Storage & Organization & Hacks

What Else You Can Do With Pool Noodles

kelleysdiy

finished pool noodle wrist rest

Wrist Rest

Keep your wrists from getting fatigued during a long day at the computer by making this pool noodle wrist rest. First mark where you want to cut the noodle. For the wrist rest shown, we made the height slightly less than half of the full noodle diameter. (You could cut the noodle exactly in half and make two equally sized wrist rests.)

Dinky Door Bumper

Dinky Door Bumper

Here’s a trick for keeping that pesky door from banging into a piece of trim or wall while you’re running in and out. Simply cut a slit lengthwise in a short section of pool noodle and slip it onto the edge of a door, cupboard or gate to guard against marring walls.

pool noodle inside drawer

Stay-Put Drawer Organizer

I have always hated the way drawer organizers move around when you open and close a drawer. I solved the problem at my house with a pool noodle!

I measured the distance from the back of the drawer organizer to the back of the drawer and used a utility knife to cut the noodle to size. The pool noodle fits snugly in place, so the drawer organizer doesn’t move around anymore. You could also cut the pool noodle in half lengthwise to reduce the amount of space that it takes up. — Roy Allison

Floating Beverage Barge

Floating Beverage Barge

Make a simple, cheap floating beverage container to keep your drinks cool in the pool and close at hand. Cut short lengths of pool noodles to fit a plastic bin. Using a bin with a lip helps to keep the pool noodles in place. Thread a bungee cord through the center of the noodles to keep them snug against the sides. For a handle: Tie a length of rope or cord onto the bungee and add a small circle of pool noodle as a float to make the handle easy to grab.

Luggage Rack Protector

Luggage Rack Protector

I needed to pick up a ladder from a friend. To keep the luggage rack on my new SUV from getting scratched, I covered the bars with swim noodles. I just slit them down the side with a utility knife and taped them on. The cushion of foam also kept the ladder from rattling. Don’t forget to strap down your cargo before you go!– Gerald Ruppert

pool noodle handy hint door ding

See Ya, Door Dings!

I noticed several dings on my car door from opening and banging it against the garage wall. My grandkids had outgrown their pool noodles and I was about to throw them away, but then I thought, “Whoa, this could be the solution!”

I cut the pool noodle in half, the long way, with a utility knife and fit it onto the studs in my garage. The pool noodle should stay put on its own, but for a more permanent solution, you can adhere the pool noodle to the studs with construction cement or a couple of nails. — John Greene. Voila, no more door dings.

Fishing Rod Organizer

Fishing Rod Organizer

I got sick and tired of my fishing rods getting tangled, so I came up with this easy fishing rod organizer. All you need is a length of 3-in.-diameter PVC pipe and a foam swimming pool noodle. Drill 1-in. holes spaced every 4 in. in the PVC pipe. Use a utility knife to cut slits in the foam noodle, spacing them 4 in. apart. Line up the pool noodle on the wall so that at least two of the slits sit over studs. Pull those slits apart, slide in a fender washer, and screw the noodle to the wall with 2-in. screws. Then screw the PVC pipe to the wall beneath it at a comfortable height and insert your fishing rods. Look Ma, no more tangles!

No-Pinch Trampoline Springs

No-Pinch Trampoline Springs

Here’s a simple way to cover trampoline springs to guard against pinched fingers. Cut a pool noodle into short sections, slice lengthwise and slide them over the springs.

Pool Noodle Cutting Guide

Pool Noodle Cutting Guide

Here’s a simple method for cutting lots of noodle sections: make a three-sided jig out of lumber. Measure the length of noodle needed and, using a hand saw, cut a slot to that length into the two sides of the jig. Place the noodle into the trough created by the two sides and then push the cutting blade into the slot, sawing back and forth to cut the noodle.

Lift Gate Protection

Lift Gate Protection

When you open the lift gate of your van or SUV, it’s easy to hit a cross brace of the garage door and chip the paint on the gate. Protect it by using a swim noodle as a cushion. Just slit the swim noodle with a utility knife and slip it over the brace. You can also use pre-slit foam pipe insulation. If it slips off, use double-face tape to hold it in place.

Crafty Water Raft

Crafty Water Raft

Ahoy there, mateys! Just tie these pool noodles together for a fun water raft that won’t deflate! You’ll need five large pool noodles (4-1/2″ diameter ), 2 medium-sized noodles (2-1/4″ diameter), 6 ft of 1/2 ” PVC pipe, 36 feet of nylon cord. To begin, lash the five large noodles together using a double half-hitch knot. Next lace the cord in between and around each of the noodles, securing them together into a raft. When you get to the noodle on the end, turn around and lace them again back to the beginning. End with another double half-hitch knot. Cut the cord close to the knot. Now cut the smaller noodles to get three lengths equal to the width of the raft. Thread three PVC pipes through the holes in the three smaller noodles, then thread the cord through the PVC and use nylon cord to attach each short noodle to the large noodles. Tie one noodle at each end and one in the middle to increase stability and make the raft more rigid.

