15 Ways to Reuse Empty Cans

I know, I know, cooking beans from scratch is much less expensive, but for a quick, cheap vegan meal you can’t beat a can of beans sauteed with garlic, onions, and spices over some steamed brown rice. Easy and delicious! But what do you do with the can after you’ve eaten the contents?

Sure, you can toss it in the recycle bin. Metal is one of the few materials that doesn’t get downcycled in the recycling process. That means that, unlike something like plastic, metal doesn’t lose quality in the recycling process. You can recycle it over and over. Still, recycling takes energy – it has to make it to the recycling center, and then it has to be processed into a new metal product.

Instead of throwing that empty can away, you can use your crafty skills to turn empty cans into all sorts of cool things! Here are some ideas to get you going.

1. Cover an empty can with pretty paper or fabric and use it to hold pens, pencils, or paint brushes.

2. Grab a bit of yarn or twine and turn an empty can into a chic yarn-wrapped vase.

3. HGTV shows us how to turn empty cans into a cute, magnetic storage board for kids’ craft supplies.

4. If you have a soda can handy, grab your tin snips and make a cute flower hair clip!

5. How cute are these can stilts from Disney Family Fun? Just make sure you keep an eye on the kiddos while they play with these!

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Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Samantha (Home Sweet Home)