20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

There has been a lot of serious talk about a plastic straw ban lately. Disposable straws are so ubiquitous that they account for a significant amount of waste, and what’s worse, they’re ending up in our oceans. Beyond reducing your use, there’s still more you can do when it comes to straws.

Straws have the potential to be so much more than just a vessel for your favorite beverages. And by giving straws a new purpose, you yourself gain a new purpose by becoming an upcycling hero! Get inspired with these handy hacks that we strawngly recommend trying at home.

1. Forget to order that Hammacher Schlemmer vacuum sealer? There’s no need to panic because if you’ve got two lungs and a straw you can manually seal bags yourself! Bag, seal, insert straw, suck, suck, suck, and seal again! You just sealed in freshness AND overcame mechanization in one breath!

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

2. “This little straw loom of mine, I’m going to let it shine! Let it shine, as I intertwine more yarnnnn!” Or whatever, make up your own song. The point is, looming 101 is now available for everyone. Get out there and get your weave on.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

3. If you have the urge to ease yourself into a potential USSR-like environment and ration your La Croix, straws are your deliverance! Just use your hammer and sickle to puncture a hole in the bottle cap and fashion your straw tap. Water might be a human right, but bubbles are a privilege. 

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

4. Strawberries. Strawberries! Get it? They’re delicious! Spending all that time prepping them in the kitchen, however, is not quite as tasty. So break out your trusty straw and instantly core those suckers. Talk about satisfying. 

5. It’s the worst when you get flowers and they start to droop on you after only a few days. Well, with this new hack you can tell your home flora to suck it up! Dress those stems in a little straw corset and they will stand perky and tall, whether they like it or not.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

6. These hacks really just keep getting “butter.” Check out this genius move! Now you can actually enjoy more than the first quarter of your popcorn by inserting a straw into the depths and fracking that butter right on down. This may be the only pipeline vote that gets a unanimous, YES!

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

7. Hate it when your ketchup gets all caught up? Well, if you have a straw on hand, you can stick it right on up in that ketchup bottle’s business. The straw will not only unclog the ketchup, but it will also deliver an aerated effect to your condiment. 

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

 

8. You can also use straws to organize that messy tangle of cords behind your T.V. Simply cut a plastic straw into small pieces, wrap the cut straw around the cord, and label! Look at this guy — after years of confusion he can now take one look and know that purple is cable, yellow is wire, and red is the cord.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

9. You don’t have to pay Urban Outfitters prices to have your home look like an Urban Outfitters. You can just spray paint a bunch of straws and string them together into a trendy geometrical structure. Throw in a succulent and you’ll be so hip, it’s ridic’.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

10. If you own bag clips, then congratulations you’re a more responsible and organized person than the majority of the world. If you’re not a bag clip kind of person (no shame) you can totally use straws! Fold your bag over a straw and cut a second straw length-wise to then slide over the fold and create a seal. Fresh cake rolls 4 life!

11. This is a straw siphon. Its purpose is to create a suction that drives the liquids inside the cup, up through the straws, and then out into the sink. If this won’t suck the boredom right out of you, we really don’t know what else will. 

12. Usually, when traveling with jewelry you end up with a mess of tangles. Well, this clever hack-stress had the brilliant idea of sending her chains through the tangle-less tubes of straw land. Now when she touches down in vacation town, she won’t waste any time yanking her own chain.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

13. Worried that your plants will die while you travel for work? Just rig up a wine bottle full of water as pictured below and upright it into your planter. A steady trickle will keep the plants alive and you get an excuse to drink a bottle of wine! It’s a win-win. 

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

14. If you are an upcycling queen, you should absolutely get to flaunt your conservation crown all around town. Simply section your hair, wrap it around the straws, and bam! A killer look! Twist, shout, and get yo straws out!

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

15. Take a hike REI, match and spice holders for camping are now a DIY. Using a corrugated plier you can seal all your essential spices in a straw. Just look at this A+ prepared camper.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

16. There are few things more horrifying than the thought of stepping on a razor in the shower. For whatever cruel reason, those little blade covers always seem to disappear, just inviting disaster. To give yourself a little peace of mind, give your naked razor the straw treatment. Cover those blades, stop a bloodbath.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

17. Ain’t no party like a disco straw party. This crafty craft is super easy to make at home. All it requires is a zip tie and a bundle of straws. Get super creative and pick your favorite fun colors! Tightly cinch your straw bundle, and like magic, a disco straw ball will bloom. Bonus, it’s also extremely effective for the indecisive drinker.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

18. For those out there who like to make putting honey in their tea an elaborate charade, try this hack! Funnel the desired amount of honey (or agave, we see you vegans) into a straw. Once the straw is filled to the desired amount, you can then re-funnel that honey into your tea. Drink and repeat.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

19. Not everyone can be a guitar hero. But, everyone can make a pan flute out of straws and tape, and do whatever you do with that. If at first, you sound a little flat, don’t get discouraged. Practice makes perfect, and we believe in you.

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier

20. You don’t need to spend money on a frame to hang your favorite pictures. Just pick up some straws, cut, slice, and presto: a totally unique look at a much lower price. 

20 Brilliant Ways To Use Ordinary Plastic Straws That Are Making People’s Lives So Much Easier