Get Hooked: 40 Ways To Use Bungee Cords Around The House
Ah, bungee cords. They are durable and extremely useful. They were an essential part of building an aircraft or a parachute at some point in the last century. You probably think they can only be used in specific craft projects or when jumping from a plane or bridge for fun. However, it turns out we can use them for many things. While their primary use is to secure objects without tying knots or to absorb shock, they can be used as a general utility item. Below, we will show you how to incorporate these durable items into your household. You can make anything from a bookshelf to a bed frame using these cords. Odd, but true! Here are just a few ways you can use these nifty items.
1. Bookshelf
You can find a bookshelf anywhere, even at Walmart. They’re great as you can transform them into an open storage space. But what do you do with your often used but weirdly-shaped objects? Like, say, your child’s favorite toys?
You can make a “zoo!” How? Drill a few holes in a bookshelf or a crate, and then get some bungee cords through the holes. This handy project will keep the objects in place and help declutter the playroom and the rest of the house.
2. Hang shower curtains
If you are renting and don’t know how to hang a shower curtain in an awkwardly shaped shower, bungee cords can help! You might not want to invest in big DIY projects if you are renting since you’ll be leaving.
Instead, maybe hang a few hooks in places you want the shower curtain to be, and then attach the bungee cords on the hooks. This works exceptionally well if you need to connect another bungee cord to get the curtain to the other wall.
3. Crafts organizer
Bungee cords are great for organizing random stuff around the house. If you happen to have a lot of painting tools, you can organize them with this convenient item too. You just need a container and, yep, a bungee cord.
All you need to do is poke or drill two holes in the side of the plastic container and then tie the ends of the bungee cord. Then, you can put in those tools so you can have an easier time finding them.
4. Storage space
We already saw how bungee cords could be used to create more storage space. Another awkwardly shaped object to store is a ball. If you have several balls to store, this hack is for you. They can be a hazard to keep loose around the house.
Instead, use the corner next to the door to install a little board and then hook bungee cords on the top and the bottom. The cables will keep the balls stored and save you space and from the danger of having them loose.
5. Stair gate
Again, if you are renting, you might not want to buy a lot of unnecessary objects. You might have stairs in this house, and then you might not in the next space you live in. So we recommend, instead of buying…
… stair gates to block the baby or the dog from coming up or going down, use bungee cords. If you sew a drop cloth onto two cords, you can create a cheap stair blocker that you can repurpose later.
6. Shelf
You might find yourself in a space where you can only store books or pictures on a very narrow shelf. This is not overly practical because gravity never takes time off. So what can you do if you can’t buy new shelves?
You nail two nails into the wall on each side of the narrow shelf, a little above the shelf. Then, hook the bungee cord to hold the books and pictures in place. Easy hack for renters or a temporary solution.
7. Organizer
Not all bungee cords have hooks. Some have tiny knots at the end to keep things in place. These cords can be used to wrap up messy extension cords and other cables so you can organize them and find them.
We all have a cord drawer at this point. After all, it is the 21st century, and we’ve witnessed many technologies come and go. When you actually need a cord, it’s hard to find the right one if it isn’t all organized.
8. Lids
Another typically messy situation is finding the pot lid when you need one. So bungee cords can help you organize your kitchen drawers too. Instead of putting your covers somewhere in the back of the shelf, maybe try this hack.
Use several hooks and place them where you would want the base of the lid to be. Then, use the nails and bungee cords to hold them. You can probably hang more than just lids with this hack as well!
9. Wall organizer
At this point, it is clear these cords are great for creating a space for small things that would not otherwise have a place in your house. But you can also use them to be creative while organizing small items. For example…
… stretching a bungee cord into a geometric pattern on your wall. If you color coordinate this project, it can be very aesthetically pleasing. You can hang pictures, notes, or tickets from trips, concerts, movies. All kinds of memories or to-do lists.
10. Movie screen
This one is not as affordable as our other option because building an outdoor’s movie screen requires more equipment than just a bungee cord and a few nails. This one needs at least 40 bungee cords, a giant metal stand, and cloth.
It does look entertaining! Just consider all the possibilities. This nifty DIY project can probably give you many years of entertainment. We also recommend showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show at your first movie night, just like these folks did.
11. Tent pole
These things are durable, and as we said, they were once used to make planes fly! So if your tent pole is broken, bungee cords can help. After all, bungee cords have held much more complex structures than a tent.
Put the cord through the pole, and it will hold it as if the pole is as good as new. You can also secure it with some glue if you don’t trust the cords yet. But as we said, these things held parachutes!
12. Hang a curtain
If you can hang a shower curtain with one of these, they must work well for regular curtains too! And if they work in awkward corners, they work even better in a straight line. So, again if you are not staying long…
… but don’t want to give up on making a house feel like a home, this is how you can hang your curtains. You can either sew the cord into the cloth or use hooks like you would on a regular curtain.
13. Secure table cloth
Another use of these versatile cords is to secure a tablecloth the table. If you have a garden, and you like to eat outdoors, the chances are your tablecloth has flopped around in the wind at least once or twice.
