I have dozens of scarves, actually it might be over 100 but who’s counting.  I bought some, inherited some, and was gifted some.  I love them all, but they don’t all necessarily fit into my wardrobe.  What to do with the ones that don’t?  Oh, so many things!

Decorate with them – your home, your purse, your pet, and more.  Start with an easy one – make a scarf into a table runner.  The long, narrow scarves are naturals, but other shapes can be folded to work as well.  It can be an easy way to change the color and feel of your home as the seasons change.  Bright flowers for spring, autumnal colors in October, and a knitted “outdoor” scarf on the table for the holiday season.

With larger scarves, you don’t have to settle for a table runner.  You can use them as an over cloth or as the actual tablecloth.  You’ll probably want to use something as a table pad under the scarf, and if you don’t have a pad then a folded blanket will do.  Just remember that if the table will be used for dining, the scarf may take a spill or two.  I wouldn’t use the favorite or delicate ones for this.

Tie-backs for curtains or drapes is a good use for scarves, and so is a door knob.  Square scarves can be tied to cover a square pillow to give it a new look without a stitch of sewing.  And if you have a really large, artsy scarf you can hang it and use it as wall decor.  

You can, by the way, still use them to decorate yourself but in different ways.  They easily function as a casual belt, and smaller scarves can be tied to the handle of your purse a la the style of the 60s.  It still looks pretty and playful!

A scarf for your puppy love instead of a bandana with bones on it can give her or him a real fashion-forward canine look. 

And you know we’re in favor of reusable gift boxes, so we would also recommend using a scarf to tie/wrap small presents.  The recipient can enjoy the gift and then use the scarf to gift another.

One more thing about scarves.  If you don’t have a collection but would like to try some of these inexpensive decorating ideas, there are usually lovely scarves to be found at thrift stares, just waiting for you to take one or two home to brighten up a room.

I would love to hear your ideas for keeping the scarves in play.  I still have a lot of them waiting to be used!