Can Craft For Decorative Storage

Don’t throw out your empty tin cans! Instead use them for storage. Okay, it will take a little crafting to get them to look nice. However, a tin can works great for storing pens, paint brushes, or other craft and office items. You can also use them in the kitchen for storing utensils. With all of the potential functional uses, it only makes sense to recycle your cans for crafting. This can craft shows how to decorate your cans to use for storage.

You can do almost anything with a can to give it a unique decorative look. From painting it to covering it with paper or fabric, you can create a style that fits your taste. It’s even easy to add a handle to a can for hanging or carrying. I’ll show you a variety of ways to decorate a can to give you a little inspiration.

Besides using tin cans for storage, see how I also recycled six pack containers and cereal boxes for handy storage containers.

Three Options For Decorating Cans

Because all of my decorating options use different materials, I’ll go over each style individually. I’ll begin with a can covered in newspaper, then go over painting, and covering with burlap.

Newspaper Covered Can Craft

Although you could easily cover a can with real newspaper, I chose an aged newspaper craft paper to cover the can with.

Instructions Using Decorative Paper

Tin Can With Handle

I kept one of the cans more natural and industrial. I did add a handle for a fun look and wrapped it with burlap and silver for a more monochromatic look.

Instructions For An Industrial Look

• Using a tin hole punch, punch a hole about a half inch down on each side of the can. If you don’t have a hole punch, just use a nail and hammer a hole through the tin. Loop a section of heavy gauge silver florist wire through the holes. Twist each end up and around the section of wire to secure.

• Cut a two inch wide section of burlap to fit around the can and glue in place with hot glue. Add silver embellishments like a chain and charm. Just cut a length of jewelry chain with a tin snips. Secure the two ends of the chain together, at the back, with a jump ring. Glue the chain at the back to keep in place.

Painted Can With Buttons

This last example is the most rustic. With distressed paint, wooden buttons, and bark covered wire, it is full of rustic goodness.

Instructions For Rustic Can

• Paint the entire can with cream color paint.
• Cover the painted layer with weathered wood crackle medium. You can find this in the acrylic paint aisle in most craft stores.
• Lightly brush on, in spots, a rusty metallic paint.
• Slice a large branch in 1/8 to 1/4 inch width.
• Drill two holes in each branch slice and adhere the buttons to the can.
• Make a handle just like the previous example accept use bark covered wire.
• Tie raffia around the top of the can and secure with tacky glue.