Let’s talk about repurpose cans and jars 14 amazing ways to easily. Everyone has glass jars and old cans in our recycling bin. We are sharing creative ways to make old cans and old jars useful before adding them to the recycling bin. In a world increasingly focused on sustainability and reducing waste, repurposing everyday items has become a fun and great way to contribute.

We all have empty cans and I have many old cans of Caffe D’Vita. This is delicious and it’s my one indulgence every evening. Give it a try, it comes in many flavors!

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Before beginning any project with old cans from the recycling bin, make sure to clean them with warm soapy water.

If you are removing the top of old cans I recommend using this product so there will be a smooth edge and no sharp edges.

Benefits Of Repurposing Cans And Jars Can Have Several Benefits

• Environmental benefits: Repurposing cans and glass jars reduces waste and helps to minimize the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, which can hurt the environment.
• Cost savings: Instead of buying new containers, you can save money by repurposing old tin cans and glass jars for storage, organization, or decoration.
• Creativity and DIY projects: Repurposing old tin cans, glass jars, and candle jars can be a fun way and creative way to decorate your home, craft room, or office, and it can also be a great DIY project.
• Sustainability: Repurposing cans, glass jars, and plastic containers is a great way to reduce the need to manufacture new products, which can save items from the recycling center.

Overall, repurposing empty tin cans and glass jars is an easy and practical way to reduce waste, save money, and use items from the recycling bin.

Creative Ways: Repurpose Old Cans and Jars

Crafty Can Creations: Transforming Cans and Glass Jars Into Storage Solutions

14 Easy Ways to Repurpose Old Cans

1. Vases:

• This is the easiest way to update Old tin cans and glass jars are a great way to use vases with fresh flowers from the garden or the grocery store for centerpieces in our home decor.
• Spray paint metallic paint such as copper, bronze, or silver that can easily be found at any craft store.
• Add an image, stencils, or water safe Mod Podge and cover them with your favorite paper napkins.
• This is a great way to save multiple old cans and make a pretty centerpiece, especially during the winter months and the holiday season. The possibilities are endless.
• These also make great gifts for any person in your life.
• This is a favorite way to use old jars and old cans and give them new life.

2. Candle Holder:

This is a simple way of upcycling glass jars in different sizes:

• Here’s a fun craft that’s easy, add some sand, stones, or rice to the bottom of old jars and add a tea light. This keeps the tea light stable inside glass jars.
• These jars are perfect for coastal style.  Imagine each glass jars painted in different shade and a different color of blue or tan for a coastal vibe.
• Light candles for a pretty centerpiece.
• This is a great use for Mason jars, pickle jars, candle containers, and old candle jars which are the perfect size.

3. Citronella Candles:

• Citronella candles are an easy way, inexpensive way, and fun project, use larger glass jars or large coffee cans and make a homemade citronella candle.
• Not only are these glass jars and cans being kept out of the recycling bin but also the recycling center.
• Add scrapbook paper to an empty jar with a coat of water safe Mod Podge that can be found at any craft store.
• When your craft project is finished, be sure to add a second or third layer of water safe Mod Podge. This will keep your candle looking pretty in your outdoor space.
• You will have the prettiest citronella candle containers in the neighborhood.
• This is a great way and practical way to make citronella candles for your next outdoor gathering that would be needed to keep pesky bugs from ruining a fun time.

4. Makeup Brushes:

• This is a great way and practical way to upcycle tin cans and glass jars to store makeup brushes on your vanity for easy access.
• All of these supplies can be found at any craft store.
• Add spray paint, chalk paint, acrylic paint, pretty washi tape, or scrapbook paper to your recycled item and make it fit your home decor.
• Because this the glass containers are usually in the bathroom, I suggest adding a layer of water safe Mod Podge. This will keep your containers pretty and protected from excess moisture.
• This is a great use for an everyday item and serves a practical purpose.
• Besides makeup brushes add hair ties, hairbrushes and combs to keep everything organized and the best part, these ideas are an easy project that can be accomplished in hours.

5. Loose Change:

• This is a great idea to save loose change.
• Cut a slit in the can lid and use it to save money for your Starbucks coffee or an accessory for your home decor.
• This best part, kids learn about money and save the change for their favorite toy.

6. Grateful Jar:

• Use old cans, glass jars, candle containers, or old candle jars to add notes to share what everyone is grateful for in their lives. This is a fun project for the entire family.
• This would be a great idea to share especially during this time of year on one of the holidays as a family tradition.

7. Pen And Pencil Holders:

• Of course, we have many old jars and old cans waiting to go into the recycling bin.
• These are perfect for holding pencil holders and for pens on your desk in your office or craft room to write down craft ideas, a shopping list, DIY projects, or cleaning projects that need to be taken care of for the home.
• Add a quick coat of spray paint or chalk paint and dark wax this is a beautiful way to add a rustic look.
• If you are applying chalk paint and wax, remember to add a light top coat to protect the wax from moisture.
• Remember if you are adding spray paint, you only need a little paint.

8. Craft supplies:

• Store paintbrushes in your craft room to have them ready to grab for DIY projects.
• This is a great way to store other craft supplies such as paint pens, chalk pens, scissors, and more.
• Add your favorite color of chalk paint or acrylic paint. Visit the craft store and embellish these with ribbon, jute, or trim with a hot glue gun.

