Don't Toss Old Mousepads When There Are 14 Clever Ways To Repurpose Them

No matter how much traditionalists want to grasp onto their outdated but cherished devices and accessories, most modern tech users aren't afraid to face simple facts — that mousepad just isn't necessary for many people these days. What was once essential for smooth mouse functioning, the thin, soft mat is now vaguely promoted primarily for its ergonomic comfort and surface protection, benefits that don't necessarily make it a must-have for the desk. It can, however, still make an invaluable impact around the house if you apply a little creativity.

You could use any number of adjectives to describe the simple, fabric-covered rubber and foam pads. They're grippy, textured, soft, pliable, and resilient, attributes that you can put to use in numerous places around the home, from opening stubborn jars to protecting your floor from furniture damage. You won't want to pitch that old mousepad just yet. In fact, once you learn all the ways these can make life easier around the home and garden, you may even try to hunt down more pads for DIY projects. Discover how you can give your unwanted accessories renewed purpose with these clever mousepad repurposing ideas you can try out today.

When it's time to upgrade your computer accessories, take your old mousepad from the table to the wall. Mousepads and desk mats offer a blank canvas on a material you can cut into any shape for an artistic creation that injects your personal flair into the space. Apply a custom stencil, or show off your skills with an original painting. Finish with an attractive backing and frame for a meaningful bit of decor you'll love to show off.

Tricky, stuck container lids are a daily nuisance, which might explain why so many have looked for genius hacks to open stubborn jars. If you're wondering where to put that old mousepad to good use, it may very well have a home in the kitchen catch-all drawer as an emergency opener. The rubber, textured bottom provides a sure hold on slippery lids, with the soft material making for a more comfortable grip. Cut the mousepad down if desired, but you likely won't have to make any changes with this hack.

When you need a little extra help protecting your table and counters from piping hot pots and pans, your old mousepad could be the ideal solution. The soft yet durable pads make excellent DIY trivets to support your cookware and protect your palms when handling hot pans, needing little to no alteration. At most, you may want to cut your mousepad to match the size and shape of your pots and pans.

Whether you want to protect your drawers and cabinet shelves or the items you store there, repurposed mousepads can work both ways as liners. Measure the area to cover, and cut your mousepads to size to fit snugly as padding. Give your devices and accessories a gentle landing space in your bedroom drawers, or keep containers from scratching your pantry shelves. Flip it upside down so the rubber side faces up, and you'll have a grippier surface to keep your items from moving around.

Yes, a typical mousepad may only be large enough to hold a pair of toddler's shoes, but a larger desk mat can be a surprisingly apt place for a family's worth of footwear. And if you have several mousepads, you can combine them into a single mat. Just roll it out to give wet and dirty shoes a place to land without soiling the floor. Even if you don't want to use it as your primary welcome mat, it's a worthwhile addition to put by the shoe rack in case you ever need it.

Similar to the hot pad, coasters are an easy DIY to pull from an old mousepad, requiring little modifications to work. Get some cork backers, like these Tenalleys Cork Coasters, to act as a rigid base. Use them to trace a cut line on the mousepad to match. Then, cut your coasters from the mousepad and securely adhere them to the cork bottoms with contact cement or epoxy. Decorate them as you wish, or use the original pattern for a stylishly unique set of table protectors.

Cabinets slamming and echoing across the house can get old fast, leaving you searching for a quick and simple solution. While soft-close cabinets may not be worth the money or easy to install, you're only a repurposed mousepad away from keeping those doors and drawers quiet once and for all. Just glue a small square to the corners of the front panel to absorb the impact.

Your old mousepad could be just the fix you need if you want to protect your precious dining room table from your messier family members. Flip it upside down to leave an easy-to-clean rubber surface to catch random drips and dropped food. Since it has a bit of gumminess, it will also help keep bowls and plates in place, potentially lowering the chance of children swiping their dish off the table.

Sick of those hard furniture legs scuffing up your floors? If you have an old mousepad on hand, you can prevent any more unsightly damage with a clever trick to protect your hardwood floors from scratches. Cut small protective pads to put on the bottom of your chair and table legs, and adhere them with a strong adhesive. The pads don't have to be large, so one mousepad may be enough to cover a whole home's worth of furniture! You can also use these protectors on hard tabletop decor to protect your tables and counters.

Hanging pictures only need to fall slightly crooked for their misalignment to stick out like a sore thumb from a mile away. And it often takes only the most minor bump to knock them out of whack. Save the look of your gallery wall by putting your old mousepad to work, cutting it into small rubber grips to put on the back of your picture frames. Apply a small bit of adhesive to the felt piece and attach it to the corner so the rubber side presses into the wall to resist shifting.

Whether on your car's dash or your treadmill's control panel, it's handy to have a grippy surface to keep your phone where you need it. A mousepad works perfectly in this regard, though you may have to cut it to size to fit your surface. Add some double-sided adhesive to the fabric side, stick it to your surface, and you'll have a spot to better keep your device in place.

There's nothing like a cold drink to refresh you on a hot summer day, and a comfortable, insulating can cooler can ensure the best possible experience. If you don't have one hanging around, it's easy to fashion from an unused mousepad, especially if you have a sewing machine. You have a few ways to make it, but you can start by simply wrapping your container in the mousepad, cutting it to fit, and stitching it into shape.

Keepers of the home get their stretches in every day as they reach, crouch, duck, and contort to clean and maintain the space. While there's no getting around the occasional stiff back or sore joint, you can minimize the impact of daily chores by using that old mousepad as a handy knee cushion. Put the fabric side down to smoothly glide across the floor, and the rubber side will cling to your knee as you scoot around. Of course, you can also add a simple strap to keep it attached and ready wherever you go.

If you're looking for ways to repurpose your old mousepads, you're likely the type to need a crafting knife every once in a while. After completely wearing your mousepad out with your other DIYs, you can give it one final use as a protective backing for your X-acto knife. It won't take long to rip it to shreds, but the convenience and comfort of the rubber backing allows for easy, accurate cutting.