Even though toilet paper is becoming less and less sustainable (most of it is made from virgin pulp, obtained from forests), and the options for using recycled rolls are scarce, we consume it in droves: in Spain alone we use 690,000 tons, according to Aspapel; about 81 rolls per head per year.
We know that reusing a few rolls at home is not going to solve the problem, and that the solution, say environmentalists, is to demand that all toilet paper contains recycled fibers, since it is a disposable product that supports well the characteristics of the treated fiber.
But until that time comes, every roll you reuse and transform into something useful is a small potential revolution: less burden on landfills or the recycling system and less CO2 for the atmosphere.
What’s more, those 81 rolls a year are good for much more than just children’s crafts: in this article we tell you about four ideas suitable for adults and grown-ups of all ages. From using them to organise all those cables or tidy up your drawers, to using them as a place to put your pens. Or make a fun food puzzle for your cat. It’s up to you.
1. Tidy up your pens – with toilet paper rolls!
It’s a project that’s as simple as it is practical. And, above all, cheap, since you can use 24 rolls of toilet paper that you thought you were going to throw away to organize your desk once and for all. Bonus: you can organize your brushes, pencils or markers without sacrificing your style.
All you need are 24 rolls of toilet paper you were going to throw away, some glue, a piece of cardboard and a spray paint in the color of your choice. Spoiler tip : a gold or silver tone will give you an unbeatable finish.
Otherwise, place all the rolls upright, in four columns and six rows (there are 24 of them) and glue them together. Trim the cardboard to fit the dimensions of your set of rolls (you only need a scissors), and glue the base of the rolls to the cardboard. Let dry for about five minutes. All that’s left to do is paint the whole thing with spray paint, and you’re done!
2. Tidy up your drawers
Your desk or dresser drawers are in serious danger of turning into a tailor’s drawer, where erasers, pens, paper clips, rubber bands, rubber bands and even packets of tissues compete to be found.
Well, don’t wait so long and use your toilet paper rolls to tidy up your favourite mess. Simply cut the toilet paper rolls to the height of your drawer with a pair of scissors. Then place them inside and you’ve got compartments for all those small items you need to keep handy!
3. Make a food puzzle for your cat
If you live with a feline, you already have a project to use up a good portion of those 81 rolls a year: build a cat food puzzle. A happy cat is a busy cat; and one that has the chance to put his natural behaviors into practice: among them, play.
Well, this type of feline puzzle will keep your purring friend busy and happy. It’s not a strict organisational project, but it will help you tidy up your cat’s diet – and we’ve already got another handful of toilet rolls out of the landfill!
4. Keep all those cables and chargers handy
It’s a never-ending story: new cables are coming into our lives every day. Not to mention chargers. If you don’t know what to do with them, you can try buying a cable box (about 4 euros), a charger organizer box (about 7 euros) or try getting a cable strip (a bit more expensive, about 15 euros).
That, or don’t spend a single euro. And make your own cable organizers for free, with toilet paper rolls. All you need to do is fold the cables and put them inside the roll. That’s it! Bonus: the idea works better if you dedicate some time to it. minute more to your project and label your rolls with the wires.
But if you find this project a little lame, you can make it even better. All you need is a roll of decorative wrapping paper and some tape. And if you want to make it look even better, use double-sided tape.
Just wrap the rolls with a piece of paper cut to size (leave an extra centimetre to roll it up a bit on the inside), and use the double-sided tape to stick it together without the edges showing.
Five minutes later, and with hardly any expense (or zero expense, if you already had paper and tape at home), you have a very attractive cable organizer; while you’ve saved another few rolls from ending up in the trash.
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