7 New Uses of Old Towels Around Your Home

If your old towels are of the beach variety and have fun patterns on them, they can make cute pillow covers to use on throw pillows for your patio, deck or any other outdoor space. The material even makes them perfect for withstanding a little bit of weather.

Give old towels a second life by knotting them into super-soft, eco-chic bath rugs. Why not turn those old torn and faded bath towels into the perfect bath mat? Best part? They are super easy and absorbent since you are making it with bath towels.

Using an old towel to cover a sponge makes it a perfect cleaning tool for the exterior of your car. Plus, it saves the sponge, so you can get more use out of it, too.

Sure, you can buy all kinds of adorable and overpriced bibs, but at the end of the day, the bib serves one purpose, and that’s to catch food while your baby eats. Repurpose an old towel for a no-nonsense and super-practical bib instead.

Work in the garden a lot? Do lots of cleaning that requires you to kneel? If you often find yourself with sore knees after working on the floor, you may be interested in reusing your old towels as knee pads. To make these, cut simple squares out of your towel in a size that’s big enough to cover your knees. Apply strong elastic to the back, and you’ve got a solid pair of knee pads that will keep you clean and comfortable while you work.

Are your bathroom counters and cupboards overflowing with toiletries and other essentials? Why not use your old towels to create a hanging organizer that helps clear off some of your surface areas? To complete this project, grab a suitable old towel and make sure you have access to a sewing machine. Start by measuring the toiletries you plan to store in each pocket. Using these measurements, cut rectangles of towel material in these sizes and hem them to prevent fraying. Arrange these pocket pieces against the larger towel piece and sew them into place along three edges, so they form pockets. Hem all the way around the large towel backdrop. Take a string or bow and use this to create a hanging feature. Then, hang it on the inside of your bathroom or closet door for easy and convenient storage.

If you’re getting ready to move or just need to transport some breakable items like glasses or dishes, you’ll need some packing material. Instead of buying bubble wrap, you can use your old towels to cushion anything fragile. It’s better for the environment and cheaper, too. The best part? It doesn’t matter how thin or holey the towels are — they can still perform this role perfectly. After you’re all moved in, recycle your towels by using them for one of these other projects or tuck them away again for the next move.