Mom shares clever storage and organization hack using toilet paper rolls: 'Brilliant'

TikToker Gabriela (@gabriela.harrisfam) shared a great tip for tidying up Christmas decorations. 

The scoop

"Use paper towel holder, toilet paper roll or wrapping paper roll. You'll regret it if you don't next year," the creator wrote in the caption. 

@gabriela.harrisfam Use paper towel holder, toilet paper roll or wrapping paper roll. YOU'LL REGRET IF U DON'T NEXT YEAR 🫣 #hack #lifehack #christmas #momhack #tips #fy ♬ Ultimate life hacks - Kelly | The Life Bath

Gabriela demonstrated how to use a leftover paper towel roll to wrap Christmas lights. Cutting a slit in one side allowed the TikToker to wedge the wire close to the plug. After that, Gabriela could securely wrap the rest of the cable around the cardboard tube. 

The same technique can be used for organizing all sorts of cables. 

We've seen cardboard tubes used in many imaginative ways. These include managing another holiday scourge, wrapping paper, being your cat's next favorite toy, and creating a seed starter.

How it's helping

Finding practical uses for items you would otherwise throw away has many benefits. For one, you save money by avoiding buying new products. This also means avoiding the energy and materials used to make something new. Generally, manufacturing involves a lot of pollution, so skipping it where we can is good news for the environment.  

Reusing items also keeps them out of landfills, where they would create even more pollution. Luckily, cardboard is highly recyclable, but the recycling rate depends on whether people can properly sort out soiled cardboard and whether municipal facilities are adequately equipped. If you want to save a few bucks while helping the planet, check out our guide on knowing your recycling options.

What everyone's saying

The TikTok community was pumped to try this hack.

"Genius!!" said one commenter.

Do you think holiday lighting is a waste of money? Big time 💯 No way 🙅 Only if it looks tacky 🤨 Only if it costs more than $100 💰 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Brilliant! I've been using a large hanger to wrap the lights around and just hang them in the back of my closet," said another.

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