Perfect for: Individual portions and perfectly shaped treats.
Why buy specialty molds when you have the perfect ones on hand?
How to Do It:
Grease the inside of the clean can lightly with oil or butter.
Fill with muffin batter, individual meatloaves, layered desserts, or even set Jell-O.
Once cooked or set, simply run a knife around the edge and pop out your perfectly-portioned creation.
4. Creative Craft Kits for Kids
Perfect for: A rainy afternoon activity.
Unleash your child’s imagination with a blank (and safe) metal canvas.
How to Do It:
Let kids decorate the outside with non-toxic paint, colorful washi tape, or glitter.
Transform them into shaker toys by filling with a few dried beans and sealing the top with strong tape.
String several together to create a unique wind chime.
5. Chic Desk & Craft Organizers
Perfect for: Taming clutter in drawers and on desktops.
Corral all those small items that always seem to get lost.
How to Do It:
Spray paint multiple cans in coordinating colors for a unified look.
Use them to sort paperclips, push pins, and thumbtacks on your desk.
In the craft room, they’re ideal for holding buttons, beads, or embroidery floss.
In the kitchen, use them to keep cooking utensils tidy.
A tuna can’s journey doesn’t have to end in the recycling bin. With these simple ideas, you can give them a beautiful and useful second act. It’s a small step toward a less wasteful home, filled with unique, handcrafted items.
Which idea will you try first? Share your own upcycling ideas in the comments!
Everyone has a dream something in mind. Maybe it’s a dream house, or a dream car, or a dream vacation. Something that you like thinking about but doubt you’ll ever get a chance to make into reality.
After all, when you factor in time, budget, and motivation, it sometimes seems like nothing ever gets done.
But don’t get discouraged. And if you need some inspiration, look no further than Tanya over at Dans le Lakehouse.
She had been dreaming of making over her kitchen for years, but didn’t want to spend too much money. But thanks to some thriftiness and cleverness, she got the kitchen of her dreams for a very reasonable price.
Tanya’s kitchen when she started was fine, but plain. It had lots of oak cabinets, which, while nice, were too small and made the kitchen look heavy and cluttered.
Taking inspiration from the 1950s and ’60s, as well as from her collection of turquoise butterprint Pyrex cookware, she transformed the space into an airy kitchen with equal parts vintage charm and modern sleekness.
