Don't Throw Out Your Old Ironing Board And Turn It Into A Plant Stand

Ironing clothes to help them keep their shape and look less wrinkled feels like an antiquated idea in a world where remote work has become more normalized. At least 16% of all U.S. companies are now fully remote according to the U.S. Career Institute, whose estimates suggest 75 million Americans hold jobs that can be done remotely. Still, ironing clothes has been a facet of human society for thousands of years across the world. Whatever your stance on the matter — whether you properly launder every piece in your closet or you never iron a shirt — chances are you have an ironing board lying around. You don't have to use it for its intended purpose if you aren't doing much ironing. Instead, turn the foldable flat surface into a handy stand for your many potted plants. 

Keeping potted plants can be messy. Loose soil and plant water might damage surfaces like wooden windowsills. Hence, using an old ironing board as a separate plant stand could be the perfect solution. Plus, it's a fun way to show off your favorite houseplants. Since an ironing board is portable, it can be set anywhere in the house — likely closer or further away from your windows, depending on whether the plants you're growing require full sun or more dappled, low light. Being surrounded by nature promotes calmness and focus, so it's a home decor hack worth pursuing for more than just the aesthetics of it all.

If your laundry room doesn't come pre-stocked with an ironing board, buying a fold-up one just to hold houseplants can be pricey — costing around $60 on Amazon unless you opt for a tabletop board that's closer to $20. Local marketplace apps like Nextdoor or thrift stores are likely your best bet for finding a worn-down ironing board on the cheap. While most modern ironing boards come with removable padded covers that let you pick a preferred style, your potted plant collection will probably fit better with the cover removed, so you have a flatter surface that won't absorb water. That said, the right combination of padded cover and flora carries its own aesthetic allure.

The type of ironing board you pick up also affects what you're able to do with it. A metal mesh ironing board is designed to help steam and moisture pass through so it doesn't linger on your clothes, but this means water from potted plants will dribble through just as easily. These are better to use outside, where you could repurpose the old ironing board into a potting station to plant, prune, and repot your flowers. Alternatively, a wooden ironing board can be painted to match your home decor or merely coated with a waterproof wood sealer to prevent damage. Flat, metal boards are slightly less customizable but can still be primed and spray-painted to complement the ensemble in your living room.

If you're concerned about potted plants slipping off of your ironing board even after removing some of its plush padding, the customizability of a wooden board will take you further than any other. There are more drastic alterations you can make, such as drilling holes into the wood to nest pots into place and keep them steady. This method makes drainage easier but does introduce more potential messiness to your indoor spaces. However, you'll want to be careful not to drill so many holes that you lose structural integrity. Keeping some of the flat surface intact also leaves room to place other pieces of decor beside the plants, such as a key bowl, picture frames, or even a lamp.

Whether you're repurposing your old ironing board in the entryway, living room, or out on the patio, this easy home decor hack is a great way to upcycle that somewhat antiquated piece collecting dust in your laundry room. At the end of the day, ironing is a skill that takes practice like any other, so if you're interested in learning to do it, you should absolutely take the time. However, if you aren't, keeping plants is maybe the second-most important purpose an old ironing board could have.