DIY Energy Saver Door Stopper

Measure the width of your door with a measuring tape.

Cut out a section of cloth the length of your door. Recycle items you may already have, such as a terry-cloth towel, a pair of worn jeans or an old sweater, instead of buying new material. Cut the cloth about 10 inches wide and the length of the door.

Fold the cloth in half with the right side facing inward. Match up the edges and pin them together.

Sew the edges with a sewing machine or a needle and thread. Keep the stitches small to hold in the stuffing material. Do not sew up the ends yet. Knot one of the ends and trim the extra thread.

Turn the door draft stopper right-side out. Pour in several pounds of dry grain, such as rice, wheat, lentils or beans. Leave a space of 4 inches at the top of the draft stopper while it is standing on end. When you lay the draft stopper down, you need the space for the grains to move and conform to the gap under the door.

Fold in 3/4-inch of the top edges of the end of the draft stopper that is unsewn. Bring the cloth together and pin the two edges. Sew them together in small stitches, about 1/2-inch from the edge. This will close the other end of the draft stopper, forming a long tube.

Fold the end over one more time by 1/2-inch and sew another seam about 1/4-inch from the edge. This will create a tight seam to keep the stuffing from leaking out.