Crafty Ways To Upcycle Old Pillows Into Beautiful Home Decor On A Budget

If you have been waking up with an achy neck or your allergies began flaring up at night, you might want to take TikTok's easy test to determine if it's time to replace your pillow. But what do you do with the old one? You have three options. One, give them to an animal shelter or donate them to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Two, properly dispose of pillows that might be too far gone to donate. You can do this by bringing it to a local textile recycling center. However, if you'd rather get the most out of your invested capital, you can do the third option. And that is to repurpose them in your home instead. Get your DIY hat on and upcycle old pillows into beautiful home decor.

Besides giving a new lease on life to something that was landfill-bound, these simple crafts will transform your home without spending significant time or money. The best part, though? You don't necessarily have to stick to DIYs that use a pillow in its entirety. You can open it up and utilize the stuffing per your discretion, saving the leftovers for future projects. Further, it isn't an issue (in most cases) if pointed needles frighten you a little and you haven't mastered sewing yet. Interested in knowing how you can create beautiful home decor using your old pillows? Here are a few easy DIY ideas to glam up your house on a budget and spark your imagination.

If your pillow has lost its firmness or fluffiness over the years, there are some clever tricks to revive it. However, if no method can breathe new life into your lifeless pillows, repurpose them as inserts. Take a cue from TikTok creator @homehacks123 and fold your old flat pillows in half and stuff them into new covers. As an added bonus, you will need to use a few pillows to make this hack work, which finds a way to use a whole pile of them. 

If you're in need of a new chair to spice up your living room decor, use your old pillow to create one on a budget. For this hack, you'll need a pillow that might be well-loved but is outfitted with a sturdy and beautiful case. Further, you'll need the hinged top of a toilet seat, a few nuts and bolts, four wooden legs, a drill machine, a wide-mouthed stapler, two wooden dowel rods and a rubber band, a screwdriver, and a couple of heavy-duty zip ties to secure the seat and the legs. Although the list of items might seem a little strange, when assembled, they make a sturdy stool using your old pillow as a cushioned seat with hidden structural support from a toilet lid frame.

Do you have an old chair with detachable cushions that have seen better days? If you like the frame but think the cushion covers are an eyesore, you can easily transform them with a quick makeover. Grab the pillows, add a fabric of your liking over them, and create a new cover by applying hot glue to the seams and pressing them closed. Rather than throwing out the old pillows, you could just upcycle them with a fabric you like.

Have you ever been enamored with a piece of fabric and brought it home without much preamble? Don't worry. You can use it to fashion a plump, decorative pillow for your bedroom. TikTok creator @born_thready shows how easy it is to DIY a pillow using some fun fabric and then stuff it with the fluff from your old pillows. In case you aren't a proficient sewer, you can simply glue the pillow seams or use a gorgeous ready-made case instead.

There's no going back to classic cushions once you've encountered chain link pillows. But if you'd rather not pay a hefty sum for this unique decor, TikTok creator @paige.sechrist has the perfect solution for you. Just get some scrap fabrics, a measuring tape or ruler, and the fluff from your old pillows. Now, get busy making fabric tubes and sewing the ends together while interlinking the chain. Not much of a sewer? No problem. You can sidestep sewing and use a no-sew fusible bonding web or permanent fabric glue to ensure the chains don't give way under pressure.

Have you been meaning to buy a few soft toys to upgrade your kid's bedroom or enliven their toy chest with new friends? Get the stuffing from your old pillow, a pen or pencil, some scrap fabric, a sharp pair of scissors, a needle and thread (complementary to the fabric), and a sharpie. Once you have the supplies, draw inspiration from @tulsi0123 to craft a plushie. Remember to print out the shape in advance to make tracing easier. If you're uncomfortable with the needle and thread, swap them with fabric glue or a fusible bonding web.

Sofas are an integral part of home decor, naturally draw the eye, and are responsible for adding personality to a family or living room. However, sagging couch cushions can detract from the overall look and make it difficult for you to relax. Fortunately, all you require is your old flat pillow(s) to fix a sagging couch. TikTok-er @jordanbrittlovato simply centers an old pillow underneath two couch cushions to avoid sinking in when sitting down. Besides, this nifty hack gives her sofa an effortless upgrade, making it look much newer. 

Pumpkin-inspired decor and fall go hand-in-hand. But the struggle is real to keep your pumpkin patch looking fresh and pest-free. So, why not say goodbye to the hassle and DIY adorable sweater pumpkins on a budget this fall? Simply follow TikTok user @orangegrovehome as she upcycles an old sweater and makes it look like a lifelike pumpkin. You don't need to be an expert sewer; some yarn and a yarn needle will work just as well. Once you have the outer layer ready, stuff it to the brim using the fluff from your old pillows before sealing off the top. Use some twine to add the grooves, and pop a wine cork "stem" on top to finish the look.

If you've been dreaming of decorating your home with designer-level cushions, TikTok user @siefshome has good news for you. In her video, she shows how you can transform a small decorative rug or bath mat into a plump cushion by sewing it on top of your old pillow. Since the rug is the star of the show and will be responsible for adding character to your living room, take your time and pick one you won't be bored of looking at everyday. For instance, if you're a fan of boho home decor, a braided rug with tassels will be your best bet.

Flat back cushions won't just age your sofa but also your back whenever you lie against them. An easy fix is to slip in inserts to return them to their former plump glory. But why spend your hard-earned money when your flat pillows are perfect for the role? Simply unzip the cushions and follow @pinchplateparty's instructions to ensure no one discovers the secret to your ageless sofa cushions. Just take care while inserting the pillow in the case since you don't want to strain (or worse, break) the zipper unnecessarily.

Want to add an ethereal touch to your room with hanging cloud decor? Commission the stuffing from your old pillows and shape it into a fuzzy cloud! Wondering how to go about it? Just take cues from TikTok creator @_.blood_.moon._ to create your personal slice of heaven indoors. Besides the filling, you'll need a spool of wool twine to give it definition, some heavy-duty tape (command hooks work just as well) to hang it up, and a little bit of hairspray to ensure it holds its molded shape effortlessly.

If your cutesy bean bag chair is looking a little (or a lot) sorry and has lost its comforting fluffiness, don't consider it a lost cause yet. Turn over your bean bag and slide open the zipper to sneakily slip in your old pillows like YouTuber @Life Xperienc in the video above. Don't be shy: stuff in as many as you possibly can to assure the chair doesn't lose its shape anytime soon. Add fluff along the natural curves of the bean bag to avoid distorting its shape unnecessarily.

Who doesn't like a white Christmas? But if you'd like it to snow indoors as well, don't spend money on artificial snow. Instead, consider @chaotiicminds's crafty idea and grab your old pillows to create magic. All you have to do is take out the filling from the pillow and artfully arrange it around your Christmas tree and other decorations. Yep, it's that simple! Try separating the clumped portions and fluffing the stuffing a little to give it a little definition before decking out your house in your very own fake snow.