13 Popular Bean Bag Uses – More Than Just a Seat

Bean bags are versatile, cozy seats that have been used by homeowners and other people for years. Despite being created as toys at first, they have since become essential pieces of furniture for every modern home. They are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors making them ideal for any interior or exterior decor.

Bean bags were initially used as makeshift chairs for hippies and students. But they have now developed into multipurpose pieces of furniture. For many people, bean bags have replaced traditional furniture since they offer a comfy seating choice and can add an aesthetic touch to home décor.

Read on to discover the 12 main yet helpful and popular uses of bean bags.

Bean Bag History

Before diving into the applications of bean bags, let’s briefly discuss their history to understand how they have become useful pieces of furniture over the past years.

A team of Italian designers created the bean bag in 1969. They were looking for a brand-new style of furniture that would be cozy and portable. They had the concept for a bag that contained polystyrene beads. The name “Sacco,” which translates to “bag” in Italian, was given to the first bean bag.

For more than 50 years, bean bags have been a mainstay in many households. They are cozy, adaptable, and reasonably priced which makes them a fantastic option for people of all ages.

Who Invented the Bean Bag?

The first bean bag chair was created to respond to the user and form around their body. It was patented by Roger Dean. But the first bean bag wasn’t truly a bean bag as it looks in the present times. It was a circular puff of foam known as the Sea Urchin Chair.

When you sat down inside of it, you slid down and around it. The sitter was surrounded by foam rather than beans, which led the way for the bean bag that we all have in our homes and offices.

The Italian design company Zanatta Design designed the original “bean” bag in 1969. Their team made an effort to make something more fluid and contemporary in order to cater to the flower power generation.

Their bean bag was a leather pouch that was initially filled with thermocol pellets before being switched out for shredded poly-foams. Although the exterior shells have evolved significantly over time, these fillings are quite comparable to what the majority of manufacturers use today.

13 Creative Uses of Bean Bags

Despite the fact that most people utilize them for just seating, bean bags are used for much more. We’ll go through several unique and exciting ways to use bean bags in your home

1. As Outdoor Furniture
2. As a Chair
3. As a Home Theater Seating
4. As a Couch
5. As Kids’ Furniture
6. As an Ottoman
7. As a Footstool
8. As a Gaming Chair
9. As a Pet Bed
10. As a Bed
11. As a Pool Float
12. As a Yoga and Meditation Seat
13. As a Lounger

Let’s discuss each one of them in detail.

1. As Outdoor Furniture

Bean bags are ideal for outdoor furniture. It is perfect for those who enjoy relaxing in the great outdoors. They are lightweight, cozy, and water-resistant. Plus, as most of them are lightweight, you can move them around the pool or patio.

2. As a Chair

The most common use of bean bags is as a chair. They are cozy, affordable, and available in a range of sizes and shapes. Bean bag chairs are fantastic for individuals of all ages and are best for any room in the house. You can use them for sitting, reading, and watching TV with your friends and family.

3. As a Home Theater Seating

Then, you can use a bean bag as a home theater seating. People who enjoy watching movies in the comfort of their own homes will adore the bean bag home theatre chairs. They offer a comfortable and laid-back setting for watching movies, playing video games, or reading books.

4. As a Couch

A fantastic substitute for a standard couch is a bean bag couch. It is comfy, stylish, and convenient to move around the homes. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes making them great for any area in the house.

5. As Kids’ Furniture

Children love playing video games, and bean bags are best for creating a relaxing and encouraging gaming environment. They can sleep on bean bags at sleepovers as an additional alternative to traditional beds. Or it can act as extra furniture to sleep on. 

6. As an Ottoman

The bean bag is not limited to seating options only. They can also be used as ottomans. It is a great addition to any room. It is perfect for people who like to put their feet up while reading a book or watching TV. They can be used as decorative pieces, coffee tables, extra seating, and storage space.

7. As a Footstool

Next up, you have the option to use a bean bag as a footstool. A living room or bedroom can both benefit from using bean bags as footstools.

When utilized as footstools, they offer a cozy seating choice that lets you raise your feet and adds more support. They are versatile alternatives that can be combined with various colors and textures of your home decor.

