DIY Woven Storage Organizer From Newspaper Tubes and PVC Pipes

What if your old newspapers could become something you actually use?

For this project, I turned ordinary newspaper tubes into a colorful woven storage unit, using them for both the baskets and the shelves.

I think there's something satisfying about giving everyday, single-use materials a second life. So instead of letting those old newspapers end up in the trash, why not turn them into something useful—and maybe even make it uniquely yours?

1. Newspaper: I used around 3 kg of newspaper
2. Ruler/measuring tape
3. Cutter
4. Thin rod: I used 2 mm flower stem wire, but I suggest you use a knitting needle.
5. Glue stick
6. UHU all-purpose glue
7. Silicone mat for baking
8. Water-based paint: I used water-based wall paint
9. Cardboard box for mold; you can use LEGO
10. Paper clips
11. Pliers
12. Acrylic varnish
13. Mini grinder/ratcheting pipe cutter
14. PVC pipe, 1/2" in diameter
15. (6x) 50 cm — for long horizontal supports
16. (6x) 33 cm — for side supports
17. (8x) 20 cm — for vertical side spacers
18. (4x) 4 cm — short pieces
19. (4x) 1/2" PVC 3-way elbow joints
20. (8x) 1/2" PVC 4-way elbow joints
21. (4x) 1/2" PVC end caps
22. Nylon wheels
23. Spray paint: brown
24. Brush
25. Gloves

The direction of the paper fibers can affect how easily the paper can be rolled into a tube. Ideally, cut your paper strips in the same direction as the fibers. Cutting across the fibers can make the paper more difficult to roll and may result in a weaker or less consistent tube.

For this project, I usually cut my newspaper into 15 × 35 cm strips.

Place a thin rod on one corner of the paper at an acute angle. Rolling the paper diagonally this way allows you to make a longer tube. Tuck the corner underneath the rod, then start rolling the paper with your fingers.

I recommend using a silicone mat underneath the paper while rolling. The slightly grippy surface helps keep the paper from sliding around, making it easier to roll a tight and even tube.

Once you reach the end, secure the edge of the paper with a glue stick.

Coloring the Paper Tubes

For this project, I wanted the paper tubes to have bright, solid colors, so I used water-based wall paint.

Place several paper tubes in a plastic basin or tray and paint them gradually with a brush. Let them dry completely, then apply another coat if the color hasn't covered the tubes evenly.

This is another reason why I prefer using paper tubes with little or no visible newsprint. Covering printed newspaper with paint can take quite a bit of work, especially when using lighter colors.

When drying the painted tubes, make sure they don't touch each other. Water-based wall paint can become slightly sticky as it dries, causing the tubes to stick together.

Trust me on this one—I learned the hard way. 😅 If the tubes stick together and you pull them apart after drying, the paint can tear away the outer layer of the paper tube. So, give each tube enough space to dry separately.

There are several ways to make a rectangular or square basket base. For this project, I recommend using a mold to help maintain the shape and size of the basket while weaving.

For my basket, I used a cardboard box measuring 38 × 27 × 18 cm as the mold.

1. Prepare the Base Template

Start by drawing a rectangle on a piece of cardboard. This will be your guide for weaving the base.

Draw the rectangle to match the size of the bottom of your cardboard box. In my case, the box base is 38 × 27 cm.

Then, add approximately 5 mm to each side of the rectangle. This gives you a final base size of approximately 39 × 28 cm.

Next, draw horizontal and vertical lines across the rectangle to create a grid. Leave approximately 2 cm between each line.

My spacing was slightly wider than 2 cm, but after weaving the base, I felt that the distance between the stakes was too wide. For a more compact and stable base, I recommend keeping the spacing around 2 cm.

2. Placing the Longitudinal Stakes

Now it's time to place the paper tubes that will form the framework of the base.

From this point on, we'll call these tubes stakes. The stakes placed along the vertical lines of the grid will be called longitudinal stakes.

Place two paper tubes along each vertical line of the grid.

Leave approximately 8 cm of each stake extending beyond the grid at the top and bottom. Secure the stakes to the cardboard using paper clips so they don't move while you weave.

3. Start Weaving the Base

Take one paper tube to use as the weaver.

For the first row, use the basic over-and-under weaving pattern:

Under one stake → over the next stake → under the next → over the next, and continue this pattern across the base.

Start by placing the weaver under the first stake and over the second stake. Keep the weaver aligned with the horizontal line you marked on the cardboard.

