I know what you’re thinking…well possibly anyway. Yeah I did a 101 post a few days ago, and it was fun. I mostly did it to poke fun at the Yellow Pages survey, but what it did do was give me a ton of ideas for blogging. Well, one type of blogging, lists. Specifically “101 Alternative Uses” lists. So after I clicked publish on the phone books post I started thinking, what else can I write about? I had already spent too much time writing that post so I went off to bed. The next day I was taking the trash out before heading to work when I looked in my hand, a Target shopping bag and poking out of the bag were some toothpicks. Target bags and toothpicks? Yes. Random? Yes. Did I ask some friends and co-workers which I should do a list on? Yes, now you have someone to blame. So toothpicks won, so here we go:
- Use to plug a similar shaped hole in your tire
*Is only a temporary solution, you’ll still need to replace the tire - Create a make-shift splint for a mouse or other small mammal
- Use as a flag pole for an ant hill
- Make a bed of toothpicks
*Kind of like a bed of nails but with toothpicks - Press a toothpick through your nose to look like a witchdoctor
*Upon removal you may need to see an actual doctor - Make a balance system to weigh small objects
- Use an entire box and glue in a pattern to replace a broken heel on a shoe
- Use to replace the spokes on your bike
- A replacement speedometer needle for your vehicle
- Use as darts
- Make a really small pair of chopsticks
*Can also double as a pair of tweezers - Use as a really pathetic candle wick
- Place a few in-between your fist and use as brass knuckles
- Name one as your official object to reset the router tool
- Use as a replacement leg for a cockroach
- Make a weight set for hamsters
*Hamsters may eat the weights if they are edible like gummy bears - Weave a basket
*You could also weave a chair - Use as a light switch
- Make a mini-bon fire
- Use as keys for a typewriter
*You may feel some discomfort when typing - Make miniature haystacks
- Build a model ship
- Replacement fang for a snake
- Use to fix a straw roof
- Dip in ink to write a letter
- Make your own “Pin-Head” mask
- Build small crosses
- Use as hair curlers
- Make a pinwheel
- Use as nails to hang stuff on the wall
- Construct a really long stick to change the channel on the TV from your couch
- Use as replacement bristles for a hair brush
- Use as stiches for an injury that requites stiches
- Make a set of blinds for windows
- Cut to a variety of sizes and write braille letter
*Start the letter off with it was written using toothpicks so the person reading can avoid splinters - Make a ladder
- Use as a bookmark
- Use to hold your hair up
*I don’t know the technical term, but women wrap their hair in a bun and stick something like a pair of chopsticks through…that’s what I’m talking about. Yeah I could Google it, but I’m writing this list for you guys. - Use to stir a glass of chocolate milk
- Use to poke a hole through the thing cover between the cap and the bottle of whatever so you don’t have to unscrew the cap, remove the separator then screw the cap back on.
- Use as replacement whiskers for your dog or cat
*Upon replacement you might not want to snuggle with said feline or canine - Use to pin things to a bulletin board
- Use as fishing bobbers
- Use as a needle to sew a blanket
- Empty a goose down throw pillow and refill with toothpicks
*It should feel the exact same - Use as a replacement aglet
*If you don’t know what an aglet is you haven’t watched Phineas and Ferb - Use as replacement hands on a clock
- Create a full grid on your yard by using toothpicks in a one in by one inch patter
- Instead of “forking” someone’s yard, toothpick it!
