It can often be a challenge when trying to find different types of use for unwanted small cardboard tubes with the importance of trying not to put them into waste or through the recycling process again (even though this is still a massive bonus for the planet). We have gathered 7 unique ideas to hopefully inspire you to use your small tubes in a range of creative ways and not put them to waste!
1. Construct Play Tubes for Small Pets
Smaller sized cardboard tubes are usually big enough for small pets to fit through them, like a hamster or gerbil. This durability of the material makes them the perfect component to create a running maze for your pet, as each section can connect. They love to chew on the cardboard too!
2. Organise Office Supplies
A very practical use for old tubes is to organise office supplies, by making a handy area for all your equipment. You can do this by arranging tubes into a small box and glueing them into place. Make sure to decorate them however you’d like to express yourself and make them your own, as well as this it makes your office space a lot neater.
3. Fire Kindling
Spare cardboard tubes, like toilet rolls, are a great source of a firestarter and can be used as a cost-friendly way to start fires during the winter. The best method to create kindling is by taking your tube and cutting the cardboard into 3-millimetre strips. These strips can then be kept nearby your fireplace in a pot and will be ideal to use next time you start a fire.
4. Planting Plants
Digging a hole in the ground, placing the tube inside, and then placing the seed with compost or soil within the tube will sure control your plant’s growth. If you want a beautiful, orderly garden, you can use cardboard tubes to restrict larger plants from growing too much. Also, the cardboard tubes are 100% recyclable and have no environmental impact, so don’t feel guilty throughout the entire process!
5. Keep Christmas Lights Tidy
Our postal tubes can even benefit in preparation for the busiest time of year! We all know Christmas lights can end up in a tangle, so there is no better way of preventing this issue than by wrapping them around cardboard tubes and sealing them down with masking tape. It will keep them organised, untangled and help when putting them away for storage after Christmas. This can also work for any other type of wire or cord by applying the same method.
6. Plastic Bag Storage
If you reuse your plastic shopping bags and like doing your bit for the planet, you will likely have a tonne of ‘bag for lifes’ sitting around, waiting for your next shopping trip. Your small cardboard tubes are the ideal place to store these, as you can fit a few bags into each tube neatly. These stuffed tubes can then be stored away in a cupboard or drawer and then pulled out of the tube once needed to create an easy, accessible system.
7. Preserving your Kids’ Artwork
Keeping and maintaining your children’s artwork can often be a challenge, as it is known that pages and pages of work can occupy a lot of household space. We may just have a solution; with cardboard tubes, you can conveniently preserve their artwork and store them away tidily in a place that suits you. This can be accomplished by rolling up the work and placing them inside a cardboard tube, labelling the outside with their name and date, and then storing the work wherever convenient. You can store other documents like certificates and posters.
We hope we have shown how our postal tubes are incredibly versatile and are excellent for a range of creative purposes. As well as being used as packaging for a wide variety of items, we now know that these tubes are plentiful in the house for several convenient reasons like storage plus in the garden to support plants.