Turn Recyclable Trash Into Useful Countertop Storage With This DIY

Some countertops feel like magnets for small items. You can put things in drawers, but if you're using them often, they're likely to end up back on the counter where they're easy to grab. One of Martha Stewart's tips for a clutter-free countertop is to use baskets, bins, or other storage containers to deal with these items. You don't need to buy them from the store, though. You can easily DIY a cute and useful countertop storage system with old cardboard tubes, along with other recyclable trash or scraps left over from other projects.

Cardboard tubes from paper towels, toilet paper, or rolls of tape can make excellent pockets to hold your items. You'll also need something to form the bottom. Depending on the small things you have and how you want to arrange them, you could make bottoms for each tube individually out of cardboard, plastic lids, or even fabric. You could also attach all of your tubes to a single piece of cardboard, wood, or plastic. Part of an old box, a cutting board, a drawer or tray, or even the base of a rotating spice rack will all work great for this. 

If you only have a few cardboard tubes, you can use other items to fill out the organizer. Small boxes, old spice jars, or even plastic bottles could work if you make some adjustments. Combine multiple hacks by reusing tissue boxes for storage and adding cardboard tubes around them. You can use practically anything to decorate your organizer, but paint, paper, fabric, ribbon, and string are some easy materials to work with.

Start by sorting your supplies to see what you need storage for. If you have cabinets that sit low over your counter, you may want to use shorter tubes or cut longer ones in half. Likewise, shorter tubes may not provide enough support for taller items and may need to be stacked. Next, decide how you want to arrange your tubes. If you want each to be its own organizer, then you can move on to decorating them. Otherwise, make sure your base is the size and shape you want and arrange your tubes on top. You could even add some extra storage space by combining it with this cardboard box DIY. Use a box as the base for your organizers and attach additional tubes to the outside, with one end glued shut to form a pocket.

When you're satisfied with the arrangement, start decorating your tubes. Cardboard loses its structure when wet, so apply paint or glue a little at a time and let each layer dry in between. You can also wrap your base in paint, fabric, or paper to help it match the tubes. If you're storing smaller objects, you can make a matching lid the same way. To make your base or lid sturdier, use two pieces of cardboard glued together. You can use ribbon or braided string to disguise the dip where the two pieces meet. Glue your tubes to the base or to each other, or to their individual bottoms, add any final decorative touches, and your DIY countertop organizer is ready to use!