This Easy Hack Repurposes Pillowcases To Keep Your Bags And Shoes Clean

Let's be honest: We don't always take care of our clothes the way we should. Especially in this fast-fashion era, it can be easy to get careless with our items. But even the simple step of utilizing a dust cover can add longevity to your clothes, whether they're inexpensive basics or pricey designer pieces. This especially applies to items like shoes, belts, and purses, as proper storage away from dust and sunlight is one of the best ways to make leather accessories and garments last longer.

But not all of your fashion purchases come with their own dust cover. So what's a fashionista to do? One option, of course, is to buy dust covers separately. But you may already have an easier, cheaper storage hack at hand — namely, in your crowded linen closet.

Buried amongst the sheets and blankets, we're betting that you have at least one or two old pillowcases that don't get much use on your bed anymore. Instead of leaving them to languish, forgotten, in a pile of unused bedclothes, why not let them literally gather dust? As it turns out, the sturdiness and breathability of pillowcases make them a great substitute for genuine dust covers.

Need a few more dust covers to protect your favorite shoes and handbags? Accessory lovers, rejoice, because this domestic hack is as easy as it gets. First, go through your linens and decide which pillowcases are ready to embrace their new destiny as dust covers. Consider pillowcases that are worn, faded, yellowed, or stained. If you aren't likely to put them on your bed, they might as well become dust covers.

Slip one handbag or pair of shoes inside each pillowcase and gather the extra fabric around the opening. You can then seal the makeshift bag with a rubber band or length of ribbon. Once the dust cover is securely closed, it's as easy as tucking your bundle of fashion joy onto a shelf or into a safe corner of your closet where it won't get buried under anything heavy.

If you're crafty, you can also permanently convert a pillowcase into a dust cover by adding a drawstring. And if your pillowcase has a double-layer hem near the opening, this doesn't even require any sewing. A YouTube video from creator April Gie Lumaban shows how to easily add a drawstring simply by cutting two small holes on either side of the hem's side seams and then using a bobby pin to maneuver two lengths of string through the openings. Pro tip: To upcycle even more items in your home, you could probably use shoelaces in place of string.

Still have plenty of worn-out or mismatched pillowcases to spare? Even if you don't need any more dust covers, you can give these old sacks new life with other household hacks. For instance, pillowcases are great for wrangling laundry. When traveling, throw a pillowcase or two into your suitcase to use as laundry bags. When you get home, you can dump all your dirty vacation laundry — pillowcase included — straight into the wash.

At home, pillowcases also make convenient bags to protect delicates like tights, bras, and underwear. Keep them contained in a sealed pillowcase to avoid tangled garments or missing socks. If your pillowcase doesn't have its own zipper or other fastener, seal it with a rubber band, which should safely survive both washing and drying. For pet lovers constantly struggling with dirty or fur-covered pet beds, an old pillowcase can also be a game-changing cover for smaller beds. Simply slip the pillowcase over the entire bed or its main cushion, then pop the case into the washing machine whenever it needs cleaning.

If your pillowcases are still in decent shape, they can even be leveraged as reusable gift bags for large or oddly shaped presents. Not only does this save you money on wrapping paper and avoid the frustration of trying to neatly wrap these items, but it leans into the growing trend of sustainable gift-giving. Just tie the top of your pillowcase closed with some festive ribbon to turn this look from shabby to chic.