62 things you can do with your old mismatched socks

Losing socks is par for the course when you do laundry, but don't feel bad for that lone, pair-less sock - there are still plenty of uses for it in your daily life.Socks can sweep floors, keep car windows from fogging, be used as decorative flourishes, plus so much more. So instead of tossing your old socks or wearing your mismatched pairs, keep reading to see the 62 things you can do with them.You might even be glad the next time one mysteriously vanishes, leaving you with a spare.STORAGEShutterstockDon't throw out old or mismatched socks - they can be useful.Protect golf clubs: Use old socks to cover the heads of golf clubs so they don't scratch or ding during transit.Store golf or tennis balls: Keep old tennis balls or golf balls in a sock for easy access in the garage.Protect valuables while moving: When you're moving, place valuables into old socks to protect them in transit. The sock will cushion your valuables and if they do happen to break, it will do a good job of containing the damage.Store shoes: If you're traveling or moving shoes, slip them into socks to protect them from getting banged up or scratched when they rub against each other.Preventative moth balls: Place mothballs or moth crystals inside a clean sock and hang from the ceiling of your closet, place on a shelf, or store with winter clothes. To counteract the odor of the mothball, add a sock filled with potpourri.Keep game pieces together: Fill socks with game pieces for board games like Yahtzee, Monopoly, and more and tie them at the end. You'll never lose a set again.Keep sticky bottles from making a mess: Place a sock on the bottom of any bottles that can get sticky or oily in the cabinet, such as olive oil or vinegar. The sock will absorb any liquid that could run down the bottle and keep rings from forming on your shelves.Glasses holder: Store safety goggles or glasses in a sock in the tool shed. Hang up the sock and keep the glasses in the sock when not in use to keep your work space organized and keep any dust or residue off glasses.OUTDOORS accarrino/FlickrYou can prevent car windows from fogging with a sock and cat litter.Keep car windows from fogging: This is a weird life hack that not many people have heard of - you can keep your car windows from fogging up by filling socks with cat litter. Tip the cat litter into the sock and fill it up to the ankle. Secure the sock by tying a knot, and slip another sock over it. Place it by your windshield or anywhere in the car, and it will absorb moisture and keep windows from fogging.Knee pads: Whether for your crawling baby or for yourself, socks can make excellent knee pads. See easy instructions here.Ice-proof windshield wipers: Cover windshield wipers with tube socks to keep them ice-free. All you need to do is remove the socks when you're ready to drive for perfectly preserved windshield wipers.Soap pouch: Whether for the garden or the tool shed, place a bar of soap inside a clean sock. The sock will help you get grit off your hands and make the soap less slippery. Plus, it will make the soap last longer and lather better.Clean your car: Use socks to clean your car or motorcycle. You can use it to wash down your car, polish the chrome, and then throw away without guilt once the sock has become too dirty to use.Bird feeder: Cut the sock at the ankle so that it's one long tube. Sew one end shut, fill with bird seed, and then sew the other end shut. Then hang it on a tree to attract birds.HOMEi be GINZ/FlickrMake your own dryer balls with new tennis balls and clean socks.DIY dryer balls: Dryer balls help fluff your clothes and are an alternative to fabric softeners and dryer sheets, especially useful for bed sheets or pillows. Because they can be expensive, you can make your own by placing tennis balls inside clean socks.Prevent furniture from scratching: Place socks on the bottom of chairs or table legs to keep them from scratching during a big move or just in general.Decorate planters: Instead of painting planters or using them as-is, you can cover boring pots with a sock. Place the terracotta or plastic planter inside the sock and then tuck the top of the sock into the pot before filling with soil. Here's a picture of what it will look like.Avoid paint stains on shoes: If you have a big painting job, slip a few pairs of socks over your shoes. You'll prevent paint from getting all over your favorite pair and can simply remove the socks once you're done.Use socks to clean up errant paint: The thicker weave of a sock is better to wipe off drips of paint then a paper towel since it's more absorbent. Keep a sock on your hand for easy touch-up