Before placing the weaver under each stake, use your fingernail to make a small crease or kink in the tube. This helps the tube bend neatly and follow the shape of the grid.

Continue this pattern until you reach the last stake.

Make sure to leave the ends of the weaver sticking out slightly on both sides of the base. Don't cut them off yet.

The second row

For the second weaver, reverse the over-and-under pattern.

If the first row passes over a particular stake, the second row should pass under it, and vice versa.

This alternating pattern will create the basic woven structure of the basket base.

4. Joining Paper Tubes

Eventually, you will need to connect one paper tube to another.

Try to position the connection behind the stakes, on the underside of the weave, so it is less visible.

First, cut the end of the old weaver diagonally to create a pointed tip.

Take a new paper tube and slightly trim or cut the butt end. The butt end is softer because it has fewer layers of paper.

Apply a small drop of UHU All Purpose Glue inside the butt end of the new tube.

I prefer UHU for this step because it has a thicker consistency than regular liquid glue. It doesn't wet the paper as much and dries relatively quickly.

Pinch the pointed end of the old weaver slightly and insert it into the new tube.

When making the connection, make sure it will be positioned under the next stake so the joint is hidden on the underside of the weave.

5. Turning the Weaver at the End of Each Row

After finishing the second row, turn the weaver around and immediately begin the next row in the opposite direction.

Each time you turn the weaver to start a new row, be careful not to pull it too tightly around the outer stakes.

This is especially important when making a rectangular or square base. If the weavers are pulled too tightly around the stakes, the outer stakes can start bending inward toward the center of the base.

Keep the stakes straight and parallel to the grid lines as you work.

6. Adding the Lateral Stakes

When you reach the second horizontal line of the grid, you will start adding the lateral stakes.

In the previous rows, whenever you reached the last longitudinal stake, you would simply turn the weaver around and begin a new row.

At this point, however, don't turn the weaver around yet.

Instead, use the remaining length of the weaver to create a lateral stake. Leave approximately 8 cm extending beyond the side of the grid.

Then take a new weaver to begin the next row.

For this new weaver, also leave approximately 8 cm extending beyond the opposite side of the grid. This will form another lateral stake.

As a result, along this horizontal grid line, you should have:

1. One lateral stake extending from the right side
2. One lateral stake extending from the left side

Continue weaving normally until you reach the point where you need to turn the weaver and start another row.

Repeat this process at the appropriate horizontal grid lines as you continue building the base.

7. Continue Weaving the Base

Continue weaving the base using the same over-and-under pattern.

Throughout the process, pay close attention to the position of the stakes. They should remain:

1. Straight
2. Parallel to the grid lines
3. Parallel to one another
4. Properly aligned with the corners of the base

Keeping the stakes properly aligned at this stage will make forming the walls of the basket much easier later.

Finishing the Base

Once the main part of the base is finished, it's time to create the finishing row.

1. Trim the Longitudinal Stakes

Start by cutting several of the longitudinal stakes with pliers.

You can also use scissors, but the paper tubes can become quite thick after being rolled, so I find pliers easier for cutting them.

2. Prepare the Finishing Weavers

Take two paper tubes and connect them together to create one long tube.

Fold this long tube in half.

Place the folded tube around one of the remaining stakes.

Mark this particular stake with a piece of tape or something similar so you can easily identify where the finishing row started.

Now begin weaving the finishing row using the two tubes as a pair.

The basic pattern is:

One tube in front → one tube behind → twist around the stake → repeat.

Continue this pattern around the entire base.

3. Forming the Corners

Pay special attention when you reach the corners of the rectangular base.

At my first corner, I had two stakes running along the length of the base. Bend these stakes together at approximately 45 degrees toward the weave. These will eventually form the corner of the basket.

Take the weaver that would normally pass over the stake. Wrap it around the corner stakes, then place it under the next stake.

Take the second weaver and place it under the corner stakes and over the next stake.

This extra wrapping around the corner helps create a more defined right angle.

Continue weaving the pair until you reach the next corner.

The number of stakes forming each corner may vary. One corner might have three stakes, while another might have only one.

Regardless of how many stakes make up the corner, bend them together at approximately 45 degrees and weave around them using the same technique.

Continue around the entire base until you return to the stake where you started the finishing row.

Preparing the Base for the Basket Walls

Once the finishing row is complete, place the woven base underneath your cardboard box mold (or another suitable mold, such as a LEGO mold).

Place some heavy objects on top of the mold to keep the base firmly in place while you work.

Next, bend all the remaining stakes upward around the sides of the mold.

