
Bungee cords are a bit like duct tape; there are so many uses for them that it pays to keep them on hand! I know my husband has a pile of bungee cords somewhere in our garage, but I hadn’t considered how I could put them to good use until recently.
In this post, I’ll share a few surprising uses for bungee cords you may not have thought of before. From securing and storing your stuff to getting more organized, that pile of bungee cords in your garage has plenty of hidden potential! :-)
9 Things You Can Do With Bungee Cords

1. Store Canning Rings
Use a short bungee cord to hang up your canning rings! It keeps them up out of the way, but you’ll still be able to see them. It’s a much better storage solution than tossing them into the bottom of a dark drawer!

2. Hang Paper Towels
Make a temporary paper towel holder using a short bungee cord. Just slide the cord through the center of the roll, then hook it onto something sturdy at both ends. This is a great way to keep paper towels handy while camping or at outdoor parties!
Related: I Tested 5 Paper Towels And One Was The Clear Winner

3. Yoga Mat Carrier
If you have a bungee cord on hand, you can make a handy strap for your yoga mat! Just hold the center of the cord along the center of your mat. Pull each end of the cord around the mat, and hook each end to the section you’ve held against the mat. The mat will stay rolled up, and it makes a great carrying handle too!

4. Road Trip Entertainment
Need to entertain a baby on a long car ride? String up a bungee cord between the handles in the back seat. Then hang your baby’s favorite toys from it! It’s like a toy mobile that’s perfect for the car.
Related: Healthy Road Trip Snacking

5. Prevent Grocery Bag Spills
Have you ever loaded your groceries into you car, only to have them all spill out of the bags by the time you get home? So frustrating! But you can easily keep your grocery bags upright with just a bungee cord. Feed it through both the handles of each bag, then secure the cord around the headrest of one of your car seats.
Related: This Is The Best $30 I’ve Spent In A Long Time

You can also implement this system in the back of your car. Just feed the bungee cord through both handles on each grocery bag. Then hook the ends of the cord on either side of your car!

6. Keep Trash Bags Secure
Speaking of frustration, another pet peeve of mine that bungee cords can solve is trash bags that slip down into the bottom of the garbage can. All you have to do is put the trash bag into the garbage can, then wrap a bungee cord around around the rim and hook the cord to itself. No more slipping and sliding trash bags!
Related: Are You Doing This Extremely Simple Thing Correctly? (I Wasn’t!)

7. Shelf Barrier
Wire shelving can be a great way to add extra storage to any room! But you can’t typically fill the shelves too much, or things might topple right off the edges! You can help keep your items on the shelf by stringing a bungee cord across the front edge. You’ll be able to keep more items on the shelf without fear of them falling off.

8. Add Layers To Curtains
You can use a bungee cord to add another layer to your curtains without installing any additional hardware. Slide the bungee cord through the top of the curtain, and hook it onto your curtain rod at either end. This is an easy way to add a layer of blackout curtains behind your existing curtains to help block more light in a bedroom!
Related: Make Your Own Grommet Curtains In An Afternoon

