I don’t know about your family, but ours goes through several rolls of toilet paper a week.  Aside from craft purposes, there are MANY ways to use toilet paper (or even paper towel) cardboard rolls around the house.

Ways to Reuse Toilet Paper Rolls:  Household

• Homemade Fire Starter:  Stuff a cardboard toilet paper tube with dryer lint for an easy fire starter for camp or bonfires.
• Glove Dryer:  Stick a roll inside each wet glove so air can circulate and they can dry faster.
• Wrapping Paper Roll Holder:  Cut a line directly from the top of the cardboard roll to the bottom.  Wrap it around a roll of wrapping paper to hold it in place so the end doesn’t come undone.
• Extension Cord Holder:  Fold up the extension cord and slide it right in.  Or you can wrap the cord around the roll or through the cardboard roll.
• Vacuum Hose Extension:  If your vacuum hose isn’t quite long enough to reach corners or stairs, extend the hose by taping a couple toilet paper or paper towel rolls to the end.
• Hair Band Holder:  Wrap hair bands around cardboard toilet paper tubes to keep them from getting lost or tangle.
• Plastic Bag Storage:  Stuff plastic grocery bags into a toilet paper or paper towel cardboard roll and keep them in your glove compartment in your car.
• Seed Starters:  No need to buy those fancy biodegradable seed starter cups.  Toilet paper rolls work just as well.

• Pet House:  Stick one in the cage of your hamster or mouse for them to hide in.
• Bird Feeder:  Remember the pine cone bird feeders of your childhood?  This is the same kind of thing.  Spread peanut butter over the cardboard tube and roll it in birdseed.  Then just slip it over a branch.
• Puppy Chew Toy:  Yes it’s a little messy, but it’s better than the puppy chewing your socks!

Ways to Reuse Toilet Paper Rolls:  Craft Time

• Craft Organizer:  Glue a few toilet paper rolls together  and stick them in a small shoe box for storing crayons, markers, and other craft supplies.
• Artwork Storage:  Roll up your kids’ artwork and slide it into a toilet paper tube to save it and keep it from getting ripped and wrinkled.
• Paint Stampers:  Dip the end of the toilet paper roll in paint.  It makes a great circle design for crafts as well as for walls.  You can also form it to make shapes for a preschool paint stamping lesson.
• Halloween Craft:  View our Toilet Paper Crafts for Halloween
• Christmas Craft:  Here is a similar craft idea for Christmas

• Homemade Advent Calendar:  Paint 25 cardboard toilet paper tubes red and green. Paint or write 1-25 on each of them and glue them in a row.  Wrap a small gift or piece of candy in holiday tissue paper and stick one in each tube.  The kids can then take a treat out every day until Christmas.
• Cardboard Gift Pouch:  Flatten the toilet paper tube so it looks like a rectangle.  Paint it, put stickers on it, or glue wrapping paper to it.  Stick your party favor or little gift inside.  Then tape each side of the tube shut and add a ribbon or bow.