Secure the stakes to the sides of the mold using rope, masking tape, or another suitable material.

This will help hold the stakes in position and encourage them to form the vertical walls of the basket.

You can leave the structure secured for approximately 1 hour before continuing with the next stage of weaving.

Once the base has been secured around the mold, we can start weaving the sides of the basket.

1. Start with Three-Rod Wale

You should already have two weavers from the finishing row.

Add one more weaver to the right of these two. You now have three weavers ready to make a three-rod wale (triple twining).

Start by taking the far-left weaver and passing it over two stakes and behind the third stake. Continue this pattern around the basket.

If you're not familiar with three-rod wale, this video gives a helpful visual explanation:

Three-Rod Wale / Triple Twining

Continue until you have completed two rows of three-rod wale.

2. Double the Stakes

Before starting the third row, add one additional stake beside every single stake.

The goal is to make sure that all the sides of the basket are now double-staked.

Adding these extra stakes will give the basket walls more support as you continue weaving.

3. Reinforce the Corners

The corners need extra reinforcement to keep them rigid.

First, remove the existing stakes at each corner.

We will replace them with three stakes at each corner.

For each corner:

1. Insert the first stake as close to the corner of the mold as possible. Let it lean against one side of the mold.
2. Insert the second stake in the same way, but lean it against the other side of the mold.
3. Insert the third stake in front of the first two stakes.

The three stakes should form a triangle when viewed from above.

Secure the triangle with masking tape to keep the stakes in position.

Repeat the same process at all four corners.

4. Continue the Three-Rod Wale

Now continue weaving the third row of three-rod wale.

As you reach each corner, pay close attention to the three corner stakes.

Make sure the three stakes remain:

1. Strictly vertical
2. Positioned exactly at the corner of the mold
3. Securely held in their triangular arrangement

Take your time at the corners because their position will determine the shape of the basket.

Once the third row is complete, you should have three rows of three-rod wale around the basket.

5. Continue with the Ordinary Weave

Next, we'll continue weaving the rest of the basket using the ordinary weave until we reach the desired height.

If you have an even number of stakes, you will need to use two weavers that chase each other.

Since we were using three weavers for the three-rod wale, we first need to remove the extra weaver.

Take the far-right weaver and pass it over two pairs of stakes and behind the third one. Then tuck the end inside the two paper rods in the weaving row below.

This leaves you with two weavers for the ordinary weave.

6. Start the Ordinary Weave

Take the right-hand weaver and place it over one stake, behind the next stake, and back out to the front.

Continue this simple pattern:

Over one stake → behind the next → over the next → behind the next.

Keep weaving until you reach the second weaver, which was left behind.

Now take this left-hand weaver and begin weaving with it in the same way.

The two weavers should now appear as if they are chasing each other around the basket.

Continue weaving with the two weavers in this manner until the basket reaches your desired height.

I wanted my basket to have two colors, so once I reached the desired height for the first color, I prepared the starting point for the color change.

Changing the color of the weavers follows the same basic principle as joining two paper tubes. Make sure the connection is positioned behind the stakes, where it will be hidden by the weave.

The same rule applies when changing the color of the stakes: make sure the connection is positioned behind the weavers.

Once the new color is connected, continue weaving with the new color using the same ordinary weave as before. Keep weaving until you reach the desired height.

Finishing the Last Row

Before finishing, check the height of the basket on all four sides.

If the basket walls are not exactly the same height all around, make the very last row at the same height on all four sides. This may leave some larger gaps between the woven rows, but that's okay—we can adjust them afterward.

Use a knitting needle to gently spread and redistribute the woven rows evenly across the entire height of the basket.

To finish the weaving, tuck the ends of the weavers into the woven row directly below them.

Finally, check the height of the basket on all four sides once again. Adjust the woven rows as needed until the height looks even and the basket has the shape you want.

The basket now has two stakes running around the entire wall.

To finish the border, cut one of the two stakes. I prefer cutting the right-hand stake because I weave from left to right, allowing the weaver to cover and hide the cut end.

Then, finish the basket border using the technique demonstrated in this video.

And that's it—the basket is finished!

I made these baskets in two different sizes:

1. Large basket: 40 × 30 × 19 cm
2. Small basket: 22 × 26 × 17 cm

I made the shelf structure using 1/2-inch PVC pipes. I cut the pipes according to the size of my baskets using a mini grinder.

