Protect Your Thrift Store Finds On The Ride Home Using Pool Noodles

A Saturday afternoon spent thrifting can lead to some great finds. Scoring a vintage cocktail glass or a valuable jewelry box you can use as gorgeous decor is fun until you realize you've got to safely transport your amazing finds home. Using bubble wrap to safeguard them is an option. However, if you run out or just can't find it, the unassuming pool noodle lying around your garage can help. Even though it's the last thing you'd expect to save the day, this squishy foam tube can protect your valuables. Just slit it length-wise and fit it over the edges of your haul to keep it secure, prevent items from rubbing against one another, and protect your car from bumps and scratches.

In case you don't have one lying around in your garage or shed, a 47-inch Foam Pool Noodle costs just $1 at Dollar Tree. Pretty invested in your thrift finds' wellbeing? Don't just use a noodle willy-nilly; choose between a hollow or a solid one based on your needs. To illustrate, a hollow pool noodle compresses more, so use it for general-edge padding. In comparison, solid ones compress less so when you need the protector to stay rigid and hold its shape, like a sharp furniture corner, use this one. Either way, toss a couple in the trunk before your next thrifting trip, and you'll have a little extra insurance for whatever you are bringing home. And if you end up with more than you need to protect your treasures, there are plenty of pool noodle hacks that are game changers for your kitchen.

To turn a pool noodle into padding, use a utility knife to make slits, or a serrated kitchen knife to cut all the way through the foam. Make a slit in the noodle lengthwise, then slip it over the exposed edge of a table, chair, picture frame, mirror, or any other thrift-store find. You might need to cut it to match the length of the item you're protecting. Once you slip the edge of the item into the noodle, secure it with masking tape.

The same trick works for breakable finds as well. If you've purchased vintage bottles, you can cut the pool noodle into sections and wrap them around the bottles to keep them from bumping into each other and other stuff in your car. It will also cushion them if they fall. But when you're bringing home glass shelves, don't rely on pool noodles alone. Instead, use them as an extra layer of protection alongside blankets and bubble wrap to avoid damaging them on the ride home.