Multipurpose Wonders: Tin Cans
Feel thrifty, productive and imaginative all at once when you turn these everyday recyclables into fun and functional decor
Target's release of 1.2 million limited-edition Campbell's cans sporting Warhol-inspired labels has me walking down memory lane and reconsidering the tin can. When I was growing up, our basement was overflowing with Campbell's soup labels, because my mother was Ayer Elementary School's Campbell's Soup Lady. This meant she had to gather and count all the labels other parents donated. (She was pretty excited to move up to Book Lady the next year and leave the labels behind.) The school then traded them in for high-tech stuff, like overhead projectors and abaci.
During these olden times, there was no such thing as recycling, but we did fashion high-tech phone systems from the cans and a ball of string, and our art teachers came up with good tin can projects for us. I'm psyched to say that the creative tin can spirit from days of yore (the 1980s) is still alive today; see if they inspire any easy projects in your home.
During these olden times, there was no such thing as recycling, but we did fashion high-tech phone systems from the cans and a ball of string, and our art teachers came up with good tin can projects for us. I'm psyched to say that the creative tin can spirit from days of yore (the 1980s) is still alive today; see if they inspire any easy projects in your home.
Type of can: Small paint can, coffee can, soup can
Use: Organizing art or office supplies
Result: Chances are, one of your earliest DIY projects was wrapping a soup can in some wrapping paper at nursery school and giving it to your dad for his desk as a gift. Use your favorite wallpaper sample or fabric, or bust out the Mod Podge and channel your inner John Derian by decoupaging a few cans for your studio or desk.
Use: Organizing art or office supplies
Result: Chances are, one of your earliest DIY projects was wrapping a soup can in some wrapping paper at nursery school and giving it to your dad for his desk as a gift. Use your favorite wallpaper sample or fabric, or bust out the Mod Podge and channel your inner John Derian by decoupaging a few cans for your studio or desk.
Type of can: Coffee tin
Use: Outdoor planter
Result: A colorful vertical garden. I love the way these containers have all faded to different degrees.
Tip: Drill holes in the bottom for good drainage.
Use: Outdoor planter
Result: A colorful vertical garden. I love the way these containers have all faded to different degrees.
Tip: Drill holes in the bottom for good drainage.
Type of can: Paint can
Use: Planter
Result: A good way to use those paint cans collecting in the crawl space, since you never know how to get rid of them anyway. Give them a coat of glossy bright paint and they'll grab attention in the garden.
Use: Planter
Result: A good way to use those paint cans collecting in the crawl space, since you never know how to get rid of them anyway. Give them a coat of glossy bright paint and they'll grab attention in the garden.
Type of can: Spice tin
Use: Container for starting seeds
Result: You'll check the dates on those ancient spices in your pantry and won't feel guilty dumping them out, because you'll have a nice new way to use them.
By the way, if realizing that your herbs are older than your college-age child inspires you to clean out the pantry, here's some help for getting started.
Use: Container for starting seeds
Result: You'll check the dates on those ancient spices in your pantry and won't feel guilty dumping them out, because you'll have a nice new way to use them.
By the way, if realizing that your herbs are older than your college-age child inspires you to clean out the pantry, here's some help for getting started.
Type of can: Any
Use: Robot sculpture
Result: A funny conversation piece you can use indoors or out. (It will eventually rust outdoors, but the patina will make it more interesting.)
Use: Robot sculpture
Result: A funny conversation piece you can use indoors or out. (It will eventually rust outdoors, but the patina will make it more interesting.)
Type of can: Campbell's soup can
Use: Silverware holder at a picnic or buffet
Result: A clever pop art basis for the rest of your color scheme
Use: Silverware holder at a picnic or buffet
Result: A clever pop art basis for the rest of your color scheme
Type of can: Campbell's soup can
Use: Warhol-esque installation
Result: Soup storage that dazzles in the kitchen and frees up a pantry shelf.
Use: Warhol-esque installation
Result: Soup storage that dazzles in the kitchen and frees up a pantry shelf.
Type of can: Campbell's soup can
Use: Pendant light
Result: I swiped this idea from lighting genius Ingo Maurer, but why not try it with a favorite can and a simple lighting kit from the hardware store? If you picked up one of the limited-edition Warhol cans at Target, it's a great way to enjoy it in perpetuity.
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Use: Pendant light
Result: I swiped this idea from lighting genius Ingo Maurer, but why not try it with a favorite can and a simple lighting kit from the hardware store? If you picked up one of the limited-edition Warhol cans at Target, it's a great way to enjoy it in perpetuity.
Browse more multipurpose wonders
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Use: Vase
Result: Whether you leave them with their natural metal patina or paint them bright colors, soup cans are just the right size for a bouquet or a small plant.
Tip: High-gloss acrylic paint looks the sassiest.