Shipping containers are the bane of anyone’s existence. Especially with the rise of e-commerce, they are only piling up further in individual homes and offices. Most of us don’t know how to repurpose them unless they are sold off or picked up for recycling.
But cardboard shipping tubes are a versatile form of shipping containers. They have a multitude of uses, and none of them are superficial or simply decorative. They all serve a definite purpose.
Here are a few ways to ensure one can put those tubes to good use.
- Use it as a vessel
Given the journey that a shipping tube endures, its life as a carrier ends. But that’s not the case. They can make for excellent storage for grocery bags and DIY pen stands.
Since we are discussing using them as vessels, why not go eco-friendly? Reuse them to ship posters and bottles. Or even cut them into a more appropriate size and use them to wrap cylindrical gifts neatly.
Make fire-starters
One needs tinder, fuel, and kindling to start a fire. However, stuffed cardboard tubes can serve the same purpose in a pinch. Stuff them with dryer lint and light them up. They are convenient, foolproof, and far less messy in starting fires on a camping site.
Use them as shoe stuffing
Everyone has problems with storing boots away for the season. The tops flop over, causing wrinkles and creases. Shipping tubes can keep this from happening.
Insert two sections of the shipping tube inside each boot. It will keep the boot’s top from drooping off and causing damage to the material. So, when individuals wear them again next autumn, they won’t have to waste time straightening the boots. They will be ready to wear right out of the storage container.
Make them into a cord organizer
Small extension cables are essential to keep on hand, especially when hanging decorations or adding floor lamps to a room corner. However, they may be challenging to handle and store when not in use.
The solution is to keep them separate in cardboard tubes. Fold the cables neatly before inserting them into the cardboard tubes, where they remain contained and untangled until required.
Use them as seed starters
Save the cardboard shipping tubes for a simple and environmentally friendly way to start seedlings. Set the tubes in a waterproof tray after cutting them into 2-inch lengths. Plant the seeds in the tubes after filling them with potting soil.
Plant the seedlings directly in the tube once they are ready to transfer to the garden. The cardboard will eventually decompose. However, keep the shipping tube below the soil level to avoid wicking moisture off the roots.
To summarize
In 2020, over 1.8 billion tonnes of cargo were shipped worldwide. People discarded a large part of this, given that they ended up in homes or other non-commercial settings. They saw no recycling or reuse.
Cardboard shipping tubes are versatile and can be used for various purposes. They are probably the easiest to reuse as holders and planters, fire-starters, shoe-stuffing, organizers, and even seed starters.
So what’s the hold? Go on and get these ideas working practically.
