Upcycled cans are a great way to reuse tin cans around the house as organization and décor!
I had a bit of a problem. My make-up and brushes were scattered into a drawer, and I could not figure out how to organize them. Then I saw a can while I was making some soup. I feel like a light went off in my head. Reusing the can seemed like a no brainer to me!
And I always love upcycle projects! These upcycled cans are easy to make and don’t require much many materials! If you’re looking for an easy organizational project, and have some cans, I highly recommend this project!
Check out the Craft section of MCG for more unlimited ideas. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think and how the craft works for you!
Supplies
Like I said before, there are not many materials needed for this project. The main material needed to make upcycled cans is spray paint. One of my favorite things to work with.
I decided to go with white spray paint since I felt like white or black would be the best as a base. But white fits better in a bathroom especially since black isn’t really prominent in my bathroom.
I also wanted to put a band around each can, so I found a sparkly band that I found in my hoard of supplies (I don’t know exactly what is called). And I used a knitted band that I made a few weeks back!
Process
Spray Paint
The first step needed for this process is spray painting the cans. I had to make sure each can was completely clean of food, sticky residue, and anything else before it could be turned into an upcycled can.
The spray paint needed two steps. I decided to spray paint on the inside and the outside separately. I did the inside first and tried to get a layer of spray paint around the rim during one of the sessions. The inside of the can was covered in two sessions before I flipped the can over to spray paint the outside.
The outside of the can also took two sessions, but I had to be careful during all of these spray-painted layers. I had to be careful of the ridges on the cans. They did not take paint as well as I was hoping.
Adding Bands
The next step was adding bands to the upcycled cans. I used two different bands for the two different cans. One band was sparkly, and the other band was knitted. I used double sided tape to fasten the bands to the upcycled cans.
I wanted to do a simple decoration because I never really felt that a showstopper piece should go into a bathroom. But if I was making an organizer for another part of the house, I might have gone with a bit more additives for decorations.
Reflections
I thoroughly enjoyed this project despite it being a really simple project. The upcycled cans have made my life much easier as the organization of the brushes is something I greatly needed. For such a simple project to have such a major impact is kind of amazing to me.
Lessons
Creating an Even Layer of Spray Paint
Spray painting is a great way to quickly repurpose and upcycle many items but that doesn’t mean it is without challenges. If you hold a spray paint can too close to the project that you are working on, then paint drips can start showing up on the project.
Make sure to keep the spray paint can is a good distance! More layers might be required when spray painting from farther away, but the results will look better with more patience.
Quick Recipe
Upcycled Cans: Brush Holder
Materials
- 2 tin cans
- spray paint any color
- decorations as desired
- adhesive double sided tape or glue
Instructions
- In several sessions, spray paint the inside and the outside of the tin cans until all of the surfaces are fully covered.
- Using tape or other adhesives, attach any desired decorations.