Recently, I received an e-mail from a reader who asks about reusing aluminum and other food cans. She always gets a good deal on canned food, so she uses quite a bit of it. After emptying the cans, she washes them out and stacks them in her pantry. “The cans are taking over my kitchen,” she writes. “Is there something I can do with the cans, other than recycling them?”
A while back, I did post an article on reusing tin cans. Since then, I’ve found some more ideas. Of course, you can always recycle the cans, but isn’t it nice to know that you can give them a second life first? It is like paying less for the item, since you get an additional benefit.
One word of advice: be careful when you open the cans. Never use cans that have sharp edges unless you first blunt the edges. If you do open a lot of cans, consider investing in a special can opener that cuts the cans on the sides instead of the top. Not only does this prevent sharp edges, but it also allows you to reseal the can as needed.
So without further ado, here is a list of some additional ways to use cans.
The classic use for cans, of course, is to use them as a tin can phone. Punch holes in the bottom of each can. Then insert a thick string in the hole of each can. Tie a knot at each end to prevent the string from falling out. Stretch the cans and strings taught and talk into them. Update this toy by painting the cans first. My daughter loves pink.
Turn the cans into a christmas tree by stacking the cans into a Christmas tree shape and using a glue gun to secure them. Spray paint the tree green or leave it the silver for a more modern look. String tiny craft lights around the tree, and add other decorations. Pom-poms make colorful ornaments. You’ll need 27 cans for this craft.
Don’t miss part two, coming up later today.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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