9. Cookie Sheet Storage
Storing baking sheets vertically can save you a LOT of space in the kitchen! Use bungee cords to create a brilliantly simple vertical storage solution for your baking sheets. String up a few bungee cords vertically between shelves, then slide your baking sheets between the cords!
Related: These Are The Most Effective Ways To Clean Baking Sheets
Looking For More Posts Like This?
- I’ve written dozens of blog posts about creative alternative uses for everyday items, and now there’s a quick and easy way to peruse them!
- Check out all of my “Uses For” posts here.
Do you have any other bungee cord uses to add to this list?
Funny, i must be behind on my terminology. I knew these as shock cords. When I first heard of bungee cords (late 80s) they were a solid rubber-like strap (with hooks). Like a very thick rubber band. I’ve always distinguished between the 2 since shock cords don’t tend to break whereas bungees can snap.
Nevertheless, I guess one term refers to both styles
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Actually, to those of us who are (or in my case were, retired) flatbed truckers, those are know as tarp straps. We never, ever used or trusted bungee cords to hold anything on a trailer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have tried both types for various uses. The main difference between bungees and shock cords is that bungees stretch while shock cords can be used similar, but have a fixed length. Some bungees stretch longer while others will only stretch a little. Under most uses a bungee won’t snap.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just be advised if you are using bungee cords for long periods, particularly if they are going to be stretched a ways or under a heavier load, they will eventually lose their stretchiness as they are basically just a bunch of rubber bands with a woven cover over them and hooks attached to the ends.And just fyi, by long periods I mean maybe a year or two, and even shorter if they are subjected to prolonged heat, as they might be in a shed or garage in the summertime .I’ve had some hanging just straight down under no load at all and unstretched out in my garage that were about as stretchy as a piece of rope after just a few years.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Attach in a X shape over garbage can & lid to keep raccoons out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Awesome list! I just bought some bungee over at http://www.qualitynylonrope.com :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I stumbled on this site looking for a use for all the boxes of Polident found in a home i flipped, and cannot stop reading! So many awsome ideas! Just an idea for the comment section… If there could be a link from the comment, directly to the idea/ list of ingredients that the comment is referring to? I’ve read thru the articles clicking link after link, like we all tend to do! One more link and I can save another great idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for the tip about adding another layer of curtains to your window treatment. I live in an older home with plaster walls. You can’t hammer into them; you have to drill holes first to put up rods or mirrors, etc. Since I already have a curtain rod in place I can put a sheer panel behind my curtains using your bungee cord method. This tip makes my life easier! Thanks again.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use bungee cords to hang café curtains on the top of my mini blinds!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use two small bungee cords, hooked to each other (bend the metal hooks) then I hook one end to the solo sock basket (which is on top of the dryer) and the other end to my front loader inside door latch. This holds the door ajar to allow moisture to escape to avoid mold and smell issues. I also pull the soap drawer open and tip the soap cup over, tilt the whole drawer (to allow water to drain) and leave the drawer open with the soap cup turned over. This has worked so well, I only clean my washer about once a year.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use to use bungee cords as clothes lines to dry our clothes inside the house. We screwed “J” hooks in to the wall studs in our hall then we zigzagged the cords and made a homemade indoor clothes line.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried cleaning the black burned on stuff on my gas stove burners. I tried your baking soda and peroxide, comet powder, vinegar and dawn, WD40, and Young Living Thieves cleaner. They certainly look much better than they did when I started, but there is still some black gunk left in the middle and around the little rim on the outside edges. Any suggestions for getting this last bit offf? Thanks. I read your post every day and find many useful ideas.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have you tried magic eraser-you know that white foam rectangle ? moisten it and GENTLY scrub (it may remove the enamel, so be gentle) good luck……………..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A magic eraser is a great suggestion!
I use an old credit card as a scraper to strip off the gunk without scratching. Soaking paper towels with vinegar and laying them over it will also help. Also, I use Bar Keeper’s Friend for everything. Adding it before scraping will help.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We have a king size bed. We wanted to use our fleece sheets in the RV. It is a queen. I don’t like the sheet straps you find (the garter type). So I bought some gator grips for tarps, and had two bungees just the right size to keep the sheet snug and on.worked great! Better than what you buy.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the idea, Marlene! Having a hard time keeping sheets/blankets on and tucked in on DH’s side of bed. This will be my next move. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I notice in canning ring photo you have Pioneer Woman teal glasses. Me, too, and they are discontinuing them at Walmart. I noticed 10 days ago lots of clearance thru the store. I had 14 glasses, but if I can’t ever get any more, I want 4 or 5 extra to save for breakage. I hadn’t seen the tumblers in teal for 4 months until mid February. So stock up so no regrets. Went to 4 stores before finding any.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband too almost lost his eye due to a bungee cord coming loose after securing furniture. Please please use with caution!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These are great ideas! I’d agree with Susan to proceed with caution as to over-stretching them in some instances. My other issue is off-gassing…some of them smell like an automobile tire showroom. I have learned to open the package in the store after purchasing and then return them if that odor is involved. I use mine all the time. Had not thought of these uses though!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love the Mason jar ring idea. That would work for cookie cutters as well! Jillee, I have adopted so many of your ideas and recipes, your emails have become a daily part of my morning routine! Oh, and thank you for the discounts at Spark and Camp Wander!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Leanne!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas. However, I must caution people about bungee cords. There are many, many injuries per year from bungee cords. My husband almost lost his eye, had his face ripped open, and has life long eye issues from a bungee cord that snapped. These ideas don’t seem to use too much tension, but please be careful.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have some wire shelves ordered that will arrive early this coming week. Thank you for the bungee cord idea to keep everything in place!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yay! How exciting :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mom is always looking for single roll t paper rolls because her bathroom’s ceramic insert doesn’t hold the bigger rolls that are most popular. Bungee cord to the rescue, thanks to seeing the paper towel post! Thank you Jillee
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