8. As a Gaming Chair

Bean bags are an awesome alternative to traditional gaming chairs. The bean bag gaming chair is perfect for gamers who have long gaming sessions. They offer a comfortable and relaxed seating experience that can help reduce strain on your back and neck.

You can also customize them to fit your body shape and size. Plus, they come in a wide range of colors and designs to match your gaming room’s decor

9. As a Bed

Bean bags can be used as temporary beds for guests or for camping trips. They can act as a comfortable sleeping surface and can be easily stored away when not in use. You can customize them to fit as per your body shape and size, making them a versatile sleeping option.

10. As a Pet Bed

Pets can benefit from bean bags just as much as people do. Bean bag pet beds are cozy and soft, making them the best choice for your furry friends. They offer a comfortable and cozy sleeping surface for pets, making them a practical option for pet owners.

11. As a Pool Float

Bean bags used as pool floats is one of the best ways to use them. People can use them for relaxing in the pool as they are made of water-resistant material that can withstand the elements. 

They are also lightweight and easy to move around, making them a practical option for pool lounging. Homeowners can use bean bag pool floats for a comfortable and relaxing seating experience that is perfect for soaking up the sun by the pool.

12. As a Yoga and Meditation Seat

Bean bags are also perfect for comfortable and supportive yoga and meditation seats. The soft and plush texture of bean bags conforms to the shape of your body, providing a cozy and relaxed seating experience.

They are perfect for those who want to meditate or do yoga in comfort. They can help reduce strain on your back and neck which makes them suitable for longer meditation and yoga sessions.

13. As a Lounger

The bean bag lounger is basically an oversized version of the bean bag that is perfect for people who want to lay back, stretch out, and really relax. It’s great for anyone who loves to lounge or just wants to sit back and chill out.

With a bean bag lounger, you can curl up with a good book or watch a movie in ultimate comfort, and even catch a quick nap whenever you feel like it.

Uses of Other Types of Bean Bags

There are some other types of bean bags that are not actually of the size or shape of typical bean bags but are used for multiple purposes. These uses are as follows:

1. Non-Lethal Rounds or Police Bean Bags

Non-lethal bean bag rounds, which are created using fabric pillows packed with lead shots, are frequently used by police and other law enforcement agencies with regular shotguns. These are the bean bags that police use as less damaging ammunition.

The lead shot stays in the bag after being fired, distributing the force of contact over a substantial portion of the target. It will hurt you if you are the target of this non-lethal weaponry!

However, it simply results in temporary trauma that causes targets to become immobile without seriously injuring or killing them. They are mainly used for taking down running suspects or for crowd control.

As bean bag rounds are less likely to result in significant damage or death, they are less dangerous than conventional ammunition, such as bullets. Even yet, bean bag rounds have been known to result in fatalities occasionally and can cause some pain and or even injury.

2. Juggling Balls

Bean bags can also be used as juggling balls. They are soft and easy to catch and are mainly used in circuses. Clowns can use them to practice their juggling skills as they don’t roll off when fall.

They are a decent way for beginners to practice juggling without breaking the bank. Furthermore, kids can play different games with them.

3. Games

Games frequently involve small bags filled with various things. The bean bag toss is one of the most well-known of these games. There are various variations of this game. One version makes use of a box with several holes.

Players can score highly by throwing the bean bag into the smaller holes as opposed to the larger ones, which only reward a few points. A bean bag can also be used as a Hacky Sack, or footbag, in a number of football-inspired activities.

4. Camera Stands

Photographers know the worth of a camera bean bag. They know that a bean bag can be a great alternative to a traditional tripod due to a number of reasons. Camera bean bags are way more versatile than tripods. That is why, they can be used in a number of different situations.

For example, bean bags can be easily manipulated into different shapes to accommodate high shots or low angles. They are also more light in weight than tripods, making them easier to transport. Additionally, bean bags can be placed on uneven surfaces, which is not always possible with tripods.

These advantages are some of the reasons why bean bags are becoming increasingly popular among photographers. Therefore, if you are looking for a versatile and effortless way to stabilize your camera, a camera bean bag is a great option.

5. Safety Helmets

Several corporations have ventured into the production of protective headgear that features cushioning made of bean bags. The most popular form of cushioning is the Vaco12 technology. This system uses millions of spherical beads which function to distribute the impact’s energy evenly.

