The Frugal Free Gal

My husband and I drink a lot of coffee and we always end up with empty coffee containers.

We also use formula now with my almost four month old and we end up with empty formula cans.

I am not a fan of throwing these away, so I went on to my Facebook group and asked my fans what they did with empty coffee cans or other containers. I was amazed at the response, so I wanted to share them here.

10+ Ways to Reuse Jars

Their responses were great, and I think you’ll think so, too! I hope you are able to use some of the ideas below to turn your empty cans and containers into a brilliant and amazing idea that you’ll want to share with others.

Check out my most recent addition on my other website, Mom. Wife. Busy Life:

Coffee Container Bird Feeder/House

Check out What to Do With Empty Formula Cans if you have empty formula cans laying around! 

The fall season is here! Do you have empty and clean milk jugs you are saving? Turn them into Milk Jug Ghosts, Milk Jug Pumpkins, or a Milk Jug Snowman! You can also make this cute Tide Pod Container Ghost Craft!

31 Uses for Coffee Cans, Baby Formula Cans, or Other Containers

(***Warning: Some containers may have sharp edges. I do not recommend using any cans that could be dangerous. Also, do not pour hot grease in plastic containers. Make sure grease has cooled down before adding it to any container.)

1. My hubby uses coffee cans out in the garage to store nails, screws, etc.  -Delois
2. To organize the tools in the garage, cut holes in the bottom of the coffee cans to make a week long watering system for your plants, organize crafts (buttons, string, thread) -Trish
3. Pencil holders, kitchen tools, garage gadgets, make candles in, stored on their side for fabric, yarn or electronics (cords), Legos, small toys, trash collection in the car -Darcy
4. I use the plastic Folger coffee cans to throw vegetable scraps, onion peels, coffee grounds etc in. Once a day I empty it onto the compost pile in the back yard. We also use them to start seedlings for the garden. -Leeann
5. Pens, coins, makeup, small gift containers -Lucy
6. I’m container gardening this year and plan to use my coffee cans for peppers. -Robyn
7. Teacher appreciation gifts! -Leslee
8. Lay them on their sides, cover with mac tac, cover with fabric, decoupage and glue together to make a pyramid…ta da… great looking storage! -Vanessa
9. I have my kids re-use them for crafts as often as I can, but they can only go so far. So far we made road trip bins with the tall cans of formula. (Example: Filled w/a few action figures, matchbox cars, non perishable snacks, a hand held game of some sort, maybe some pictures etc.) Just enough to fit in the can and take on long trips full of stuff that’s still a novelty. I also had them put wrapping paper on some and decorate them and make piggy banks or jewelry boxes for their grandmas, etc. -Chandelle
10. I finally found a use for the empty Ovaltine containers, my husband brews beer so he keeps different colored caps in each one.  I saw something for using Pringles containers and Oatmeal containers to give cookies or baked items during the holidays. Wrap with scrapbook paper or wrapping paper, use ribbon, etc. We don’t use coffee cans anymore but I hated throwing those out when we did. Those might work good for giving baked goods during the holidays wrapped in scrapbook paper or wrapping paper. -Tasha
11. My hubby uses them to sort parts in the garage. -Candice
12. I am covering some with cute paper and using them as utensil holders and putting balloon weights in them to use as centerpieces at a up coming party. Or have the kiddos decorate them and make banks out of them! -Livy
13. Make mini first aid kits. -Heather
14. Kids toys. -Danielle
15. We have used coffee cans to transport dry dog food camping. Any cans you can slap some cute paper on can become a pencil holder. Or noise maker for kids if you have a lid and put some rice in it. -Nik
16. I get the plastic coffee cans and recycle them. If metal, I use them for grease. -Rita
17. I use ours for my makeup in the bathroom. -Jennifer
18. We glue or tape a decorated piece of construction paper, fill them up with goodies (depending on the holiday) and give them out as presents. People love they can re-use it afterwards for office supplies, etc. And they have a keepsake of my children’s handwriting/drawing skills as they progress. -Jennafer
19. Paint the cans and attach sturdy wire to make a handle, even curl the wire to make it more decorative and use it for valentines or Easter for holding candy. Use them for birthday parties to hold their treasures like a goody bag or for a candy toss–get the kids to decorated it with pieces of cloth, paint etc. The craft possibilities are endless. -Rachelle
20. We use coffee cans to put used cooking oil in. -Shelli
21. I put holes in the bottom of the Folgers buckets and use them for planters. If you “rough up” the outside, you can spray paint them and make them look nice. -Jennifer
22. Paint them and put hair bows/rubber bands. they could also be used to hold the remotes. -Tammy
23. In my storage dry room I have rows of coffee cans filled with different beans, rice, and noodles. I use them in the garden for my young tomato and pepper plants to keep earwigs and cutworms away–as the tomato or pepper grows, I add more soil. This gives it a stronger root system and nothing is touching the ground to get spoiled. I also save them for camping. -Dianna
24. I use formula cans as my vase and I make a bouquet of baby stuff for baby showers. They look really cute! -Angie
25. I use them for old cooking oil. -Kelly
26. You could donate them to a preschool or save for VBS! -Janet
27. Spray paint or decorate them with construction paper, wall paper, etc. -Angela
28. Check with your children’s ministry leader at your church.  They might be able to use them for VBS. -Lesa
29. My parents use coffee cans for fat oils and freeze it. -Alison
30. I use the formula tub for chalk outside so it stays dry when it rains. -Margaret
31. I use formula containers for small toys or to keep toy sets together. -Jennifer

So, before you throw away those empty containers, think of a way in which you can reuse or recycle them!

If you’d like to add your own idea, please leave a comment in this post!

Thank you to the fans that contributed ideas for this post.