Pillows don’t last forever. Eventually, the fluffy pillow you loved starts getting flat, lumpy, stained, or simply isn’t comfortable enough to sleep on anymore.
The problem is figuring out what to do with it next. Used pillows aren’t always easy to donate, and throwing an entire pillow in the trash can feel wasteful when parts of it may still have some life left.
Here are 10 ways to get a little more use out of old pillows before they’re finally ready to go.
Save the filling for crafts and repairs
You can reuse clean pillow filling for homemade stuffed animals, fabric decorations, and other craft projects. Keep some on hand for repairing stuffed toys or decorative pillows that have lost their shape.
See if you can recycle it
If a pillow is too worn out to reuse, check whether a textile recycling program in your area accepts pillows or their individual materials. What can be recycled varies by program and pillow type, so check the requirements before dropping it off.
Make oversized floor cushions
Old pillows can become comfortable floor cushions for movie nights, reading corners, playrooms, or extra seating when kids have friends over. Slip one into a washable cover or combine the filling from several pillows to create one larger lounging cushion.
Make a pet bed
A pillow that’s no longer supportive enough for your bed may still make a cozy sleeping spot for a dog or cat. Add a washable cover made from an old blanket, towel, or scrap fabric so it’s easy to clean when needed.
Refill cushions around the house
The filling inside an old pillow can give new life to throw pillows, chair pads, bench cushions, and other soft furnishings that have gone flat. Add a little at a time until the cushion feels full again rather than replacing the entire insert.
Fill a draft stopper
Pillow filling works well inside a homemade draft stopper for the bottom of a door or drafty window. Sew a long tube from leftover fabric or even an old pair of pants, pack it with the filling, and close the ends.
Make a kneeling pad
An old pillow provides extra cushioning for jobs that normally leave you kneeling on a hard floor or the ground. Put it inside a durable cover and use it while gardening, painting baseboards, cleaning low cabinets, or tackling projects under the sink.
Use them as packing material
Old pillows and their filling can provide extra cushioning when packing dishes, holiday decorations, glassware, and other fragile belongings. They’re also useful for filling empty spaces inside boxes so items don’t move around as much.
Protect furniture when moving or storing it
Place old pillows between furniture pieces to help prevent scratches, dents, and rubbing during a move or while things are in storage. They can also add padding around table legs, headboards, mirrors, and other pieces that need extra protection.
Make a lap cushion
Give an old pillow a fresh cover and turn it into a lap cushion for reading, crafting, or relaxing on the couch. It’s a simple way to reuse the whole pillow without taking it apart or buying additional filling.
