Some countertops seem like magnets for small objects. You can put things in a drawer, but if you’re using them frequently, they may end up back on the counter where they’re easy to grab. one Martha Stewart’s Tips for a Clutter-Free Countertop Use baskets, bins or other storage containers to deal with these items. However, you don’t have to buy them from the store. You can easily DIY a beautiful and useful countertop storage system with old cardboard tubes, other recyclable trash, or scraps left over from other projects.
A cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels, toilet paper, or tape can make great pockets to hold your items. You will also need something to make the bottom. Depending on the small items you have and how you want to arrange them, you can make individual bottoms for each tube out of cardboard, plastic lids, or even fabric. You can attach all your tubes to a single piece of cardboard, wood, or plastic. The base of an old box, cutting board, drawer or tray, or even a rotating spice rack will work great for this.
If you only have a few cardboard tubes, you can use other items to fill the organizer. Small boxes, old spice jars or even plastic bottles can work if you make a few 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 of the easiest materials to work with.
Designing your countertop organizer
Start by sorting your supplies to see what you need storage for. If you have a cabinet that sits low on your counter, you can use a shorter tube or cut a longer tube in half. Similarly, short tubes do not provide sufficient support for tall objects and may need to be stacked. Next, decide how you want to arrange your tubes. If you want everyone to have their own organizer, then you can proceed to decorate it. Otherwise, make sure your base is the size and shape you want and arrange your tube on top. You can also add some extra storage space by attaching it to this Cardboard Box DIY. Use a box as a base for your organizer and attach extra tubes to the outside by gluing one end closed to create a pocket.
When you are satisfied with the arrangement, start decorating your tubes. Cardboard loses its texture when wet, so apply paint or glue one at a time and let each layer dry in between. You can also wrap your base in paint, fabric, or paper to match the tube. If you are storing small items, you can make a matching lid in the same way. To make your base or lid more sturdy, use two pieces of cardboard glued together. You can use ribbon or braided string to hide 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!
