I've actually made a couple of those rice-filled draft stoppers myself—pretty easy DIY if you've got some spare fabric lying around. They're definitely heavier and stay put better than towels, plus they mold nicely into gaps. The only downside is if you have pets...my cat thought I'd made her a new scratching toy, so I ended up with rice everywhere. Still, worth trying if you're handy and pet-free.
I tried the rice-filled ones too, but my dog kept sniffing around like I'd hidden treats inside. Switched to dried beans instead—less tempting for pets and still molds nicely into gaps. Might be worth a shot if your cat's curious...
I had a similar issue with my cat when I first tried rice-filled draft stoppers. She thought I'd made her a giant toy and spent half the night pawing at it. Beans worked better for me too, but I eventually switched to sand. I know it sounds messy, but hear me out... I double-bagged it in sturdy ziplocks before sewing it into the fabric tube. It molds perfectly into gaps, stays put, and my cat completely lost interest after one sniff. Plus, sand has a bit more weight, so it stays snug against the door or window frame without shifting around every time someone walks by. Just make sure you seal it well—trust me, you don't want to vacuum sand out of carpet fibers.
"Just make sure you seal it well—trust me, you don't want to vacuum sand out of carpet fibers."
Haha, learned that lesson the hard way myself. I went the rice route first too, but turns out my dog thought I'd gifted her a midnight snack wrapped in fabric. Beans were better, but she still gave it suspicious sniffs every now and then. Eventually, I tried aquarium gravel (yep, the colorful stuff). Sounds weird, but it's heavy enough to stay put, molds nicely into gaps, and my pup lost interest after realizing it wasn't edible. Bonus points for the confused look on visitors' faces when they spot bright blue gravel peeking through a seam I forgot to stitch properly... oops.
Aquarium gravel, huh? Clever idea, never thought of that. But does it hold heat well enough? I'd imagine sand or rice would retain warmth better, but maybe I'm wrong. Curious if you've noticed any difference in insulation or comfort compared to the other fillings you've tried. Seems like a colorful surprise could be worth it either way though...