So if this is a frequent issue for you, bungee cords are a solution. Make a hole in your table cloth on both sides of the fabric symmetrically. Then, use a bungee cord to secure the table cloth under the table.
14. Quick shelter
We are hoping that you will never need this tip, but for all of the survivalists out there, here’s another use of the bungee cords. The reason why we are hoping is that scenarios where you have these things handy…
… sounds a little like the apocalypse. Anyway, if you find yourself in need of a temporary shelter and happen to have some bungee cords and a toggle, you can make a little tent quickly and wait for the storm to end.
15. Golfing
If you go golfing frequently, maybe you should consider packing one bungee cord. First, it can help you stretch a little after a long day. But more importantly, if your bag breaks, you can use the same bungee cord as a shoulder strap, at least until you get home!
So, consider incorporating one of these cords into your list of things to pack for the golf course. It won’t take a ton of space but could save you a lot of frustration down the road. What’s one more thing to carry, right?
16. Paper hanger
We saw how bungee cords can help you in the kitchen and how they can help you while camping. It is only natural to combine the two! What if you are out camping and are ready to fire up the pit (or grill)?
You can hang the bungee cord on a tent pole and use it to suspend paper towels or toilet paper for quick and safe use. Of course, using this method, you can use the cords to hang other things, like toiletries and such.
17. Under-bed storage
If you are not working with a lot of space, you always need more places to store your stuff. Bungee cords are a great way to create additional storage. We already saw a few ways you can easily do it.
Wrapping paper is another awkwardly shaped item that is hard to store. It’s tall, round, and thin at the same time! But also fragile. So, where to put it? Maybe under the bed with a few hooks, two bungee cords, and some plywood.
18. No-tie shoes
If you are longing for the good old days of no-tie shoes, this tip is for you. If you are sick and tired of your laces constantly coming undone or just prefer no-tie slip-on shoes, maybe replace laces with bungee cords!
Of course, this hack will not be for everyone. Your fancy Oxford shoes will not look their best with bungee cords if you have a corporate job. But if you work from home and hate laces, this is for you.
19. Secure sticks
This is another tip for the gardeners out there. Well, specifically, for those who have trees in their yards. If your branches and sticks overload the wheelbarrow, then you might want to use a bungee cord to contain the chaos.
The bungee cord will secure the branches and sticks from falling out of the wheelbarrow. So you don’t have to make even more trips than you have to when you are cleaning them out of your garden. Time is money!
20. Cat-proof Christmas tree
This is a very timely tip for the cat loves out there. If you have a cat (or more cats) as your roommate, you know these creatures are fascinated with everything shiny. And what is more lustrous than a Christmas tree?
Cats love Christmas trees. But their love hurts! It destroys your favorite ornaments. It ruins the moment when you have to clean it all up. So this year, maybe try to secure your tree with a bungee cord. Or more cords.
21. Make toys
These cords are truly versatile. Another use that we discovered was making them into toys. For example, you can make a catapult! This toy should not be used without supervision, of course. However, there are two ways to use it.
First, it takes some DIY and engineering skills to make a catapult. Maybe it sparks some interest in your little one that can help them in the future! Second, if you have a dog, you’ve entertained two small creatures at once.
22. Paper roll hanger
We have already seen how you can hang your paper rolls while camping to access them easily while cooking at a campsite. There is at least one other way you can conveniently hang your towels with a bungee cord.
If you are more of a glamper or plan to camp for a long time, maybe you brought a water dispenser. Or perhaps you have one in your garden for some reason. Anyway, you can wrap a bungee cord around the dispenser and hang some paper towels.
23. Headboard
This is another excellent piece of advice for the renters out there or those who cannot yet invest in the bed of their dreams. While you are in this phase of life, maybe you can make your own personalized headboard!
What would you make it with? Why, with a bungee cord, of course! Stretch a few lines through the frame. You can make it as colorful as you would like. Plus, you can also use it as a cute organizer.
24. Chair
If you happen to have a broken chair in the basement or stored somewhere, bungee cords might help you give it a second life. If the chair frame is still intact, simply wrapping some lines around it sounds too easy to be true.
You can use as many colors as you’d like or keep it monochrome. It can be bright or not, whatever works for your home. So if you have a chair frame sitting alone in the dark, maybe take it out of the basement.
25. Extra cords
If you are not using your bungee cords at the moment, they might end up just like your wire drawer! But don’t worry; we have prepared some tips on how to store your extra cords too. We did our research.
You can store your extra bungee cords in a binder. It’s even better if the binder isn’t open. Or, you can take the three-ring binder spine and hang it on a wall somewhere. Or wrap them around the spine and store them.
26. Bucket holder
If you happen to have a pickup truck and store buckets in the bed often, we got you! This is a bit specific, but we hope it helps someone. Someone must have had this problem for this to be out there!
You can use a bungee cord to hang the buckets on so they can’t move around much when you are driving. This should at least minimize some risk of the things in your buckets falling out of the truck and creating a hazard.
