Repurpose Plastic Food Wrappers Into The Coziest Outdoor Dining Decor

Designing your dream outdoor space can be tricky, especially if you're doing it by yourself. Thankfully, there are plenty of tutorials and online inspiration to help transform your space into a dining and lounging oasis. From painting furniture to reupholstering chairs and even sprucing up backyard plants, there's a step-by-step video waiting for you. For a more eco-friendly hack, try making outdoor pillows using a common pantry staple: recycled plastic wrappers.

Instead of using traditional pillow stuffing, which is not very weather-resistant, stuff your outdoor pillows with shredded plastic instead. Save your water bottle, candy, and other food wrappers until you have enough to fill pillow sizes of your choice. Shred and clean the wrappers with warm water, then leave them out to dry, and use them to fill a homemade or store-bought pillow case. Seal it up, then put that case inside another, more durable covering (aka your beautiful outdoor pillow). The softened plastic is comfortable, durable, and easy to work with. You can even try different pillow shapes, such as hearts, rectangles, or other unique designs. No matter what shape you choose, just make sure you have glue or sewing materials on hand to seal the pillow shut.

Throw pillows are outdoor essentials you need for your next summer gathering, but there are a few tricks of the trade to make these eco-friendly cushions perfect. For one, ensure the plastic shreds are properly sealed inside the pillow. The last thing you want is plastic floating around your patio. After all, microplastics are real; even if you can't see them, they can be accidentally ingested or inhaled, which isn't good for lungs or stomachs.

Use heavy-duty fabric glue or superglue to keep pillows sealed tight. If you're sewing, use a close whipstitch so no gaps form in the fabric. Having a double layer of pillow cases helps too, which is why some DIYers put the plastic pieces in a lightweight case first before adding it to a thick outdoor pillowcase. Once finished, keep the pillows away from open fire, including candles and fire pits, since they can be flammable. In fact, fire and wind safety are the first things you should consider when planning outdoor meals.