How to upcycle toilet paper rolls

Reducing waste is an important part of helping the environment. Although toilet paper rolls will decompose just fine on their own, reusing them is a great way to avoid using plastic in other areas of your life. Toilet paper rolls can be upcycled in dozens of different ways from turning them into bird feeders, to using them as napkin rings. If you’re wondering how to upcycle your toilet paper rolls, this is a great DIY for you.

In this DIY, you’ll be using these to replace a common item you’ve probably shelled out big money for—seedling pots. If you’ve read our article on gardening, you know growing your own vegetables can be a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. With these seedling pots, you can reduce your carbon emissions even more by avoiding plastic cups.

Toilet paper rolls decompose over time, yet are durable and hold their shape for long enough to get seedlings through their fledgling stage. After your plants are ready to be potted up, you can plant them pot and all, and the toilet paper roll will break down in the soil—no need to disturb the plants delicate roots at all.

Step One:

Cut your toilet paper rolls into quarters. They don’t have to be perfect, but if you want it pretty close you can squish the roll flat, crease the edge, face the creased side up and then flatten it again in the opposite direction. Cut only about 1/2”–it’s not necessary to be precise.

Step two:

Fold the bottom as if you were closing a previously opened box. If you don’t know how to do that place once side down, than the bottom, than another side, and then tuck a corner of the top underneath the side you just folded.

Step three:

Fill with potting soil and plant! You can water in these and they will still hold their shape as long as you don’t consistently over water.

Still have toilet paper rolls? Check out these other great ideas for how to upcycle toilet paper rolls!