17 Creative Ways To Repurpose An Old Mattress

Sleep affects just about every aspect of our lives. We spend a significant portion of our time resting, and not getting your full eight hours can have a major impact on how you experience the rest of your day. Because of this, it's important to ensure your bedroom is optimized for the best night's sleep. This, of course, can include incorporating blackout curtains and sticking with more soothing and relaxing design choices, but the most important thing to consider is your mattress.

Mattresses should be replaced, on average, every six to eight years. Doing so can help to ensure you get a good night's rest and don't suffer any negative effects like back pain, but it can also feel like a waste of money to dispose your mattress this way. In the grand scheme of things, six to eight years isn't a ton of time, so you might feel like you're wasting money by throwing out your old mattress while it's still in fairly good shape. If this is your situation, luckily, you have options. Even if your mattress is too far past its prime for nightly sleeping, it can have a second life as a part of a creative upcycled project.

Your old mattress might be a little worn in for your needs, but it's safe to assume that your pet won't mind. If you have a memory foam mattress you're looking to get rid of, consider transforming it into a bed for your cat or dog. All you need to do is cut it down to size and make a durable fabric cover. Memory foam pet beds are already popular, so you could also easily find a removable cover online if you're not very confident in your sewing skills — just make sure you cut the mattress down to the correct size, and you're good to go.

Light fixtures can come in a wide variety of shapes and styles, but have you ever considered making one out of an old mattress? With a bit of creative wiring — and proper mounting, of course — the metal base of a mattress can be transformed into a unique ceiling light that brings a dose of interest and texture to your space. Thanks to mattresses' complex design, you can secure lightbulbs to plenty of different spots and add chains to suspend the piece from your ceiling. Once the fixture is complete, you could even use it as a convenient spot to hang other decorative items, like planters.

Finding a place to display all your hats without flattening or damaging them can be a struggle, but you're in luck if you have an old mattress spring. By mounting this metal rack on the wall and adding a couple of hooks to the places where the wires meet, you can create a low-profile hat display that will keep your baseball caps out of the way without compressing them. If you only have a few, a crib-sized mattress spring will do the job, but you can opt for a larger size depending on the amount of wall space you have available and how many hats you want to store.

Hanging plant pots are a great help to free up floor space and prevent plants from getting knocked over. Still, if you have more than a few, it can become challenging to find space for them. Instead of scattering your house plants around your home wherever you find a free corner, consider turning them into one low-budget hanging plant display on your wall. Take your old mattress and strip off the cover and cushioning to expose the springs, then mount the metal frame, making sure that the wall you choose can support the weight. After it's secure, hook your plants onto the wire pieces until you've covered the mattress. 

If you have a smaller mattress you'd like to use in a simple DIY project, this idea might be for you. Instead of dumping your old twin-sized or crib mattress, consider putting it on a frame and turning it into a reading nook. With the proper styling, this mattress will read less like a bed and more like a cozy couch setup, meaning it can find a place in just about any room in your home. Make sure your frame has pieces on the side to function as arms, then add some oversized throw pillows along the back wall to complete the couch look.

Most fencing options are pretty basic, so if you're looking for more unique options, you'll have to branch out and search for different materials. One item that can make for an interesting but still functional fence is the metal core of an innerspring mattress. The wire construction might make it look a bit like chicken wire at first glance, but after a little more focus, you'll begin to notice the material's distinctive springy spirals. Leave the frame as-is if you're a fan of the rusty look, or give it a protective coat before you install it if you'd rather it stay shiny.

You might be replacing your mattress, but there's no reason it can't be reused as a part of your bedding. If you have a memory foam mattress, consider cutting it down into a block to use as a pillow. You can customize the thickness and size to your preferences, allowing you to create the perfect pillow to guarantee a good night's rest. If you don't have a memory foam mattress, however, you're still in luck — you can use the cushioning on top and around the springs as filling for throw and decorative pillows, though it likely won't be the best choice to support your head while sleeping.

Mattress springs can have a ton of different uses, but one of the most versatile is as a seasonal décor piece. Their simple yet interesting design means they're easy to transform into whatever your heart desires without much effort, typically without any permanent alterations either. Use them as stands for mini pumpkins during the fall, as bases for ornaments during the winter, to hold flowers during the spring, or as holders for mini flags during the summer. After each holiday has passed, you can easily remove your decorations and try out your idea for the next season.