So what's the first thing you do after a Halloween candy haul, besides eating it? Sorting it!!! Now let's build a Halloween candy sorter!

We will be using some recycle material mainly paper towel rolls. However, if you don't have 4 handy, you can roll some poster board to make tubes. Glue or Tape to fasten the tube (we need them to be sturdy for the Halloween Haul!)

Supplies

4 Paper towel rolls (Rolled up poster board)
15 Paper clips
1 Piece of box cardboard (I grabbed a piece of box flap)
Scrap paper/Construction paper
Paint
Tape
Glue
Scissors
Paint brush
Pen
Pencil

Step 1: Build the Sorter Base

Cut the cardboard approximately into 6x6 inch squares. Apply some glue or tape on top of one cardboard then place the 2nd piece on top.

Step 2: Arranging the Tubes

Bunch 3 tubes together then paper clip joining sides.

Step 3: Add a 4th Tube

Add the 4th tube and paper clip it with the bunch. After one side is completed, paperclip the other side. Now it should be fully secured.

Step 4: Draw Doors or Mouths

Time to get your creative juices going! Decide what designs will be on the tubes (Monsters with mouth doors or Haunted houses with scary doors). Mouth doors will open like a car trunk.

Remember when drawing the door it's wide enough for the candies to come out. Use a candy for size reference.

My design will have 2 haunted houses and 2 monsters.

Step 5: Cut the Doors

With a pair of scissors, carefully cut out the doors and mouths.

Don't forget to give it the candy test!

Step 6: Glue the Tubes to the Base

On bottom side of the tubes carefully apply glue around the edges but not on the doors. Then stick the bottom to the base. Apply more glue if needed, we need to be solid!

Next find something a little heavy to help weigh down the tubes. We want the glue to completely dry, so give it lots of time.

Step 7: Designing the Tubes

While we wait for the glue to dry. We can start our creative juices again!

Find some pictures of monsters or scary houses for inspiration or create your own idea! Like monsters with horns, polka dots, 3 eyes, etc. Haunted houses with rats, spiders, cob webs, skulls, etc. Do a little research and sketch them out.

Once you know what you want to create. Start building the pieces.

For my designs:

One-eye monster: 1 large eye with lashes and teeth.
Cat house: 2 cats and a decorative frame for the door.
Two-eye monster: 2 eyes, yellow teeth and some purple triangle spots.
Scary house: 3 yellow windows with a spider, bat and cat silhouettes and a ghost. Also a "do not open" sign for the door.

Step 8: Paint the Tubes

Carefully paint the tubes. *Now because we assembled the tubes first, it might be a little difficult to paint near the gaps. You can add some scrap paper between the tubes to keep the other tube clean. Remember to wait for the paint to dry before painting the next tube.

Lastly paint the doors.

Step 9: Put Your Designs on the Tubes

Notes on the designs:

Cat house:
Scary house: Added cardboard ledge for the windows.
One-eye monster: a certain movie character about monsters.
Two-eye monster: the first monster's friend.

Step 10: Some Simple Engineering

Opening and closing door

I was concerned about making sure the door could easily open and close. The easiest way I think is adding a paper clip on the base near each door and wedging small piece of cardboard as a door stopper(I used a tiny piece of toilet paper roll.)

This is sort of hack and if there's a better solution please share!

Making the lid

We don't want our candies falling out!

With some poster board we'll make some lids for our tubes. Please refer to the photos for the pattern.

Lastly don't forget to test your creation again! Good luck on the candy haul! Happy Halloween!