Martin Hambleton / Getty Images
Before you head to the recycling bin with leftover popsicle sticks after a sweet summer treat, just waitthese little pieces of wood can help out around the house.
From fixing furniture legs to inviting fairy visitors to your garden, there are uses for popsicle sticks for every DIY skill level.
So rinse off those sticks, and give these five simple and practical ways to repurpose popsicle sticks around the house a trywith a couple of bonus projects for those feeling extra-crafty.
Martin Hambleton / Getty Images
Paint Stirrer
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
Whether you’re paintingmurals,walls, or trimin your home, it’s important to verify the pigment in your wall paint is evenly distributed.
Instead of using the brush going on your wall to stir, grab a popsicle stick insteadespecially when working with smaller cans of paint used for touch-ups and accent areas.
Switching to a popsicle stick as your stirrer will keep yourbest paintbrushesfrom getting overloaded with paint, help preserve their bristles, and keep your lines and corners as clean and crisp as possible.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
Furniture Leg Stabilizers
The Spruce / Meg MacDonald
Sitting down to eat and discovering an uneven dining table or chair is a major dinnertime distractionbut stabilizing the legs of your furniture and helping all four to sit evenly is super simple with the help of popsicle sticks.
Use a craft knife to cut a stick down to the same width as the legs, secure it to the bottom with an adhesive like Gorilla Glue or No More Nails, and say goodbye to wobbly seats.
Curtain Weights
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
The warmer summer months call for open windows, so help yourliving room or bedroom curtainslook effortlessly breezy and perfectly draped without billowing out of control by weighing down the hems with popsicle sticks.
The Spruce / Meg MacDonald
Simply slide the sticks through an open hem or secure them in place on the wall-facing side of your curtain with a couple of stitches for a cleaner drape andfloor-grazing finishinterior designers would be proud of.
Plant Support
The Spruce / Sarah Crowley
Climbing houseplants likeSwiss cheese plantsand garden plants such ascucumberscan all benefit from the use ofa support, or stake.Adding an extra form of support helps indoor and greenhouse stems to stay strong, especially with top-heavy plants as they continue to grow.
Set your greenery up for success by using popsicle sticks as an early form of plant support for younger plants by pushing it deep into the soil and securing the stem with a plant tie, just like you would with a bamboo stake.
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
Crafting Tip
If you have a larger plant in need of a structure, you might also use popsicle sticks to create a miniDIY trellis.
Plant Labels
Sustain My Craft Habit
Using garden labels and herb markers is one of the best ways to stay on top of outdoor plant care and maintenance, and to be sure each variety is getting the amount of water it needs and you might use popsicle sticks to create labels in a style you love that matches your home decor aesthetic.
Opt for a white or earthy shade paint and a permanent marker on one popsicle stick to achieve a minimalist look, orcreate cottagecore-inspiredsignposts in a range of vibrant hues likeSustain My Craft Habit.
The Spruce / Sarah Crowley
Fairy Garden Furniture
Creating a fairy gardenis one of the best summer activities to do at home as a family, and from dainty fences to miniature picnic benches, the DIY possibilities are endless.
Grab a bunch of popsicle sticks and let your imagination go wild, using the sticks, paint,wood stain, twine, and glue to put together simple ladders, sweet little swing sets, fairy doors to scatter throughout your yard, or even a whole house as the focal point of your magicalfairy garden setup.
DIY Bird Feeder
Tonya Staab
Wildlife enthusiasts looking to make their backyards more bird-friendly cancreate adorable feederslikethis one by Tanya Staab.
Sustain My Craft Habit
it’s possible for you to opt for a simple open-top feeder like the one above, or spend a sunny day outside putting together a full birdhouse structure.
Leave the popsicle sticks used to construct your bird feeder as-is for a more natural look that blends in with its surroundings, or create a colorful piece by painting the sticks and letting them dry before assembly.
The Spruce / Meg MacDonald
Tonya Staab
