FOOD What do you do with your empty food cans?

[summerthyme]

I put quick set cement in the veggie cans; then immediately set a solar yard light in them. Once set, I can move them anyplace around the yard, patio, around our travel trailer, or path out to craft room. Those on the lawn can be easily moved when I get ready to mow.

When I used to go 'glamping,' the gals loved the lights around my decorated area.

Or, you can bring them inside when the power goes out and I have lights all over the house and down the hallway. I spray the cans different colors as well.

I love it! Years ago, hubby was very frustrated... it was mid winter, the ground was rock hard, and he wanted to run a temporary fence across the barnyard to keep the cows off a dangerous icy spot. I gathered up a bunch of 1 gallon plastic pails (our milkhouse detergent came in them), filled them with Sakrete, and stuck a fiberglass fence post in the center of each one.

When they set up, we just set them in place on the snow, and ran an electric polywire across. It worked well.

Summerthyme

 

[WOS]

Most of mine go into the recycle bin. #10 coffee cans, the plastic tubs (sour cream, cream cheese, etc) and some of the larger glass jars do tend to stay around as useful. The cans can be handy as a "wash bucket" for cleaning small parts, or paint brushes; or for storing the excess nuts, bolts & screws that seem to come from every project around the house. One of the things I like about glass jars is their resistance being "eaten" by the contents being stored in them. A 1 gal (former pickle) jar has served well for storing the chlorine used to shock the well, for instance...

While I don't smoke cigars, a kind of a fun one is old cigar boxes. Some of them are quite well made, to the point the tobacco shop is charging for for the ones they used to give away. They offer some protection to their contents, and are often just the "right size". Among other uses, one serves as a tool box for the small hand tools I commonly use on the electronics bench....

 

[Hermantribe]

I’m addicted to Altoids. I love the tins they come in. I’ve saved a few but due to my overuse of that pepperminty delight, I just throw them out now. I hate clutter and I’m too lazy to actually do anything with them.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I use the spam cans for holding pens, markers, colored pencils and the like, in my studio. The short round cans that chicken or beef comes in I use for short watercolor crayons, etc. #3 pinto bean cans are great for holding paint brushes, palette knives, etc., We have a few metal coffee cans that we've kept for various things like holding salt for deicing the driveway. Otherwise they go into the trash.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I’m addicted to Altoids. I love the tins they come in. I’ve saved a few but due to my overuse of that pepperminty delight, I just throw them out now. I hate clutter and I’m too lazy to actually do anything with them.

FYI If they are still the metal ones you could bag them up and sell them on FB Marketplace, Etsy, etc. I use them for storing things like pins, needles, calligraphy pen nibs, etc.

My father used to use the wider larger cans in the garden area. He would leave them set out in the garden, and when it rained he collect it and save it, and use it to water the garden for a few days after the rain had left.

With coffee cans we cut the bottoms out and used them around the tomato and pepper plants when we put them out.

 

[Fairwillows]

I’m addicted to Altoids. I love the tins they come in. I’ve saved a few but due to my overuse of that pepperminty delight, I just throw them out now. I hate clutter and I’m too lazy to actually do anything with them.

I love altoids, my fave is cinnamon. I've seen where folks make lil emergency kits with those cans.

Mini sewing kit. Thread. Needles. Pins. Better than the breakable shells usually found in pharmacies. Plus you can add some specific items of your own like buttons, bigger / smaller/ more safety pins, etc.

Medication box. [Vitamins also]. Use cotton or paper towel so that they don't rattle around.

Meditation Box: Incense, incense holder, matches or small lighter.
(Recommend wrapping sticks inside some paper to make bundles. Tape the paper. Might want to use cotton as padding.

[Flash Drives / Flash Cards / SD Cards]

[Rubber Bands / Paper Clips]

oh wait, here' s good link:

20 Ways to Use an Altoid Tin | Brandon Webb

Since the 19th century, Altoids have been used to freshen up breath and have been commonly thought of as a “curiously strong mint.” They are packaged in a metal tin box that is easy to carry around and has a lot of appeal to it because the tin canister has a multitude of creative uses […]

brandontylerwebb.com

 

[packyderms_wife]

I love altoids, my fave is cinnamon. I've seen where folks make lil emergency kits with those cans.

Mini sewing kit. Thread. Needles. Pins. Better than the breakable shells usually found in pharmacies. Plus you can add some specific items of your own like buttons, bigger / smaller/ more safety pins, etc.

Medication box. [Vitamins also]. Use cotton or paper towel so that they don't rattle around.

Meditation Box: Incense, incense holder, matches or small lighter.
(Recommend wrapping sticks inside some paper to make bundles. Tape the paper. Might want to use cotton as padding.

[Flash Drives / Flash Cards / SD Cards]

[Rubber Bands / Paper Clips]

oh wait, here' s good link:

20 Ways to Use an Altoid Tin | Brandon Webb

Since the 19th century, Altoids have been used to freshen up breath and have been commonly thought of as a “curiously strong mint.” They are packaged in a metal tin box that is easy to carry around and has a lot of appeal to it because the tin canister has a multitude of creative uses […]

brandontylerwebb.com

Mini fishing tackle box, put in some line, hooks, weights, lures, pair of mini scissors for cutting the line, or a mini knife. I have one around here somewhere with a bobber that's the diameter of a nickel.

 

[mzkitty]

Where I live, we put all recyclables into a big plastic bag and then put them in the recycle container in the trash room down the hall.

 

[Skyraider]

We put various size holes in them, depending on caliber being used at the time

Skyraider