Frugal living tip! Don’t toss out those socks!

We all have ’em in our house: Socks with no matches, Socks with holes and Socks that you just can’t get the stains out of. If you are like me, you look for ways you could use these socks rather than just tossing them in the garbage. Just like I do with Dryer Lint, I find uses for things that are typically thrown away around my house so that I can not only save money but also reduce my carbon food print. My husband and I have a saying, “Find at least one more use for it” and we try to apply that to almost everything.

For instance, if I am out and about and forget my reusable water bottle at home and buy a disposable one, I try to use it and refill it for about a week before tossing it. I also use them for catching oil from cooking.

If you have a big bin of socks at home that are singles, holey or stained, use them in some of these ways before tossing them in the garbage.

 

12 Uses for Single Socks

 

~Put one over your hand and use it as a duster. Just glide along the areas you need to dust.

~Use them as a rag. If you have lots, they can almost be throw away if you have to clean something extra messy.

~Fill one with dry rice and tie off the end. Pop it in the microwave for as few minutes and you have yourself a wonderful heating pad for aches and pains.

~ Create a toy for you cat. Place a couple tablespoons catnip in a sock (kid’s socks work best) and tie off the end. Watch your cat toss, nibble on and roll around with it!

~If you have little ones, they work great as bath mitts

~Make yourself a sock scrubby: Put a bar of your favorite soap inside and tie it off. To lather, just wet, rub and scrub!

~Use them in all sorts of crafts like this Sock Owl from Craft Passion.

~Socks make a great ice pack. Just slip 2 or 3 into each other, place some ice in them and tie off the end.

~Slip a sock over your Swiffer to sweep or mop.

~Make a Sock Bun and get amazing curls with these instructions from Kristen Duke Photography.

~Make a sock arm band for holding your devises while exercising. The Art of Doing Stuff has a great tutorial.

~One good thing by Jillee has an amazing Socktopus that is no-sew to make. I will be making several of these since I have a “thing” for octopities (the plural or Octopus, don’t ya know? haha)

~Have a little one who loves 18 inch dolls but the clothes are getting to be too expensive? Make dresses from socks with patterns!