High-Visibility Boundary Marker

High-Visibility Boundary Marker

Each year I mark the boundaries of my yard so the snowplow driver doesn’t damage my lawn. For years I used rebar along the perimeter, but the driver couldn’t see it at night. Even with reflectors on the rebar, it would still get hit, bent or broken. Now I’ve found a better solution. I slip a brightly colored swim noodle over the rebar. You can’t miss the markers now. – Bill Remia.
Simple Pool Noodle Storage

Simple Pool Noodle Storage

What’s simpler than a 5-gallon bucket? It sure beats pool noodles rolling all over the garage or pool house. Concrete form tubes work well, too!

Ladder Padding

Ladder Padding

If you spend a lot of time on your ladder, and leaning against the rungs all day is taking a toll on your shins and thighs. Get smart and slit pieces of my kids’ swim noodles lengthwise and wrapped them around the front of the rungs. Instant relief! The cushions are easy to move as you work. Just make sure you never stand on them, and always place them higher than you’ll step since they can create an uneven step or fall off if you step on them. – Dave Switzer

Keep Your Boots at Attention

Keep Your Boots at Attention

No more floppy ankles if you use pool noodles to keep boots upright. Also great for drying mukluks!

Floating Flower Tea Lights

Floating Flower Tea Lights

Use a zip-tie to fasten pieces of pool noodle together and stick candles in the holes to make a floating lantern. Use plastic food wrap to keep the batteries from getting wet and you’re set for dreamy pool time!

Ladder Guards

Ladder Guards

I recently installed new gutters. When it came time to clean them out, I didn’t want my metal ladder to dent or scratch them, so I made ladder protectors out of an old swim noodle (foam pipe insulation would work too). I cut 2-ft. sections of the foam noodle, slit them with a razor knife and stuck them on the sides of the ladder. They were the perfect cushions! If the foam doesn’t stay put, tape it on.

   Make a Wreath

Make a Wreath

Use a pool noddle for a wreath form. Fasten the noodle with duct tape, then wrap it with fabric, ribbon or string. Wrap wire around the stems of fabric flowers and poke it through the fabric to anchor it into the noodle. Hang the wreath using wire or a picture hook.

No-Roll Mini Work Light

No-Roll Mini Work Light

Cut a small section of foam pipe insulation or a swim noodle and wrap it around a small LED flashlight. Wedge the foam into any crack, crevice or corner. – Costas Stavrou.

No More Creases!

No More Creases!

Keep your dress pants, shawls or scarves crease-free the cheap and easy way by covering a clothes hanger with a section cut from a pool noodle. First cut the noodle to the length of the lower hanger rod. Next, cut a slit into the length of the noodle to make it easy to slip it onto the hanger.

More Comfortable Mowing

More Comfortable Mowing

I don’t mind mowing my lawn, but the vibration from my lawn mower handle was aggravating the arthritis in my hands. Then I taped a piece of a swim noodle over the handle. Mowing the grass is much more comfortable, and my hands don’t ache when I’m done.– Phillip E. Oinonen

Nifty Paintbrush Holder

Nifty Paintbrush Holder

Keep your watercolor brushes dry and handy! Cut a short section of pool noodle, slice it part of the way through and insert brushes.

Anti-Ding Car Door Bumper

Anti-Ding Car Door Bumper

My garage is full of tools, paint, kids’ bikes, you name it. Some days it is a trick to just squeeze my car in, and I got tired of banging my car door on the wall every time I opened it. I attached half a pool noodle to the wall as a bumper and now I can get out of the car without fear of dinging the garage wall or my car door!

Pro Tip #1: How to slice a noodle

Pro Tip #1: How to slice a noodle

Use a serrated kitchen knife to cut a pool noodle into sections

Pro tip #2 How to slit a noodle

Pro tip #2 How to slit a noodle

Use a utility knife to cut a slit in a noodle lengthwise. The shorter blade cuts only the top side.

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Published by kelleysdiy

I love creating new ideas. And now that I am happily retired, I have lots more time to create them! Whether its crafts for decorating my home, or up cycling items I find at garage sales, thrift stores, and even on the curb, and turning them into something wonderful. The creative juices flowing in my head are almost always in overdrive....so many ideas! I love sharing my new ideas with all of you! So please follow me and let me know how I'm doing! I hope I can inspire you.....and if I do....send me a pic. I would love to see your creation.

15 thoughts on “What Else You Can Do With Pool Noodles”

    1. I’m doing pretty good. I live in the So. Ca desert. I always look forward to the beautiful Spring weather. Bummer it’s hot now and Spring is in the past, at least here in the triple digits.
      How are you doing Crystal?

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    1. That wrist one really works. I have carpal in both wrists (wonder why) I have been using mine for over a year and it provides so much relief. I cut my pool noodle in half and it stays put!

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      1. I’ll try it out, I just started writing freelance and my hands are not super happy 😅

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      2. I purchased some gloves on Amazon for people with arthritis. They have just a little compression. I wear them when typing to help my fingers. ❤️️

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