Influencer shares 'genius' idea for making use of old drink cups: 'This is perfect'

When allergy season hits or you're fighting a cold, tissues are a must, especially on the road. But those boxes slide all over your car, and the travel-sized packs are pricey and hard to use one-handed. This clever hack solves both problems with a simple combo: a leftover plastic cup and some tissues you already have at home.

The scoop

Kristopher Juniel, USA Today's host of "Problem Solved" (@problemsolved), shared this easy upcycling trick on TikTok to turn an empty cup into a sleek, car-friendly tissue dispenser. All you need is a dome-lidded cup (cleaned, of course) and a handful of tissues from a standard tissue box.

@problemsolved Make your own tissues to go for your car #car #DIY #hacks #tips #problemsolved ♬ original sound - problemsolved

To make it work, grab a stack of tissues, locate the natural pull-point where they separate, and fold them vertically so the dispensing side is in the center. Pop the tissues into your clean cup, thread one through the hole in the dome lid, and snap the lid on. That's it — your tissues are now road-trip-ready, tucked neatly in your cup holder and easy to grab on the go.

How it's helping

This hack offers an immediate benefit: convenience. Instead of struggling with tissue boxes that move around while driving or wasting time digging through your bag for a travel pack, this solution keeps tissues stable and within reach.

It also helps you save money by allowing you to skip the overpriced mini-packs and canister dispensers. You can simply use a box of tissues you already have at home and a cup that would otherwise be thrown away or recycled.

Environmentally, it's a small but smart move. By repurposing containers and packaging, you reduce the amount of single-use plastics and excess packaging heading to landfills. Less waste also helps prevent pollution in oceans and contributes to a more circular lifestyle. Other small steps, like donating or swapping your old stuff for store credit or using old containers for storage, can have a similar impact.

What everyone's saying

This DIY upgrade is earning real praise from anyone who's ever chased a tissue box on the floor of the passenger's side.

"The kleenex box flies around my front seat all the time. This is perfect in the cup holder. Genius," one user commented.

Someone else chimed in: "Tysm! I've been sick but my tissue box is way too big to fit in my car conveniently!"

And for those trying to avoid spending extra on special packs for the car, another wrote: "The mini packs are too expensive but the box are too much for the car. Love this idea."

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a refillable product? Saving money Reducing plastic waste Using less shelf space at home Getting easy refill deliveries Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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