jobs.Level a table: Using a piece of a sock, you can level a table by placing it under the shorter, wobbly leg. If the table still isn't even, add more strips of sock.DIY potpourri bundle: Fill an old, clean sock with potpourri and secure the end with a ribbon or rubber band. Stick it in a closet, gym bag, or drawer to freshen up your belongings. CLEANINGZach Welty/FlickrOld socks are great at cleaning your dry erase boards.Clean a dry erase board: Instead of wasting a paper towel or using the eraser that came with it, a better method to clean marker off of a dry erase board is with socks. This also works well with chalk boards, too.Rescue small, lost items: Place a sock over your vacuum hose to save small items like jewelry or nuts and bolts from getting lots in cracks.DIY cleaning rags: When socks have holes in them, cut them apart to create cleaning rags that you won't feel bad about getting dirty. Once they're too far gone to reuse, simply throw them away, which is what you would have done anyway.Dusting: Throw a sock over your hand and get to work dusting around the house. The sock will trap dirt, hair, and dust on appliances, tables, blinds, and anything else that needs cleaning.DIY Swiffer refill: Chenille socks can make reusable Swiffer covers. Just slip the sock over the Swiffer head, positioning the sock opening in the center so the entire underside is covered. See a good direction here.BEAUTY AND RELAXATIONDaniel E Lee/FlickrA sock will transform your hair.Sock bun: To get the perfect ballet bun, all it takes is a sock. Cut the toe portion of the sock off and roll up the sock until it resembles a donut. Make a pony tail with your hair and then roll the donut down your hair and secure. There are tons of DIY tutorials on YouTube.Aromatherapy pillow: Aromatherapy pillows can cost a lot of money, but it's easy to make one with an old sock. Fill your sock with rice and the essential oil of your choice, such as lavender. Secure the sock by tying it or sewing it, and then heat it in the microwave or place in the freezer to cool and drape over your neck for tension relief.Save dry hands and feet: If your hands and feet are still chapped and cracked from the winter months, cover in Vaseline or lotion and cover with clean socks overnight. The sock will help your skin better absorb the moisture and keep it from rubbing off on your sheets.Cover ice packs: Make ice packs feel more tolerable on bare skin by slipping a sock over the ice pack. This will let it touch your skin without giving you freezer burn.DIY drink cozy: Make a beer or coffee cozy by cutting the top section off your sock (for your ankle and calf). Make sure to measure your mug or coffee cup first before choosing your sock.Stress ball: Made a homemade stress ball with play dough, a sandwich bag, and socks. Place play dough in a sandwich bag or wrap with cellophane and then put it inside your sock. Secure and tie with a ribbon.PETS alasam/FlickrMake a dog sweater for tiny dogs with a sock, needle, and thread.Dog sweater: You can turn a large sock into a dog sweater for smaller canines. All it takes is a little bit of cutting and sewing - this is a good instructional video.LuvSocks for male iguanas: This is a weird one, but male iguanas need a friend when they're in breeding season since they can become super aggressive. Placing uncooked rice inside two socks and sewing shut will make a good toy for your pet - bonus points if you microwave it, too, as iguanas are attracted to warmth.Cat toy: Filling a clean old sock with some catnip will keep your cat entertained for hours. With a bit of sewing, you can also get creative with the design.Dog toy: Fill a sock with unwanted socks rolled into balls. Secure with a shoe lace and let your dog go to town on their new favorite toy. You can also place a treat inside or a chew stick as an alternative.APPARELKnitSpirit/FlickrSocks can easily be transformed into leg warmers.Leg warmers: Perhaps the easiest sock DIY is to cut off the toe section for instant leg warmers. Choose tube socks if you're making the leg warmers for yourself, and regular socks if you're making cute baby leg warmers.Warmer mittens: Place your hands inside clean socks before placing into mittens for an extra layer of warmth from the cold.Ear warmer: You can sew two socks together and make a fashionable ear warmer that rivals $30 pairs you can buy elsewhere. See good step-by-step instructions here.DIY Scarf: Cut old socks into tubes and sew them all together to make a colorful scarf, perfect for kids. This blogger made a cute version, complete with pompoms.Arm warmers: Cut a thumb opening in the heel of the sock and slip it on your hand. Measure where