Vaco12 cushioning has been utilized in medical equipment for many years but has now become a common feature in helmets meant for skiing and cycling purposes.

6. Radiant Heating Pads

Bean sacks can be utilized as a radiant heating pad by filling them with materials that conserve heat, for example, rice, flax seeds, corn, beans, barley, cherry pits, wheat, and oats, and warming them in a microwave oven at low to medium temperature.

Once heated, the bean bag can be put on the person’s body to provide heat therapy for joint pain or sore muscles. Keep in mind that it’s important to be careful when using a bean bag as a radiant heating pad to prevent slight to severe injuries such as burns. 

Always test the temperature of the bean bag before using it on your body, and never abandon it unsupervised in the microwave oven. You can also spritz the bean bag with water to give it a touch of moisture.

Also, you can put aromatic ingredients in the fillings such as ginger, lavender, peppermint oil, cloves, cinnamon, rose petals, and nutmeg. 

7. Therapeutic Tool for Autism

Bean bags are a tremendously beneficial and therapeutic tool for people with autism. For people who struggle with sensory processing, sensory input is crucial.

Deep pressure input from bean bags can be soothing and useful for helping people to stay calm and control their sensory systems. They can also be utilized as tactile inputs, stimulating the sense of touch with a variety of textures.

Proprioceptive input is crucial for people who struggle with body awareness and coordination. Using bean bags for motions like tossing, catching, and balancing, one can be able to provide proprioceptive input.

Bean Bag Benefits

Bean bags are one of the best alternatives to traditional chairs and sofas. In addition to being more comfortable and taking up less room than standard furniture, they can also be entertaining to play with (especially when you want to cuddle up with your partner or pet).

Here are a few ways that bean bags can be beneficial for you, your house, or your workplace.

Comfort

Bean bags are a fun and cost-effective solution to improve the comfort, aesthetics, and utility of your house. They can be used both indoors and outdoors and are long-lasting and simple to clean.

Since bean bags offer an additional layer of softness, they are great for children who don’t want to be constrained by the hard edges of a regular chair or couch and want something different from what their parents already own.

Durability

The durability of bean bags is one of their main benefits. They are made of washable materials and durable fabrics, so you can use them for a long time without worrying that the quality will deteriorate. You can take your bean bag with you everywhere you go because it can be utilized both inside and outside.

The versatility of bean bags makes them a fantastic investment as well. They are so durable and long-lasting that you won’t ever need to bother about replacing them.

Different Colors, Sizes, and Shapes

There are probably many options available if you want to purchase a bean bag. Different sizes, shapes, and colors are available for bean bags.

They come in a wide range of colors, so if you want something colorful, there should be something available for everyone who wants something entertaining but also useful!

Don’t Take a Lot of Space

Bean bags are a terrific, relatively space-efficient way to add seating to your home. Bean bags are a fantastic choice if you have a small space because they take up less room than most other types of furniture.

They are therefore ideal for small apartments or kid’s rooms where having big furniture on the floor is not the best choice. Additionally, it is easy to move the bean bag about and store it when it’s not in use, which helps you save even more room.

Creates Lounge-like Feel

Using bean bags in your home or workplace is a terrific way to enjoy comfort, and relaxation, and even style your home interior. In the living room, bean bags can be used to read, watch TV, use a laptop, or just chill out.

As they are soft and it takes no effort to them clean up after spills or mishaps, bean bags are a favorite among kids as well. They’re awesome for gaming, watching movies, and relaxing as well!

Tons of Creative Ways to Use a Bean Bag

So, these were some of the creative and unique bean bag uses. Bean bags will always make for a comfy and adaptable seating option. Any room in the house, including the living room, bedroom, playroom, and even outdoors like the garden or backyard, can be the perfect place for them.

Bean bags come in a huge range of sizes and forms which is why they are ideal for any design or requirement. They have you covered whether you need a cozy chair to watch movies in, a footstool to put your feet up on, or a pet bed for your furry companion.

They are inexpensive, easy to maintain, and can give your house a fun and aesthetic touch. So why not bring some comfort and diversity into your home by adding a bean bag?