Pencils are pencils -- you use them for writing/drawing/colouring, and that's about it, right? Wrong! There are a lot of other uses for the promotional pencils you've got sitting at home so today we thought we'd tell you about some of our favourite alternative pencil ideas. From the home to the garden, there are a lot of ways to recycle to your pencils and ensure they get used for many years to come!

Make the Most of Your Promotional Pencils

So you've got a lot of spare promotional pencils sitting about your home or office -- don't throw them out, instead follow our list of tips below to get maximum usage from your custom pencil collection.

5) Use Pencils With Erasers to Remove Crayon

If you have kids at home then no doubt you've wound up with crayon on your walls at least once in the past. A quick and creative way to remove crayon doodles is to use a pencil with an eraser on the tip. While this process is not recommended for flaking, old, or sensitive walls, if your paint is fairly sturdy then a light rub with the eraser should help remove all trace of the crayon. Ensure you test a small patch first if you're concerned about the wall surface.

4) Pencil Shavings to Ward off Moths

There's nothing worse than opening up your wardrobe to find that moths have ruined your favourite coat or jacket. That's why we recommend this easy and eco-friendly way to ward off months and protect your clothes. Empty your pencil sharpener into a small cloth bag or pouch (do this a couple of times, so the bag is relatively full). Use a ribbon to tie the bag up and then tie it again onto a coat hanger or rail. The pencil shavings will keep the moths at bay!

3) Using Pencils to Personalise Your Cuticle Treatment

Struggling with dry and uneven nail cuticles? Grab a pencil with an eraser tip, and you can help tame them! As odd as this may seem it's as effective as using a cuticle device and it doesn't cost anything extra! Gently push against your cuticle until it heads back as far as you'd like. Don't push too hard or you may hurt yourself.

2) Support Your Seedlings With Pencils

If you've got small seedlings that need to grow upright or perhaps some small plants that need a bit of extra support, simply sharpen a custom pencil until it's nice and sharp. Then, plunge the pencil directly into the soil beside your plant. If your plant is fairly sturdy, it will grow to match the pencil without any help, but if it's quite fragile, you might use some eco-friendly cloth or thread to lightly tie it to the pencil. Great idea for the environmentally conscious.

1) Squeeze The Last of Your Toothpaste With a Pencil

But what can you do with a stubby little promo pencil you've already given a lot of love? Never fear, here's a great tip to use the remaining short stubs of pencils to help you use up all your tube of toothpaste! Use your tiny pencil to push forward any remaining toothpaste at the very end of the tube, then gentle roll it up until your tube looks relatively full again. This process can be repeated every time it looks like the tube is a bit depleted. Roll and push the pencil forward and you'll have toothpaste again in no time. Awesome way to ensure nothing goes to waste!

Ideas are drawn from: http://www.instructables.com/id/10-Unusual-Uses-for-Pencils/ and http://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/tips/5-things-do-pencils/view-all/