Everywhere we go, people are talking about Marie Kondo's new Netflix show, Tidying Up. After her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing became a huge success worldwide, Kondo's ideas of how to declutter your space and live a more stressfree, peaceful life have become the topic of much conversation.
You may be wondering, what does organizing have to do with dogs? As part of the Kondo method, you are told to ask yourself if the items in your closet and home give you joy. In addition, you are instructed to respect your belongings and if they no longer serve a purpose for you, you thank them for their service and then release each item by donating or tossing it. While DIY projects are not a teaching of Marie Kondo, us pet parents love the idea of a good repurpose project.
As you go through your closet and tackle your home cleanups (Kondo style or not) some of the items that end up in your "toss pile" can actually be used to create toys for your dog. The best part is they are totally FREE!
From our closet to yours, here are a few of our top picks for DIY dog toys.
Give your single socks new purpose!
Hanging onto single socks that have long lost their match is a habit that many of us choose not to freely admit. We wait for that one day when we might have the chance to reunite two estranged socks and form the perfect pair. However, single socks create clutter! Why not take those socks and create toys for your dog! All you need to start is a sock and a tennis ball.
1. Slide the ball into the sock.
2. Nestle into the heel.
3. Tie a knot on either end of the sock. That's it!
This one is great for fetch and tug-of-war!
T-Shirt Braid
We all have a few t-shirts that for some reason we just can't seem to part with. Many of them are too small, stained or just plain worn out. We let the nostalgia of them take over our sensible side (another no-no according to Marie Kondo) and we may end up hanging onto these shirts a little too long. With a pair of scissors, however, your dog could have endless hours of fun with these old shirts.
1. Start by cutting little 2-3" wide slits at the vase of your shirts.
2. Rip along the slit and you will have perfect strips of fabrics to braid.
3. Gather up the ends of the t-shirts and divide your strips into thirds.
4. Braid them up and tie off the other end.
Deconstructed Denim
Those tattered denim jeans are not your friend! If season after season you are still trying to coerce yourself into believing they will come back in style, chances are they won't.
1. Take a pair of old jeans and cut off the bottom part.
2. Cut one side of the jeans lengthwise.
3. Start folding them up until you have a roll of jeans in your hand.
4. Make a simple loop and tie the roll into a knot. Your dog is going to love gnawing on this toy!
Sweatshirt Dog Bed
While this isn't something for your dog to play with, dog beds can cost a pretty penny especially if yourpup likes to munch on things around the house. In four steps you'll be able to turn an old sweatshirt into a bed your furry best friend will love to relax in.
What you'll need:
- Sweatshirt
- Spare pieces of cloth from a t-shirt you were thinking about throwing away
- Cushion filling or an old pillow
- Scissors, thread, yard and a needle
- Pins
Follow the instructions and you'll have a comfortable new dog bed in no time!
Have you ever repurposed something around your house for your dog? If so we'd love to hear all about it! Tag us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!