you want the cut off to be for your fingers (around where your knuckles are), and save the discarded fabric to make a cuff. Click here for full instructions.Elbow patches: To add some dimension to a sweater or to keep children's clothes from wearing through too quickly, you can make elbow patches out of socks - just make sure you cut them into even shapes. Click here for sewing instructions.Polish and buff shoes: Instead of using a cloth or towel, use old socks to add polish to your shoes and buff them after. Make sure to use two different socks for buffing and applying polish.HOLIDAYS Scott Barlow/FlickrA sock snowman is a cute holiday craft idea.Sock snowman: For Christmas decorations, you can create a sock snowman out of a white sock, rice, googly eyes, bits of felt, and white pom poms, plus 3 clear hair elastics. See instructions here.DIY sock wreath: Using a foam wreath and pairs of socks, you can make a really easy sock wreath DIY. Cut a foam wreath and cut the toes off your socks. Slip them onto the foam roll until it's completely covered, and then secure the foam wreath with glue. See some cool versions on Pinterest.Wrap wine bottles: Wrap wine bottles with a new sock and tie a ribbon at the top. They'll look super cozy and perfect for winter gifts - especially if the sock has a winter-inspired pattern.Christmas ornaments: Make DIY sock ornaments by wrapping a dollar store Styrofoam ball with a Christmas-themed sock. See easy instructions here.KIDSstitchlily/FlickrSock puppets are a classic for a reason.Sock puppet: Sock puppets are still a solid use for old socks. You can be as classic or creative as you want - head over to Pinterest for some ideas.Sock animals: Pinterest is chock full of ideas for making stuffed animals out of socks, from penguins to sloths. Click here to see some amazing ideas and DIYs.Wash your baby: Instead of using a scratchy wash cloth, you can use a clean sock to wash your child since it will be a lot softer. Place it over your hand and lather up.DIY doll clothes: A fun activity for parents and kids is to cut up socks and use rubber bands and string to make different outfits for dolls. Pinterest has some ideas to get you started.Cloth wipes: You can use socks to make reusable baby wipes by cutting them up into rags. See instructions and cleaning solutions here.Chicken pox relief: Keep layers of socks on your kids' hands to keep them from itching chicken pox. You can also fill the sock with oatmeal and take a bath with it for less mess and a clean up, but all the benefits of the oatmeal.Baby rattle: With a jingle bell, stuffing, and an old sock, you can make an easy DIY baby rattle. The best part about it is that it takes barely any sewing and can be chewed on and won't scratch furniture if your baby keeps banging it against objects. See a really easy DIY here.DIY chia pet: Dump grass seeds into a sock and pour a few hand fulls of dirt on top. Tie off the sock and add eyes, na ose, and a mouth to your sock pet's eyes with felt. Spray the sock with water until its damp, and keep misting daily. The sock pet will sprout hair just like a chia pet.MISCELLANEOUSspin spin/FlickrMake a DIY draft stopper for cracks under doors and windows.Draft stopper: To keep drafts from getting under doors or windows, make a draft stopper with an old tube sock, un-popped popcorn, and stuffing. The popcorn will help weigh the draft stopper down without going rancid and the stuffing will stop wind from getting through the crevasse. Get instructions here.Pin cushion: Make a custom pin cushion with toy stuffing and a sock. Pinterest has a lot of cute ideas.Weapon: Fill a sock with nuts, bolts, pennies, and other hard or heavy objects. It will just look like a lumpy sock, but you can swing it as a weapon if you're in danger.Hacky sack: Make a simple hacky sack by adding rice or plastic beads to a sock and securing. See a tutorial here.Potholders: You can make attractive quilted potholders by using a loom from a craft store and cutting strips of socks. Thread the strips of socks through the loom and secure. See how it's done here.Mobile device arm band: Instead of buying a fancy arm band for your phone or iPod, you can use a sock. Cut the sock at the ankle, and place the tube around your arm. Fold it once and place your phone or iPod inside.Wrist rest: If you need wrist support while using a computer, you can make your own with a long sock and polyester filling. Stuff the sock and secure by sewing the end shut. 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62 things you can do with your old mismatched socks

NOW WATCH: A Japanese lifestyle guru explains how to organize your home once - and then never again