Don't Toss Old Jeans — Turn Them Into Cute Storage For Your Home

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Over the years, it's easy to end up with multiple pairs of nearly identical jeans that clutter your closet and dresser drawers. If the jeans folding trick to save dresser space doesn't free up enough room, you may be tempted to toss out extra pairs. Don't toss old denim bottoms in the trash or donation pile when there are various ways to turn old clothes into upcycled decor. Fans of rustic and farmhouse-inspired style can rejoice, as jean pockets can be turned into country-inspired wall decor that doubles as storage. Several DIY influencers, such as YouTuber pipli9608 and TikToker micayla_mcconnell, shared clever ways to transform the back of denim shorts and jeans into homey decor for any living space.

All it takes is a pair of jeans, a picture frame, and a pair of scissors that are hardy enough to cut through denim. Put all the ingredients together to make a cute, one-of-a-kind piece for your wall. Once tacked to the frame, you can leave the jean pocket alone or embellish it with functional or decorative items.

On its own, the jean pocket adds an adorable, all-American vibe to your space. As long as you cut it with precise tracing and matching, the charming pocket can be used to hold other items, from artificial foliage to practical belongings. Depending on what you stow inside, you can style it in any room by itself, or with an arrangement of other jean pocket frames.

Start by tracing the picture frame's back to match dimensions before cutting out the back of your jean shorts, pants, or capris with a heavy-duty pair of fabric scissors, such as the Wteehn Fabric Scissors Professional. You can also remove a frame's insert from the back and trace the insert directly onto the jeans. Be sure to cut out the entire back of the jeans, not just the pocket flap, to keep the fabric pouch fully intact. Keep in mind that you can always trim the extra fabric with no problem later, so leaving an extra inch or so on each side can be helpful. 

Press the jean pocket into the picture frame, trim off any excess pieces as needed, close it up, and the bulk of the project is done. Essentially, all DIYers take the frame's glass out and just use the cardboard frame backing to free up the pocket for storage or decorating. You can stick your jean cutout to either a mount or the frame backing using a strong adhesive like superglue or a staple gun.

Now's the time to style and display your handiwork. The TikToker micayla_mcconnell used a wooden picture frame and placed fall-like foliage, like the Golden Wheat Bundle, inside the pocket for a farmhouse look. You can instead use colorful flowers for a more springtime or summer aesthetic. Alternatively, consider using your framed jean pocket for functional storage purposes. If you hang it in your entryway, you could tuck keys, sunglasses, and other daily essentials inside. It could even serve as a mail drop-off spot for busy households with several family members or roommates. Another idea is to pin multiple jean pockets on an office corkboard to stow lightweight items like pens, pencils, or markers.