9. Cotton Balls:

• Store cotton balls and swabs in glass jars, old tin cans, candle containers, or old candle jars instead of throwing them into the recycling bin.
• A simple way to make these pretty, use water safe Mod Podge with a foam brush and add scrapbook paper, floral wrapping paper, or paper napkins.
• Remember, when adding paper napkins it’s best to work in a small area at a time.
• Use small pieces of paper napkin. If the paper napkin tears wait until the water safe Mod Podge dries and add a second coat of Mod Podge and add small piece of napkin.

It will be a beautiful way to reach for cotton balls to remove makeup or for any beauty need.

10. Food Storage:

• Add chalkboard labels to glass jars such as Mason jars.
• Mason jars have a sealed lid, which makes them a great way to store spices and herbs you may purchase in bulk-size plastic containers.
• This may be a great space-saving solution if you are short on space in your home.
• Mason jars can get heavy, so be careful how heavy you make them for safety reasons.

11. Lanterns:

• This is a fun project and a great way to keep large cans out of the recycling bin.
• Drill small holes in a pattern of your choice with a small drill bit.
• This is another good use and favorite way to use old cans.
• Add spray paint in copper, and black, and add flameless candles for a warm glow for the fall, holiday season, and winter months.
• If you are using repurposed tin cans for lanterns, make sure to add sand to the bottoms.  This gives them weight and will keep from blowing away during gusty winds. This is a great safety precaution to avoid injuries or damage.
• Imagine different sizes of homemade lanterns on your front porch, walkway, or steps for a warm welcome for all who visit for the upcoming season.

12. Plant Containers:

• This is another great way to keep those larger cans from the recycling bin. Large cans are creative ways to use to use for planters.
• Large cans are inexpensive and can often be found at thrift stores.
• Drill small holes in the bottom for good drainage.
• Add soil and your favorite plant.
• If you live where the climate is changing, keep an eye out for large cans when you are out at the thrift store or flea markets and make these for the next planting season.
• Seal the cans with a good outdoor oil base sealer to prevent rusting and keep your containers in good shape .
• If you have a sunny area in your home use other old cans and make yourself an herb garden.
• This is a fun and simple idea to add fresh greens to the home during the winter months.
• It would be great to have fresh herbs for cooking your favorite comfort food during the winter.

13. Pin Cushion:

• Truth, I didn’t think of this idea on my own. I saw this online and it’s a great way to reuse small old jars.
• The pins can be stored in the old jar, how brilliant is this idea to keep jars from the recycling bin?
• Now, these make great gifts for a sewer in your life. Every time they are stitching and cutting a pattern they will remember this thoughtful gift.
• If you sew or know someone who loves to sew, how about making a pin cushion from one of the lids of old jars?

This girl can’t sew a button but I love these so much. I find it funny that I am able to create DIY projects but can’t sew a thing.

14. Storing Plastic Bags

• ​Use a large tin to store plastic bags from the grocery store and craft store.
• This great way to keep those plastic bags neat and ready to grab and to keep another item out of the recycle bin.

So instead of sitting in the recycling bin let’s make useful storage containers for home decor.

Craft Supplies Needed:

• Chalk paint, Spray paint, or Acrylic paint
• printer paper and printer
• Graphic Images – they’re FREE!
• Outdoor water safe Mod Podge
• Chip brush
• foam brush – optional
• clean old cans or old jars
• 220-grit sanding sponge or sandpaper
• scissors

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How to Upcycle and Recycle Metal Containers into Useful Pieces

Green Chic: Elevate Your Home Decor Eco-Friendly Can Vases

Step 1: Clean And Remove Labels

Clean your old cans or old jars with warm soapy water and remove any labels.

Next, lightly sand with a 220-grit sanding sponge. This roughs up the surface a bit to give old cans so the paint will stick.

Paint the can with two coats of chalk paint of your choice.

Tip: If you use acrylic paint for your craft project, you may need an extra coat of paint.

Tip: For painting old jars such as candle jars, I suggest chalk paint or glass paint.

Print a Graphic Image of Your Choice

Step 2: The Art of Design: Crafting Visual Impact

Now decide on a graphic image of your choice to add to your easy recycled can craft. Again, the link takes you to one of my favorite places and these vintage images are FREE! I also suggest signing up to follow this site because new graphics are added often.

Here I recommend cutting as close to the graphic as possible. This adds a cleaner look to your old cans turned vase.

Next using an outdoor Mod Podge add it to the back and add it to the can smoothing the paper.

By the way, I have a trick for using plastic wrap to remove wrinkles from paper during this process for your DIY projects. It works every time!

Tip: It’s important to use water safe Mod Podge to protect your easy craft project and image from water.

After the images dry add a coat of water safe Mod Podge to the outside of the graphic.

You have yourself a beautiful vase and kept old cans from the recycling bin and created a great useful project for your home decor.

Make These Today!

​Ready To Unleash Your Creativity? Start Repurposing Today!

So, remember to save plastic jars, plastic bottles and glass jars to keep as many items we can out of recycling bins and the recycling center. 

Eco-Friendly Movement: Share Your Upcycling Stories!

Use these creative ways to make pretty pieces to add to your home decor from everyday items.

Share your own upcycling project in the comments section. We enjoy engaging with our readers to build a fun crafting and recycling community and inspire others use these pieces in creative ways.

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Check out these other creative ways to use old cans. Guess what, this takes minutes to make and it’s so pretty. Check this neat vase I made and let me know what you think.

And here’s a great idea for any extra old cans. These make perfect gift ideas and centerpieces too. It’s a MUST SEE!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this full tutorial and fun ways to repurpose cans and jars 14 amazing ways. Can you believe how fast this craft project is to complete?

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