I’ve been making a concerted effort lately to remember to recycle as much as possible, and it’s been working… we have double the amount of recycling as we do trash lately. And then I got to thinking – there must be all kinds of fun DIYs that I could do using all those empty vessels. Keep reading to check out four easy ones that I tried out.
1. Paper-Covered Drawer Organizers – Simply grab a small cardboard box and cover it in a pretty decorative paper. I used gift wrap, but you might also consider wallpaper or even scraps of old catalogs if you really want to get deep into your recycling bin. Attach the paper to the box using Mod Podge.
2. Rope Vase – This nautical style vase was super easy to make. Simply cut the top off of a beer or soda can (be careful, it’s sharp) and then use a hot glue gun to attach the rope to the can. I made little handles at the top, and you could also use paint to decorate the exterior.
3. Can Lanterns – These fun lanterns are made out of beer cans also. Use a box cutter to cut a small slit in the can and then use scissors to cut the rest of the slit (scissors give you way more control… using a box cutter all the way down will result in curved lines). Cut a slit every 3/4 inch and then pull the strips outward to form a lantern shape. I would recommend wearing old gloves for this, because the metal edges are very sharp. Then paint them using non-flammable paint.
4. Animal Organizers – These are made out of recycled salsa jars, and I simply glued toy animals to the top. Then I painted the tops with chalk paint, and that was it! These would work great in the kids’ room too.
