DIY Bondage: Using Household Items for Kinky Play

Today we’re talking about the B word.

Budget. It’s not a sexy word, but sometimes budgeting is a necessity especially now we’re facing a cost of living crisis in the UK. During these periods, it’s usually the little luxuries and fun stuff that’s sacrificed first — like your lingerie and sex toy fund. But cutting back on those treats doesn’t mean your sex life has to suffer.

Get creative and you’ll find you can continue to explore your kinky side without having to fork out heaps of money on new PVC knickers or BDSM sex toys. Once you start looking at your belongings lying around the house with a keen kinky eye and you’ll see them in a new light...

Unsurprisingly, the hardware store can also be your friend if you don’t mind a touch of DIY when it comes to the bedroom. Especially if you have a wild imagination. A broom handle with some holes drilled in the end, for example, can become a spreader bar with ankle cuffs if you get a bit creative.

When experimenting with bondage with your partner or even self-bondage, safety is paramount. One vital consideration you should make is to always have a plan for how to release yourself or your partner quickly and safely- especially with your DIY contraptions.

Belt and braces or bondage restraint?

“When it comes to finding safe restraints, your imagination is the only limit,” explains sex educator and author, Midori. Depending on which area of the body you’re looking to restrain, you could try “sexy stockings, neck-ties, long thin scarves, bathrobe belts, luggage straps, strands of plastic pearls.” All of which can also work well as bed restraints.

Pillowcases also make quite nifty restraints. You can create quick cuffs - no knots required - or make full arm-length and shoulder restraints. To do this, the person being restrained should place their arms behind their back, hands apart and tightened into fists. The dominant partner pulls the pillowcase right up to the shoulders. Bring their wrists down to their hips and then lay them so their own body weight will keep them in place.

This means you don’t have to invest in expensive bondage rope (like jute, cotton rope, or macrame rope) before you decide if bondage is for you. And definitely save the complex shibari rope ties for later!

Items for blindfolds

Blindfolds are one of the simplest BDSM accessories, therefore one of the easiest ones for DIY bondage. Scarfs work well, but avoid wool because it can get hot and sticky under there if you’re doing it right. Or try work ties, folded-up clothing or even a sleep mask. It’s basically all the same thing but there’s something about repurposing your everyday bits and bobs that one, is good for the environment and two, will put a cheeky smile on your face the next time you go to use it for its actual intended purpose.

Items to use for gags

When hunting for a DIY bondage gag, remember it needs to be soft. The corners of the mouth and the lips are sensitive areas and we definitely want to be delicate so we can put them to good use again. Any DIY gags should be small enough that they don’t overextend the jaw.

Silk or pure cotton work ties placed between the teeth (like a bit gag) are good options. For a ball gag look and feel, roll up a sock, pair of underwear or handkerchief- if anyone still actually uses them.

Items for impact play

Run don’t walk to the kitchen! Pretty much anything you find in here can be - ahem - repurposed or reimagined...

Okay, maybe not the air fryer.

But spatulas, fish slices or a wooden spoon will allow you to strike up some rosy cheeks in no time and make a strong substitute spanking paddle or flogger. Both are fantastic options if you have a kink for kitchen role-play. Pick a few utensils made of different materials and deliver a range of delicious spanking sensations.

Whilst you’re in there, why not grab that Nutella jar and indulge in a hazelnutty treat alongside your spatula spanking sesh or pick up some oil for a little post-spank aftercare massage?

Beyond the kitchen, try enforcing some discipline with rulers, backs of hairbrushes or even hardback books to deliver a satisfying paddle-like thud. For those committed to increasing the intensity of sensation, a heavy-duty leather belt could be your new best friend...

Items for sensation play

These are household items that should tickle, prickle or pinch. For example, running a comb horizontally over the skin while applying light pressure, results in sensations akin to a pinwheel.

A teasing pair of washing-up gloves with textured palms and fingers can be great for sensation play too. Drag them across a lover’s back to create a light scratching or prickling sensation. Or wear them while delivering a good spanking.

Feather dusters (it goes without saying that they should be unused- unless you have a dust fetish?) can make tantalising feather ticklers.

For a pinch to complement feathery touches, try elastic bands as nipple rings or clothespins or pegs as labia or nipple clamps. Having said that, these aren’t ideal for bondage beginners as you’ll need a high pain tolerance.  

Bondage on a budget?

It is possible to buy purpose-made items for tying, spanking, blindfolding and flogging that don’t break the bank. If you’d rather not risk snapping your favourite spatula while dishing out a spanking, take a look at our guide to Bondage on a Budget.

One of the reasons to buy proper BDSM toys is that many items are adjustable and this can make for optimal comfort and quick release when necessary. Along with meeting all your bondage sex needs, we stock a wide range of sex toys from vibrators and cock rings to lubricants.

Our range of BDSM gear and sex toys offer inspiration for soft and hard BDSM play (depending on your tastes) and many items are under a tenner.

Shop now and restrain yourself no further...