Hello there! Here on quarantine day 32 (I think, but have lost track!) we’re constantly looking for new ideas to keep busy at home, with supplies we have on hand. Today Wendy Dessler is collaborating with Four to Adore with some great ideas for using mismatched socks.

When doing laundry, it is almost customary to lose socks here and there. In fact, some data has shown that the average person will lose more than 15 socks in any given year. If you have kids, there is a chance that this number will be even higher. While there are ways to help them stop losing things, these aren’t always effective.

When you lose socks, you are often left with a pile of mismatches that sit around and never get used. Eventually these will likely just find their way in the garbage. However, before you toss them in the trash, there are some things that you can do with them.

Whether you get your children some new socks from Elite Sports Socks and can get rid of their old ones, or you simply have no more room for those mismatched socks, this article is for you. Without any further ado, let’s look at a few unique ideas for using your kid’s mismatched socks, instead of simply throwing them away.

Cleaning Rags

Instead of tossing out these old socks, consider using them as rags for cleaning up various messes and spills around your home. Socks can be quite absorbent and should be able to clean messes from cola spills to dusty countertops. Best of all, these can easily be washed, dried and reused. 

Using these socks will stop you from ever having to buy rags or paper towels ever again. You won’t even have to cut up or alter the socks at all. Simply make sure they are clean and then feel free to start cleaning with them anytime.

Make a DIY Scent Bag

(via: https://pixabay.com/photos/lavender-purple-tender-romantic-823584/) 

Everyone wants their homes to smell great, but that isn’t always possible. Cat litter, gym bags, strong-smelling foods and many other things can easily spread throughout your home. If you want to eliminate this issue and ensure your home is always smelling great, you can make a DIY scent bag using your child’s mismatched socks.

By adding some rice into the sock, as well as your favorite essential oils, you will have a scent bag ready to be put in any room that you want to smell great. Simply stitch up the sock and you are done, that’s all there is to it. Feel free to create as many as you’d like, and there are dozens of potential scents out there that you can use.

Keep Valuable Items Safe During Transport

(via: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/moving-boxes-mover-moving-truck-3671446/) 

Moving is inevitable for most of us at one time or another. Whether it is just down the street or to a new state, most of us will need to move homes at one point. The worst part of this move is surely the packing and unpacking. You want to make sure that you not only have everything, but that everything is safe and protected.

Using old socks is one of the best ways to protect glass and other types of fragile valuables. If you put these items inside a sock or two, it can soften any impact they may suffer through during the moving process. While these are guaranteed to stop things from breaking, they will contain the mess if they do. 

Build Crafts or Toys

One of the best uses for these old and mismatched socks is to create things like crafts or toys with them. This puts them to good use, and also allows you to spend quality time with your child. You will only need the sock itself, and potentially a few other affordable crafting materials.

The opportunities here are endless. You can cut up the socks and use them as a craft, can stitch together numerous socks to make a toy or do dozens of other things. Be sure to speak with your child and see what they would like to make out of their 

Make a Stress Ball

In our busy lives, it is normal to be stressed from time to time. Between work, cleaning the home and several other things, it can be tough to take a break and let off some steam. As a result, having stress-reduction techniques is incredibly important. One of the best and easiest is to use a stress ball.

While you can buy many different kinds of stress balls out there, why not use an old mismatched sock to make your own? All you need to do is put some play dough or rice in a small plastic bag, put that in the sock and then get squeezing! It will work well and should help to reduce your stress almost instantly.

In conclusion, hopefully the information in this article has inspired you to use your kid’s old and mismatched socks in brand new ways.