27. Wraps
Remember the cork bungee cord wraps to hold your wires? Well, if you don’t happen to own a binder or have a binder spine handy, you can use the same advice to store extra bungee cords! They are, after all, cords!
All you need is some small bungee cords, or even pieces of old lines, and a wine cork. Drill two holes in the cord put the little rope through the holes, and tie the ends. They can be as short or long as you want.
28. No-tip cans
If you live somewhere windy or in a neighborhood where wild animals are a frequent issue, the chances are your garbage cans have tipped over a few times. You can secure them with, guess what? You thought right – bungee cords!
Essentially, this works in the same way as securing the narrow shelves. But instead of a nail, you would install a little hook in the wall and then loop the cord around the can to secure it. No more tipping!
29. Paper towels
Here’s another tip on how to store paper towels, this time in your kitchen, not for camping. If you have a big family and need to keep a lot of paper towels around the house, but the storage space is limited…
… this tip is for you! If you don’t shop often and like to store more around the house, maybe consider using an empty corner in your home to store extra paper towels on the wall. All you need is four hooks and two cords.
30. Tarp
Ok, we were honestly wondering who has a tarp lying around, and researching this article made us realize that, of course, people who own ATVs have tarp handy! So if you are the type that happens to lead a lifestyle where you…
… just happen to have access to some tarp, you can store your extra bungee cords in it too! Since tap wraps and ends up taking on the same awkward tall and round shape as wrapping paper, there’s some space in the middle.
31. Storing cords
If you like having your things where you can see them and dislike messy drawers, we have a storage tip for that too. Instead of opting for a binder spine somewhere or storing bungee cords in the tarp, try this.
Opt for wire closet shelving instead, and then hook the cords on the wire shelf. You can organize them according to color, size, or whatever you would like. Some of us simply forget about stuff when we can’t see it.
32. More paper towels
Paper towels and bungee cords seem to be a go-to mix for most DIYs of this sort. But, this one is new, we promise. We’ve seen how you can use this combo while camping, in the kitchen, and it seems…
… you can also use this combo in the car! You can attach the cord inside of your car trunk lid. It’s handy, and it will not take up much space. This is a great tip if you need towels on the go.
33. Trash can advice
We’ve already seen how you can secure your trash cans from tipping if you live somewhere windy, but if you have extra bungee cords, you can also use them to secure the bag within the can. This is great if…
… you have some smaller bags than the can, and often throw in some heavy trash. We think you don’t need extra cords for this. Usually, bags hold well on their own. But if you have some extra cables, there you go.
34. Table
If you are stuck for space or live in a mobile home, you can use bungee cords to hang a table to save some space. If you suspend a chain from the ceiling, you are halfway to having a dining area.
And then attach as many hooks as you need on the suspended chain and attach the other side of the bungee cord to the trey. The suspended trey then functions as a table you can take down and stow away whenever you want.
35. Tools organizer
In the same way, you can organize other tools. As you can see, you could use a plastic box or a board you can hang on the wall! Depending on the tools and what is the most convenient for you.
As you can see, bungee cords can hold loads of stuff together. If you add staples along the cord, you can secure different tools and make a special place for them. That way, you can always keep track of where your tools are.
36. No-spill groceries
The same way you can keep the buckets in your pickup trunk, you can temporarily organize your grocery bags on the way home! If you keep a bungee cord hooked in your car, you can prevent groceries from spilling everywhere.
Simply use the hook on the inside of the door to hook the bungee cord, and then before attaching it to the other side, run along the bungee cord through the handles. Your groceries are secured! No more free-roaming apples.
37. Paper towels again
As we said, paper towels and bungee cords just go together. So we know they work in your car, camping, to store extra rolls, but here’s yet another one. If you happen to have a wire shelf in your kitchen…
… or at the laundry room or the cleaning closet, you can hang your paper towels there too! It just works, and it’s so easy. Why buy extra hanging equipment when you can just use what you have? Reuse, reduce, recycle.
38. Hanging gloves
If you use latex gloves for gardening or cleaning, it’s always a problem to store them. The thing is, if they are dirty, what to do with them? You don’t want to keep buying them every time, but you don’t want…
… to make everything else dirty! How about hanging them with a small bungee cord? The way to do it is to get a tiny nail in the wall, then the cord will hold the latex gloves with a clip.
39. Circus
Remember the first tip: storing stuffed animals on a shelf? You can also put those boxes or shelves together and make a little stuffed animal circus! Don’t believe us? Look at the picture below for inspiration. See what we mean?
If you stack the boxes on top of each other and switch up colors, they can function as a portable stuffed animal zoo. You can choose whatever colors you (or your child) like, both for the bungee cords and the boxes.
40. Different cords
There you go. Forty ways to use all kinds of bungee cords. For the final tip, if you are considering getting a bungee cord, consider the materials too. There are plenty of materials to choose from, but if you need…
…to tie something down, you might not want the rough metal hook at the end of the cord. In this case, maybe choose the ones with folded nylon instead. There’s plenty of materials for both the cord and the hook. Enjoy!