Give New Life To An Old Bedsheet With This Dollar Tree Basket Storage DIY

Comfort, good sleep, a soft place to rest — your bedsheets offer so much during their use within the home. From making pillow and sheet forts to providing the coziest part of your day, these linens serve you well from the minute you purchase them until they finally show too many signs of wear to continue placing on your mattress. While old sheets were cast aside when their time was up, the internet has proven once again that almost everything can be repurposed. In this case, you can turn retired bedding into basket storage, creating an aesthetic and functional place to hold everything from dirty or clean laundry to toys and accessories!

Folding your fitted sheets can be an uphill battle at times, but turning them into a basket cover might be one of the easiest DIY tricks around. To recreate this clever hack, start with a circular plastic laundry basket like the Dollar Tree Essentials Large Bright Plastic Laundry Basket, or a similar option. It can vary slightly in size, but sticking to a medium or large version will ensure your sheet fits properly to make the "cover."

Lay your fitted sheet flat on the ground or another flat surface, then cut all the elastic off the edges so the sheet no longer scrunches together. Place the basket in the center of your now stretched-out sheet, and pull the edges up and over the rim to gather inside so the plastic is completely covered outside and in. Your basket's interior will look a little messy with the excess fabric, so this is where a little ingenuity and crafting comes in. 

Before working on the inside portion, secure the sheet so it sits tightly on the basket by using the discarded elastic and tying it around the outside of the basket, fastening it just under the top rim. Next, take your scissors and cut all the excess cloth that has gathered in the bottom, leaving just enough to reach the inner circumference. Secure the sheet's edges with a hot glue gun inside the basket. With the leftover fabric you've trimmed off, cut a circle that will fit the smallest part of the basket's interior and glue it, as well, to create a tidy finish. If you don't have enough from the fitted sheet's trimmings, use the matching standard sheet or pillowcases you're discarding to get this portion added.

Once the entire basket has been covered and secured, you can add rope, ribbon, canvas, or burlap to the outer rim for some decor. Not only will this create shape, but it will give your project a shabby chic aesthetic that could pass as store-bought, even if the sheet has an eclectic print or appears a bit worn. You can also dye older bedsheets to breathe new life into them — and feel free to place flowers, charms, or any other accessories that will enhance the basket and match the room where you plan to keep it.

This easy, upcycled storage is great for transporting laundry, but it can also be used to keep craft supplies, stuffed animals, blankets, and even towels for guests. Instead of throwing out sheets that served you well as soon as they look a little worn, put them aside to make new storage baskets, so they can continue bringing you joy in a new and innovative way. Don't forget to give the old bedding one more wash before turning it into the cover, and try adding essential oils before cutting and gluing to keep the sheets and your items smelling fresh!