The 12 Most Creative Ways To Repurpose Old Potholders Around The House

The humble potholder is an unsung hero of the kitchen, serving as vital protection for your hands and countertops from hot pots while still managing to give the kitchen an aesthetic boost when hanging off to the side. And it doesn't stop being useful just because it's too beat up for its normal use of helping you handle piping hot cookware. When you're done tackling your potholder and oven mitt chaos and sorting out your best pieces to hang onto, you'll likely have several leftovers you'll no longer need for cooking and baking. However, don't toss them to the trash just yet. Instead of throwing away those old and worn-out holders, give them a second life as functional tools and fashionable personalized decor, capable of highlighting your beautiful vases, to spruce up the house.

Reuse potholders one at a time for inventive projects, or hold onto several that you can combine into new creations. If you're handy with a sewing machine, potholders are especially worth a second look when they're done serving their primary purpose. With a little perspective and creative inspiration, you'll see there are numerous ways to use them in budget-friendly repurposing projects.

Everyone has a pair of loose sunglasses or eyeglasses in need of a holder, and you may have the perfect home for them sitting right in your kitchen! Fold a potholder over and sew it shut along the long side and at the bottom, and you have a serviceable soft sleeve to keep your frames protected. Add embellishments with a glue gun or sewing machine, and nobody will be able to tell you made this stylish accessory from a simple potholder.

If you're the type of crafter to see the potential in a simple potholder, you're likely also the type who puts their sewing kit to good use. Much like the sunglasses holder, a square potholder acts as a soft, attractive cover to keep items protected and together. All you need is a Ziploc sandwich bag to make the organizers. Line the Ziploc opening up with the edge of one side of the potholder, and line another bag's opening up with the opposite end. Sew them together down the middle and cut the excess off to make two sealable storage compartments.

A classic way to bring style and comfort into the home is by decorating with table runners, which becomes even more fulfilling when you DIY a custom creation. If you're sitting on several unused potholders, this could be the perfect project to try next. Cut and arrange potholders into quilt-like designs in long runners, bringing them together with showy borders. Use potholders with eye-catching designs, or stitch new fabric onto worn holders. While it will be attractive enough as a runner, you'll love its ability to manage hot pots when you load up the table during your next family meal.

There are several attractive table centerpieces that can elevate a dining room's look, and an accompanying decoration can make this focal point even better. Reimagine your old potholders as an ornamental cover for your vase by stitching several holders together into a symmetrical snug sleeve. Offbeat and fun, this project can be a delightful way to inject some whimsical holiday and seasonal flare into the room to keep the home feeling cozy.

Although you may not have much use for that potholder in the kitchen, a quick DIY can make it a daily benefit once more. Since it's meant to insulate, it only makes sense that an old potholder could double as a hot or cold drink holder. Simply fold it over and stitch the corners to make a small holder for comfortably holding soda cans, hot coffee cups, ice cream pints, and much more. 

Grab a potholder, a dish towel, and your sewing machine for this affordable Dollar Tree potholder hack you'll want to know for your kitchen. Stitch the center of a towel along the center of a potholder. Finish by adding a button to the holder to let it clip around a bar so that the towel can hang without the risk of falling. Great as a gift or a seasonal decorative detail in your home, kitchens are a perfect place to repurpose an old potholder with a towel matching its color and theme.

An old potholder can be an unexpected lifesaver for the frequent traveler needing smart packing solutions. On one side, stitch in a thin band with sewn in separators to organize your toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, nail clippers, and any other care items you'll need on the road. On the other side, you can glue on a ribbon that you can use to keep the holder closed. This is an excellent way to pack tiny travel toiletries.

Sure, you might also need a couple of placemats to pull off this project, but that doesn't take away from the clever use of old potholders as computer accessory pockets in this DIY laptop carrier. For this project, two placemats are sewn together with a zipper. Meanwhile, the potholder attaches to the center of the placemat's exterior, with stitching on three sides, creating the caddy. Finish up with a velcro strip or a button to close the pocket and keep your items secure.

From the colorful trees to the satisfying crunch of leaves underfoot, autumn is an all-around sensory sensation worth celebrating. As you swap your potpourri and set up your decor to bring in the essence of fall, this is another great time to pull out your old potholders for a seasonal crafts project. Stitch the holder around the top to form an open, bulbous pouch, and pack it with paper, fiber fill, or other stuffing. Add some twine to make the segmented bulges in the pumpkin and embellishments on the top to complete this affordable, easy, and quirky ornament.

You'd never guess that an old potholder could transform into your newest accessory, but that's exactly what you can accomplish with this stylish DIY. Craft a simple yet effective crossbody with three potholders and a strap, gluing two holders together to form a pouch and adding another halfway up the back for a fold-over flap. Add a button and shoulder strap to complete the project. Get creative by mixing and matching different-colored holders or adding monograms and other embellishments to personalize your gear.

Any new material needs a level of caution when you're putting it in the microwave. Yet if your old potholders are 100% cotton, they can likely survive getting nuked for short bursts. That makes them a prime candidate for DIY tortilla warmers, cute and functional accessories to keep handy for taco Tuesdays at home. Simply sew two potholders together on three sides to make a pouch perfectly sized for small soft tortillas. Use your new warmer to pop your shells in the microwave for a few seconds, and hang it from the loops to keep it conveniently stored nearby.

The hot handle is about the only downside to the cast iron experience, but it doesn't have to be thanks to this clever pan handle grip DIY. It isn't a stretch to use potholders to grip the scorching hot handle as you make dinner. When you have old, underused holders, though, this is a great way to give them a dedicated purpose you can enjoy daily. Wrap the potholder into a soft grip and sew it together. You can then keep it slipped over your pan or pot handle for the entire cooking session to comfortably keep your hands safe.