How To Repurpose Your Old Underwear Into DIY Home Decor

Every time I drive past the landfill in our town, I think about all the stuff people waste without trying to think of clever ways to recycle. Yesterday when I was cleaning out my drawers, I had the same thought while filling up a garbage bag with my old underwear.

Obviously, no one else wants my ratty underwear (dear God, I hope not!) but what if I were to find a useful way to recycle my panties? What if EVERYONE chose to recycle their underwear instead of tossing them into the trash bin and clogging up the landfill?

I have a few ideas that just might work for repurposing your old undies. And before you ask, yes, this is the sort of stuff that keeps me awake at 3:00 a.m. while the rest of my family is fast asleep….

Lampshade: If your underwear happens to be a size XXL (and preferably red), you’ll have enough fabric to make a decorative cover for your lampshade. Sew a few tassels around the bottom edge and Voila! Chic decor in your boudoir!

Throw Pillows: If you want to jazz up a dull sofa, your underwear will make a creative cover for an old throw pillow. Use a Bedazzler to add rhinestones for extra flair.

Shower Curtain: If your old underwear has several stains, you can quickly turn them into a leopard print design by circling each spot with a permanent marker. If the president can get away with Sharpiegate, you can totally do it to your shower curtain!

Quilt: Cut a square out of each pair of used underwear and sew them together to make a 4×6 blanket. It will be a hodgepodge piece of history so unique that you’ll want to hang it on your living room wall. Every square on the quilt tells a story: “The pink lacy one at the top is from the panties I wore on my wedding night. The square next to it is from a pair of maternity underwear I was wearing at Kroeger’s when I was pregnant and my water broke.”

Sofa Cover: You’ll need at least fifty pairs of underwear for this clever DIY trick. Bleach them first and then tie-dye the fabric for that retro Woodstock look. If you want to add more pizazz to your hippy hideaway, thong underwear strung together will make a fabulous window valance to match your sofa.

Baby Onesie: Men’s cotton briefs are perfect for this DIY project, preferably in baby neutral colors such as soft gray or yellow. *Natural brown is not recommended.
Placemats: Add extra spice to your dinner table by sewing floral panties together for the perfect summer garden look. Wait until your guests have finished their lamb shish kebobs before telling them they ate dinner on your old underwear.

Dog blanket: No need to wash the underwear before sewing several pairs into a blanket for your pet. Dogs love that musky human odor.

Winter Cap: Underwear already has an elastic band that should fit snugly around any head. Just attach brightly colored pompoms over each leg hole, and you’ll have the perfect Secret Santa gift for your next office Christmas party!

****If you found this article helpful, stay tuned for our upcoming feature, “How To Repurpose Your Old Bras Into DIY Kitchen Gadgets.”

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21 thoughts on “How To Repurpose Your Old Underwear Into DIY Home Decor”

  1. OMG this is great! And to think I just cleaned out my drawers (as in dresser LOL) and tossed all my old drawers (as in panties LOL) Darn, and I had a red pair I could have made a lampshade out of!!

  2. Oh how I love these creative ideas. You made me laugh and smile and shake my head “NO NO NO NO NO!!!” Maybe when the corona virus thing is over I will buy celebratory panties and make stuff with my old stuff. 🙂

  3. For the most part…Ewwww! But… have you thought about making face masks? Stains and streaks just might help maintain social distancing.

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