- Make Lego people using toothpicks and small marshmallows
- Use as a pick for a stringed instrument
- Make a slingshot
*You could also use toothpicks as projectiles for the slingshot - Create a fake mommy hedgehog to feed orphaned baby hedgehogs
*May require obtaining hedgehog milk to feed baby hedgehogs…but if you have access to that why do you need to make a fake mommy hedgehog? - Use in biology class to hold back the skin of whatever you’re dissecting
- Arrange in an odd pattern on someone’s stomach after they have fallen asleep while tanning in the sun…or in a tanning bed
- Make a bracelet
- Make mini kebabs
- Replacement branches for a ficus tree
- Create a tiki torch
- Attach to your fingers to give yourself claws
- Use to mark where to hem clothing
- Pop a blister
- Construct a bird cage
- Create a decorative magnet for the fridge
- Use as a tee for golf
*You need to be really good at balancing stuff to do this, otherwise just hit it off the grass - Make a pair of glasses
- Use to keep score at a sporting event
- Create a set of building blocks
- Make a kite
- Create a fork
- Make a set of Allen wrenches (hex keys)
- Create a bridge
- Use to measure the square footage in your living space
- Make a flimsy window for a doll house using toothpicks and plastic wrap
- Use to pick up litter
- Write a letter using toothpicks to create the letters
- Use as desk paper spike
- Use a toothpick to conduct an orchestra
- Mark your journey on a map visit by visit with toothpicks
- Make a yoyo
- Create a dreamcatcher
- Use as spikes on shoes for a sport that requires cleats
- Use paper plates and toothpicks to make spaceships
- Make a mouse trap
- Use as a belly ring
- Can be used to hold price tags on clothing
- Use as oars for Stewart Little
- Hold a corsage in place
- Use to mark hits/misses in Battleship
- Create a chess set
- Send through a wood chipper to create mulch
- Slide in the cracks of a door to “toothpick it shut”
- Use to put a tent together
- Make a barbwire fence, but with toothpicks
- Make a hoop to train goldfish to jump through
- Make a tiny umbrella
- Replacement zipper
- Construct a miniature forest
- Make a tennis racket
- Use as popsicle holders
- Make a mouse trap that catches the mouse alive
*What, you really think I was going for impalement?
There you have it! 101 alternative uses for toothpicks…what did you have in mind?
Alan Bleiweiss
June 18, 2011 - 8:35 amYou are one of the funniest guys I know. “Create a fake mommy hedgehog to feed orphaned baby hedgehogs” how do you come up with this stuff?
Josh
June 22, 2011 - 21:09 pmAlan, I have no other explanation than to say sleep deprivation and needing to think outside the box for a bit so I can focus on work better. Which ironically has also helped me come up with some creative ideas for work 🙂
SearchTEchWord
June 21, 2011 - 20:23 pmThat is just crazy.. You actually spend time finding 101 uses of toothpick.. I am speechless..
Josh
June 22, 2011 - 21:04 pmWell, 101 alternative uses that is. And the previous one on alternative uses for phone books. I haven’t decided what to list next, either hula hoops or target shopping bags. Thoughts?
sarah
June 23, 2011 - 10:36 amMadness! 🙂 Im not sure about making a yo yo though. How would that work!?
Josh
June 24, 2011 - 0:10 amIs that a challenge? I believe it is 🙂 I’ll work on making one and posting a video to YouTube this weekend. We’ll see how it goes.
Joe Smith
June 27, 2011 - 21:49 pmI love this i want more on this subject
any references please?
Josh
June 28, 2011 - 16:07 pmUmm I have no references but the new list should be up today
Kids' Crafts
July 02, 2011 - 20:02 pmAs far as #22 is concerned, I once saw a Youtube video of a guy who used over 800,000 toothpicks to recreate the Queen Mary (about 25 feet long)…
Sonny
Josh
July 02, 2011 - 21:30 pmWow, that’s a lot of toothpicks
WWE Wallpapers
July 20, 2011 - 12:28 pm“Make a barbwire fence, but with toothpicks” now how sturdy do you think that would be. Haha. Great article though, I’ve never really thought about toothpick alternatives
Jasmin
July 23, 2011 - 14:03 pmHave you heard about flavored toothpicks, made of birch wood, chewing wood flavored toothpicks come manufactured in a whole host of delightful flavors including cinnamon toothpicks, strawberry toothpicks, cinnamint toothpicks, wintergreen toothpicks, and spearmint/peppermint toothpicks.
Josh
July 25, 2011 - 15:48 pmI have actually, pretty tasty 🙂
wwe wallpapers
September 11, 2011 - 19:24 pmCan’t imagine a very sturdy sling shot with tooth picks.
Dreamingonstars
October 31, 2011 - 21:33 pmyou repeated mouse trap!