Reuse And Transform Empty Toilet Paper Rolls Into Adorable DIY Fall Pumpkin Decor

Dropping temperatures and leaves taking on their signature seasonal hues are the signs that fall is officially upon us. To many, this means it's finally time to bust out the fun seasonal and Halloween decor. But this doesn't mean you have to cover your home in spooky skeletons, witches, and spiders to be festive. Sometimes seasonal decor can be more subtle and versatile with an aesthetic that evokes cozy, soothing Autumn harvest vibes for the entire season, rather than the creepy Halloween look that only seems relevant for weeks. That is exactly the look Anh Lin (@girlandtheword) was after when she shared on Instagram how she repurposed empty toilet paper rolls to create cute, fuzzy DIY pumpkins for a positively lovely neutral festive fall garland. By wrapping sections of the tubes in thick string and adding a cinnamon stick for a stem, Lin created fun, fuzzy pumpkins that smelled as great as they looked.

Before you begin this adorable DIY, you will need to gather and prep a few supplies. First, you'll need an empty toilet paper roll for every two pumpkins you'd like to make. Alternatively, you could grab an empty paper towel roll or wrapping paper tube. Prepare the tubes for the project by cutting toilet paper rolls in half or longer tubes into sections approximately two inches in length. You'll also need to find a thick, fuzzy thread like what is used in the Instagram tutorial to cover the rolls, whether your aesthetic is subtle shades of neutral, classic orange hues, or happy rainbow pumpkin vibes. You could also use a rich, textural ribbon like velvet for a luxurious, elegant take. Grab some cotton stuffing, cinnamon sticks, and a hot glue gun, and you are ready to start DIYing these beyond-sweet and festive little fuzzy pumpkins to add to your fall decor.

This super cute pumpkin decor DIY couldn't be easier. Begin by threading a thick piece of string through the tube and tying it in a knot to secure the first loop around the cardboard roll, hiding the knot on the interior of the tube. Next, grab a handful of cotton stuffing or polyfill and use your fingers to create a hole in the middle like a donut. Place the stuffing inside the tube and push your finger through to center the hole that you made, leaving an opening through the center of the filled tube. This will allow the string to be threaded through the stuffing and also keep all thread loops pressed close together toward the center of the roll.

Next, loop the string through the center hole in the stuffing and around the outside of the toilet paper roll. Repeat this until the string covers the entire roll. Knot the end of another loop to secure it, and either hide the connection on the interior again or right in the top center of the now pumpkin-shaped object. Hot glue a piece of cinnamon stick to the top center to cover the knot (if applicable) and create a pumpkin stem to finish the look. Plus, it will smell festive to boot!

Once your fuzzy DIY string and toilet paper roll pumpkins are complete, you can nestle them in a display bowl, pepper them into your seasonal fall tablescape, secure them to a holiday wreath, or string them onto a garland – with added twinkle lights optional but recommended – for some seriously cozy, adorable fall vibes.