Turn Old Pillows Into A Comfortable Pouf Ottoman With This No-Sew Diy

If you're looking for a way to add more comfortable and unique seating or footrests to your living room, this DIY project is perfect and doesn't require any sewing abilities — although you could sew it if you wanted to. Even better, you can put all your old pillows to good use by repurposing them into an adorable floor pouf. Turn anything remotely comfortable into the stuffing for a unique ottoman with this simple DIY, making it rather budget-friendly with flattened throw pillows, tattered towels, or stained cushions for the stuffing.

The outside of your pouf ottoman can also be constructed out of repurposed materials, such as an old bedsheet or thick blanket. Alternatively, you might purchase a few inexpensive throw rugs, some drop cloth, or a cute fabric you like for your ottoman cover. Depending on how you plan to use it, you may want something extra soft, like fleece, a sturdier fabric, or something thin and breathable. Since you are able to repurpose or utilize a variety of materials for this DIY, it's super versatile, and there are a few ways to style it. With a thicker fabric, you could tie decorative knots along the edges to form your pouf, similar to the classic customizable fleece blanket DIY. Otherwise, you can make any comfortable shape with your fabric and pillow stuffing to get the perfect ottoman.

Before crafting your floor pouf, evaluate the old pillows you plan to turn into ottoman stuffing. Square pillows, like throw pillows, are great for making a cube shape, though sleeping pillows could be folded in half for the same effect. Alternatively, you might shape larger pillows into a bigger, rectangular pouf. You'll need several pillows to ensure your ottoman is filled out completely, though you could stuff parts of it with old blankets or other fabrics as well. This will help to prevent empty spots that sag or look misshapen. If you don't have material for the ottoman cover already, try three small area rugs, like the 24-by-36-inch woven rug from Five Below, for just under $6. A canvas drop cloth ($9 at Harbor Freight) would also work well for this project and could have a simple design hand-painted onto the fabric for more flair.

To make a throw rug pouf, start by laying two of the rugs against each other, wrong sides out. Attach the seams of the thick, shorter ends on both sides with hot glue, fabric glue, or some hem fuse tape and an iron. This should leave a little extra fabric on the edges. Now, flip your project right side out so your glued sections are in the center, and create a crease down the side. Apply glue to make an even, faux seam, and repeat on the other side.

Once you've made the extra seams to create the square shape, turn the project inside out again and fill it with your pillows. This will allow you to create the perfect shape. Cut your last rug in half, cover the top of your project, and glue all four sides. Turn the entire thing over and repeat with the other side, but leave one edge of the cover unsealed. You may need to trim some excess fabric to get the right size. Remove the pillows, flip your project the correct way, re-stuff, and glue the final edge. This same method should work with other fabrics, but you'll need to cut out the material to the right size before making the ottoman.

For a more unique look and a larger pouf, skip the glue and use fleece to DIY floor pillows for cozy vibes in any room of the house. Start by stacking up your larger pillows and cutting two pieces of fabric that are several inches wider on each end than your stuffing. Cut a square out of each corner of both pieces of fleece. Now, line up the material and cut several-inch strips along all four sides. Begin double-knotting the strips together, going around three sides of your cover. Now, fill the opening with your pillows until your ottoman is as firm as you'd like. Tie the last side of your cover, and your easy, no-sew pouf is complete.