Have you ever thought that those empty formula tins are just too good to throw away? They are! With a few basic materials, a touch of creativity and a little bit of time, these tins can easily be transformed into useful objects.

To start, the tin needs little preparation. Simply wipe clean with a damp cloth and leave to dry thoroughly. And then the fun begins; there really is no end to the materials you can use to transform your tin. Consider these ideas:

If the tin is to be painted, check with your local paint or hardware store for a suitable undercoat. Possible adhesives include double-sided tape (which is great for attaching ribbon), glue and spray adhesive. The lid can be left as is (so it’s most durable), or embellished with paper and ribbon. If you wish to paint the lid you’ll need to apply a base coat so that the paint will adhere to the plastic. Finally, the tin can be sealed with a spray lacquer to preserve your efforts. 

The most simple idea of all is to use the tin to house objects.

In the kitchen the tins are great for storage and can easily be painted to match your kitchen’s décor. Lined up or stacked on top of each other, they are ideal for storing biscuits and muesli bars as well as dry products such as flour and rolled oats. An idea for labelling the tins is to attach labels using a small magnet; that way you can easily see what’s where and can change the tins’ contents to suit. 

The tins also make a great alternative to gift wrapping. With some shredded paper they make an excellent container for fragile items, and the outside of the tin can be decorated to suit the occasion.  

Of course, in the kids’ rooms all those little bits and pieces that need a home can be neatly stored in a tin — crayons, pencils, dolls’ accessories, toy cars to name a few. A nifty way to help the younger child tidy up is to label the tins with both a word and a photo of the contents. For the budding artist use the tins without their lids to keep longer items such as paintbrushes and rulers handy. 

How about using the tins to hold plastic bags? A great way to get a double dose of recycling is to put all those stray plastic bags in a tin and cut a hole in the top to pull

them through. In the nursery use smaller plastic bags (from the fruit and vegetables) for disposing of used nappies. If you use washable baby wipes, these can also be kept in a tin to save space (and having to fold them). In the kitchen use a tin to keep larger supermarket bags before reusing them as bin liners. Remember to keep your children safe by always keeping plastic bags away from children. 

One for the kids — a money box, a great idea if you’re trying to encourage your child to save their pennies — and they could even decorate it themselves. Use a magnet to attach notes to the outside of the tin — pictures of things to save for, checklists of chores to complete for pocket money or a graph of money saved. Cut a small slit in the lid of the tin and you’re done. 

A colourful idea for your baby is to fill a tin with scarves. Simply cut a hole in the top of the lid and place inside a series of colourful scarves tied together. Babies love pulling the scarves out one after the other. For an extra surprise, add a favourite toy to the last scarf. For your preschooler, paint each tin a different colour, and get them to sort items by colour. Make a magnet of each colour’s name, and get your child to match them to the correct tin. Depending on the age of your child, items to sort could be blocks, buttons, pegs or objects from nature. 

These ideas are just a place to start. With a little time and imagination formula tins can once again be handy around the home — and you get the added bonus of being creative with recycling!