So you have decided to reinvigorate the look of your bedroom. One of the things you have done was purchase new bed sheets and comforter set. It is an inexpensive way to update your home decor. But now you are left with old sheets that really do not fit the appearance of the room anymore.
Instead of throwing them out or donating them to your charity of choice, consider the alternatives. What else can be done with those used sheets? What options do you have in and around the house that can allow you to repurpose those sheets? By reusing the older bedding set, you can save yourself money by not purchasing a product that does specifically what you want it for.
Here are several of the things you can do with old bed sheets in your home.
Cover Up
If you were paying attention in Home Ec class (do schools even offer Home Economics anymore?), then you probably know how to use a sewing machine. With this knowledge you can repurpose those old bed sheets into something useful.
One possibility would be to make a smock out of them. Use it for cooking or cleaning; you could even use it for your arts and crafting hobby. To thicken it up to the point they will absorb the paint or grease, you may have to fold it a few times but then, if you had taken Home Ec, you already knew that.
You could even convert the older sheets into a tablecloth. Just because they no longer match the decor in your bedroom does not mean they will not fit in another room. Use them to cover the kitchen table, a work table in the garage, or maybe the ironing board. This would not even require the use of the sewing machine to do.
You could also recover that dingy pet bed in the corner. You will not be using the sheets, and your dog or cat bed may be disgusting from years of use. Cover it up with the old sheets. This way, when they get dirty, you can throw them out like you originally wanted to.
Reuse Elsewhere
Another suggestion for your old bedding set would be to convert them into a shower curtain or some new drapes. Again, they may work well in the decor of these other rooms whereas they no longer fit in the bedroom. You may need to get out that sewing machine to accomplish this but, not only will it save you money and allow you to repurpose the fabric, it will give you a project to work on. When you are done, you can be proud of what you accomplished.
What about decorative napkins? If you are a seamstress (or a seamster), you can easily convert those old sheets into a set of cloth napkins to pull out on special occasions. If the sheets are not worthy of Thanksgiving dinner, then use them for everyday meals. They will not even have to match the decor of the dining room in that case.
Clean Up
This will be the simplest thing to do with those old bed sheets. Turn them into cleaning rags. Just take some scissors and cut them into squares. Use these for those instances when your kids (or spouse) spill a drink that will leave a stain on your kitchen towels. Use your new rags to soak up the spills then drop them into the trash can when you are done. Quick as that.
Building a Fort
Kids absolutely love building forts. From the time they are able to crawl under a blanket lying on the floor, to the point when they are “too old” to get down on the floor “like a baby;” kids love to take their blankets and sheets and pillows and chairs and build their own Fortress of Solitude or Bat Cave. Since you have already updated your bedding, let the kids have the old ones.
In the Garden
No, do not put your old sheets in the ground. And do not try to replace your mulch with it either. Instead, the used bedding set can be used as a replacement for cheesecloth. When spring comes around but winter refuses to let go of its hold, your budding or recently-planted annuals and perennials may need to be protected from a cold snap.
Same thing with autumn evenings when temperatures can get into the 30s or lower. If you do not have any cheesecloth available, or your old one has deteriorated and torn, do not buy another one. Simply pull out that old bedding set and cover your plants up. It will work great to keep the frost off of your flowers.
