5 Uses for Odd Socks

No matter what you try, you always seem to end up with a few unmatched leftover socks, don't you? Here are some good ideas that I have used to make use of those perfectly good socks that simply don't match anything else.

Cat Toys ~
Cat toys purchased in your local store are almost always expensive and typically low quality so that they wear out fast, requiring that you replace them. That expense really isn't justified unless your cat is very, very picky. My cat's been happy playing with all kinds of household things, including leftover socks.

Simply ball up a sock starting at the toe. When you come to within a few a few inches of the top of the sock twist it a couple of times, and then turn the top opening inside out over the twist and over the rolled up bit, so that you have a good solid ball that won't unravel as it gets batted around. Rub it with a bit of catnip if you have some and toss it on the floor. Your cats will have a field day with it and since it was a leftover sock it didn't cost you anything.

Sorting Game ~
If you home school or if you just want to give your children an extra boost in learning, you can play a great game with leftover socks that helps your children learn about colors, counting, and sequencing. Simply take all of your odd socks, gather them together, (put them in a container if you want to), and then pull them out and tell your children that it's a game.

Challenge them to do different things with the socks, sorting them in different categories. For instance, ask them to find all the socks that have a gray stripe on them, or all the socks that have a hole in one toe. They can also line the socks up according to size, count how many there are of each color, and describe the different decorations on the socks to you. For instance this one has a green stripe, this one has a gray toe, and so on.

Hair Ties ~
Your leftover socks frequently have very good elastic still in the ankle portion. Cut that portion into rings an inch or an inch and a half wide. You will have stretchy hair ties that you didn't pay anything for and your recycled socks that are now hair ties can be taken to places where you might not want to take hair ties that you have paid a lot of money for. For instance, if you need a hair tie when you go into a chlorinated swimming pool you might not want to wear the nicely colored ones that you paid a lot of money for but with and elastic tie made from a sock, you won't have to be concerned about exposing it to the pool water.

You can get at least half a dozen out of the ankle portion of most socks, which means they are practically disposable. They are also perfect to send with your children to places they might not come back from. Summer camp, sleepovers at friend's houses, and other places they are likely to be left by accident are perfect situations for these.

Game Pieces ~
If your odd socks come in a variety of colors you can use them as markers in outside games like hopscotch. If they happen to get left outside and get wet or soiled, you know they are washable because they're socks, and if they get too badly soiled you can toss them away without feeling too bad because they were already leftovers and you've at least gotten one more cycle of life out of them

Rice Sock ~
You can make a wonderful heating pad from an empty sock and a bag of rice. It's a shame to break up a perfectly good pair of new socks for this project but if you have a leftover sock this is a perfect way to use it. Simply fill up the sock with dry rice. Tie the end in a knot or, if you want to dress it up a little, tie a leftover piece of ribbon around the end just to keep the rice from falling out.

You can put the sock with the rice in it into your microwave. It will heat up the rice but not cook it, (because there is no water on it). When it comes out it will retain its heat for quite a while. It's perfect for wrapping around your sore neck, or wrapping around odd shaped injuries such as knees and ankles, that a traditional square heating pad might not fit as nicely around.

These are some of my favorite ways to make use of odd socks. For tips on not ending up with so many odd socks in the first, please see my other article 5 Ways to Keep Socks Together Through Washing and Drying.

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