A ripped laundry basket usually looks like it's headed for the trash. But one simple repair shared online is reminding people that even everyday household items can get a second life with little more than spare yarn, some patience, and a bit of work.
What happened?
In a post on Reddit's r/ZeroWaste forum, an original poster shared how they kept their mom's torn laundry basket in use instead of replacing it.
Rather than throwing it out, they pulled the damaged seam back together with black cotton yarn, weaving it through the basket's existing openings to close the split.
"This was actually a pretty easy fix. There is not much more to it than what you can see. I used black cotton yarn since that was what I had around but I think shoelaces or anything similar will work," the original poster wrote.
They added, "I cut one long piece, tied it to the basket and 'sewed' or 'weaved' it shut using the holes already there, making sure I did it as neatly as possible going three times around each time all the way up and fastened the end."
Comments praised this easy fix to avoid an unnecessary purchase. One user noted how invisible the stitches look, writing, "Super stealth. Nice!" Another Redditor wrote, "Thanks for making this effort. Hopefully it felt like a worthy repair. It turned out very nicely, and may it hold up for a long time."
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Why does it matter?
This kind of repair can help people avoid buying something new when the old one is still usable. A replacement laundry basket can cost money, while this fix used something the household already had on hand.
Not only can DIY fixes like this cut down on waste that gets sent to landfills, it can also save you some money. Rather than paying to replace a basket over one split seam, the original poster turned a damaged item back into something functional again.
"That is so resourceful. I've thrown a basket away that had this type of tear and now I wish I knew this. Thanks for teaching an old dog a new trick," one commenter wrote.
Many household items fail in small, repairable ways. A crack, tear, or broken edge does not always mean the entire product is useless, and keeping it in service a little longer can help reduce both clutter and waste.
What can I do?
If a basket at home has a similar tear, you may be able to fix it with supplies you already have. The original poster used cotton yarn, but said shoelaces or something similar could work too.
The repair comes down to holding the separated sides together and threading the material through the basket until the tear is secured tightly. If the edges keep slipping out of place, one commenter said a bit of glue can help keep everything aligned while you finish.
This approach will not save every badly broken basket, but it can add extra life to one that is otherwise still structurally sound. Other commenters shared their own low-cost workarounds too, including zip ties and twine. The original poster updated the thread, expressing that "It was actually quite fun as someone who enjoys crafting, and hopefully it does last long!"
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