The shelf is designed to hold three rows of baskets, so I prepared the following pipe pieces:

1. 6 × 50 cm — long horizontal supports
2. 6 × 33 cm — side supports
3. 8 × 20 cm — vertical side spacers
4. 4 × 4 cm — short pieces for the 4-way elbow joints on the bottom shelf, which will connect to the PVC end caps where the rolling wheels will be attached

Once all the pipes are cut, assemble the structure using 4-way elbow joints.

For the top shelf, use 3-way elbow joints instead of 4-way joints to create the top ends of the structure.

PVC needs a spray paint specifically formulated to adhere to plastic. I chose a brown shade for the pipe frame.

Before painting, I lightly sanded the entire surface of the pipes and joints with 220-grit sandpaper to help the paint adhere better. I then wiped everything down with a tack cloth to remove the sanding dust.

I placed the pieces over a drop cloth and sprayed on an even coat of paint, covering as much of the surface as possible. After about 20 minutes, the paint was dry enough to handle, so I rotated the pieces to expose the unpainted areas and continued spraying.

I waited another 20 minutes between each coat and rotation, applying two coats in total to achieve even coverage.

Instead of using wood or a board for the shelves, I decided to make them from woven paper as well. I colored the paper tubes brown to match the PVC frame.

Make the woven shelf using the same technique as making the base of the basket. The exact dimensions will depend on the PVC frame, but make sure the woven base is not larger than the rectangular pipe structure. The outer stakes of the woven base will be wrapped around the PVC pipes, so the dimensions need to fit within the frame.

Once the woven shelf is finished, turn it upside down so the wrong side is facing up. Turn the rectangular PVC structure upside down as well, and place it over the woven shelf.

Check the stakes around the edges of the woven base. If any stakes overlap with the 4-way or 3-way elbow joints, fold those stakes inward and tuck them underneath the woven base on the wrong side. This keeps them out of the way and ensures that the paper wrapping will only cover the straight sections of the PVC pipes rather than the joints.

Wrapping the Pipe

If the first stake is positioned close to an elbow joint, start wrapping the pipe with that stake. Since the stakes are too short to cover the entire length of the pipe, you will need to connect another paper tube to extend them.

When connecting another tube, position the joint so it will be hidden behind the PVC pipe. Flatten the paper tubes or stakes slightly to make them easier to wrap tightly around the pipe.

If there is a gap between the elbow joint and the first stake, use a separate paper tube to cover that section. Apply a bit of glue on the pipe, wrap the new tube around the PVC pipe, and when you reach a stake from the woven base, continue wrapping the paper tube over the stake to secure it in place.

Continue wrapping until you reach the other end of the pipe. Tuck the end of the paper tube into the hidden weave on the underside of the shelf to secure it.

The main goal is to completely cover the visible PVC surface with paper tubes while keeping the wrapping neat. Avoid overlapping the paper tubes on the front-facing side of the shelf. If overlapping is necessary, keep it on the hidden side where it won't be visible.

Repeat the same process for the other row of the shelf.

Before assembling all the parts, I applied varnish with a brush to all of the woven paper tubes used for both the baskets and the shelves.

The varnish helps strengthen the woven paper and makes the finished pieces more durable and sturdy. I applied two coats of varnish, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next one.

Now that all the baskets and shelves are ready, it's time to assemble the storage unit.

When attaching the vertical side spacers—the 20 cm pipes—to the shelf frames, I didn't make the connections permanent because I wanted to keep the storage unit modular. This allows me to disassemble or rearrange it whenever needed. If you prefer a permanent structure, you can secure the PVC connections with PVC cement or PVC glue.

I also added nylon wheels to make the storage easier to move around. I designed this unit to store my craft supplies, and since I tend to move around while working on different projects, being able to roll the storage wherever I need it is really convenient.

The wheels I used have a single screw that can be attached directly to the PVC end caps. So, before attaching the wheels, don't forget to drill a hole in the center of each end cap for the screw.

When connecting the bottom shelf frame to the end caps, use the 4 cm pipes.

And that's it! The storage unit is finished. 🎉

This project definitely took more time and effort than buying a ready-made storage unit. Making the paper tubes, weaving them, painting them, and putting everything together is not necessarily the most convenient way to get a storage shelf.

But for me, that's not really the point.

I think learning to make the most of materials that are usually treated as disposable—like old newspapers—and turning them into something with a longer useful life can be a small act of care. Care for the materials we already have, for the things we make, and perhaps for the amount of waste we leave behind.

It may take a little more time, but sometimes giving something another chance to be useful is worth the effort.