s so many other uses for them!

Do you have any ideas for repurposing toilet paper or paper towel tubes you’d like to share?