Even though you’ve been following all the washing tips for keeping your towels fluffy and sheets soft, there comes a point when you replace your linens with new styles. Out with the old, in with the new. After time, you can end up with quite a collection. So what do you do with those old towels and sheets? Try some of these creative ways for recycling them.
Make-believe
Give them to the kids for making tents, forts, stagecoaches, spaceships and DIY clubhouses. This will keep them away from the good linens!
Ragtime
Forget about paper towels and dry floor-cleaning cloths, now you can make your own. Cut up the old towels and sheets for a bucket full of free supplies that tackle chores around the house.
Drop cloths
Hang onto old sheets for future painting projects. You can also use them as a drop cloth under your messy kids’ play table when they break out the Play-Doh. Or to protect your nice living room floor carpet when your little ones decide it’ll be fun to have a picnic in front of the TV.
Donate to animal shelters
Shelters are always in need of towels, sheets, blankets and old rugs. These items come in handy for cleaning animals, keeping pet cages warm and recycling into rag toys. Call your local shelter to find out about their donation policy.
Camping
Break out the sewing machine and stitch together several large bath towels together for a blanket to take along on camping trips. Old bed sheets sewn together also make a thrifty tablecloth for picnic tables.
Crafty
Turn your old linens into covers for throw pillows, curtains, quilt patches, and even gift bags for large items. Get creative!
In the garden
Cut sheets into strips for tying plants to stakes (works great with tomato plants). Use large sheets to cover plants and keep them insulated from cold weather.