Looking for ways to reuse old kitchen stuff? Check out 40 unique ideas to reuse and repurpose old kitchen items.
I hate throwing out once-useful items, don’t you? I was faced with this recently when I cleaned out my kitchen cupboards and drawers because I just couldn’t fit another thing in them!
My first thought was to donate these items, but I decided to do something creative instead and upcycle them. And, a trip to my local Flea Market sparked even more ideas with a few inexpensive, vintage finds.
So, clean out your kitchen cupboards and utensil drawers and check out these easy DIYs to give new life and purpose to old kitchenware!
1. Baking Pan Message Board & Catchall
Repurpose a cookie sheet and tin bread pan into a lovely message board and catchall. To make one, grab an old metal cookie sheet and a loaf pan, drill holes, and attach the loaf pin with small screws.
I used chalkboard paint from Dollar Tree to make a chalkboard at the top, and you can also use magnets on this board. If you plan to use chalkboard paint, I recommend roughing up the surface with light-grit sandpaper before applying it.
2. Shamrock Trinket Dish Made From Tart Tins
Repurpose a few heart-shaped mini tart tins to make shamrock trinket dishes. I used napkins and Mod Podge to decoupage my tins, but you could use acrylic paint. The stem is a wooden spatula with part of the handle cut off.
Fill the tins with lucky coins, wrapped candies, or shamrock trinkets to decorate for St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re looking for heart-shaped tins, check out antique stores, garage sales, or find them here on Etsy. Get more tart tin craft inspiration here –> 8 Clever Repurposed Tart Tin Crafts.
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3. Cheese Grater Flip Calendar
Make an old grater slicer useful again by turning it into a flip calendar.
Fold a flat metal grater in half. Then, drill four holes in the top (front and back) and attach laminated month and date cards with binder rings. If you’d like to make your old metal grater into a flip grater and use the same art shown, download it here –> Flip Calendar Art.
4. Patriotic Pan Lid Flag Holder
Old enamel pan lids like these have so much character! I snagged these at the flea market to make this beautiful, nostalgic flag holder. This was an easy upcycle. I spray-painted the top lid blue (it was a worn-out beige) and decorated the bottom with permanent vinyl lettering that I cut on my Cricut before bracing it to a wood board.
For more DIYs, visit –> 4 Clever Repurposed Pot Lid Projects.
5. Fluted Pan & Corkscrew Caddy
This simple caddy can be used for utensils or as a catchall for crafting supplies or other small items. The hole on this fluted Jello pan was small, so I glued a wine cork to the center using E6000 and added a corkscrew for a handle.
6. Potato Masher Book Ends
Potato masher makes great bookends! I found these vintage mashers at the Fleatique, but you may have a couple in your utensil drawer. If not, you can find vintage ones here.
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7. Framed Vintage Cookie Cutters
I love cookie cutters, especially vintage ones with unique handles. I pick them up whenever I run across them at a yard sale or flea market, and they’re usually only a dollar or two.
If you have these little gems in a kitchen drawer, put them on display in a nice frame! And if you need more to add to your collection, check out these vintage cookie cutters on Etsy.
8. Cookie-Cutter Succulent Magnets
Turn cookie cutters into beautiful succulent magnets! Make them for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or to give as a gift to someone special. Get the full tutorial here –> How to Make Succulent Magnets Using Cookie Cutters.
9. Gingerbread Cookie Cutter Candle Holder
I found a bunch of gingerbread cookie cutters at my local flea market, but you can also buy them here (on Etsy).
My mom had these exact ones when I was growing up, and we used to make gingerbread cookies every Christmas with them.
To make this candle holder, you’ll need about five cookie cutters. Paint them if you like, then string wire ribbon through the handles and tie them around a glass vase!
10. Cookie-Cutter As Mason Jar Toppers
Top mason jars with vintage cookie cutters and fill with candy to give as gifts, or use them as pretty kitchen storage jars. For more glass jar crafts and ideas, check out this post –> 10 Clever Ways to Upcycle Glass Jars.
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11. Salt Shaker Tassels
Make beautiful shabby chic tassels using mini salt shakers and tops from old salt shakers. These decorative tassels can be used in many ways, such as tie-backs for curtains, to decorate baskets, or as drawer or light pulls. I used a combination of ribbon and ripped fabric scraps to make them.
12. Muffin Tin Easter Egg Tray
Upcycle an old muffin pan with a little paint to use as a holder to display Easter eggs! Just give your old pan a scrappy coat of chalk paint and decorate.
Muffin tins also make great storage trays for small items. Use them to organize your junk drawer, sort and store small beads, or as an organizer for hair accessories.
13. Muffin Tin Wall Wreath
Or turn that old muffin tin into a beautiful spring wreath. This muffin pan is the same one shown in #16. After my kids outgrew dying Easter Eggs, I decided to re-upcycle that already-painted tin into a spring wreath.
I picked up a greenery garland at Walmart and added a cute porcelain birdhouse ornament found at the antique store. To top it all off, I used wide moss green ribbon to hang it by.
14. Muffin Tin Key Hook
Turn a vintage muffin tin into a decorative key holder! These eight-cup tins are a little hard to find, but if you snag one, add a few hooks and turn it into a farmhouse-chic key rack.
15. DIY Bird Feeders
Old pans, strainers, and utensils make perfect bird feeders! Fill them with birdseed or suet cake. Just leave a place for your feathered friends to sit and enjoy. Get the suet cake recipe used here from Our Recipe for Success.
16. DIY Tiered Trays
Tiered trays made from repurposed kitchen items are easy and inexpensive to make.
Clean out your kitchen cupboards and turn a few dishes, trays, or even multiple sets of cake pans into beautiful tiered trays.
For more ideas and inspiration, check out this post –> 6 Unique DIY Tiered Trays Made With Flea Market Finds.
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 | Dig those old windows out of the garage and make something new and useful out of them! |
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17. Spoon Jewelry
Upcycle old spoons to make handmade statement jewelry! Paint them with patina ink if you like and glue beads and charms, buttons, sequins, glass gems, and pieces of sea glass to them using E6000.
18. Vintage Silverware turned Jewelry Organizer
Make this beautiful jewelry organizer from old silverware and a thrift store picture frame! Heat silverware in hot water and bend it around a curved object to make hooks. Drill holes in each and use small screws to attach them to a picture frame.
I love this hanging solution, it’s pretty and functional. No more time spent trying to unknot my necklace chains and bracelets!
19. Spoon Handle Recipe Box
Decorate an inexpensive unfinished wood box or spruce up an existing recipe box by adding a decorative spoon handle.
To make a spoon handle, bend a spoon into an arch; then drill two holes into your spoon and add small screws to secure it.
I also gave this plain wood box a retro coat of aqua paint, and I used my Cricut Maker to make a stencil. Feel free to download the recipe art here if you’d like to use it.
20. Glass Kitchen Canister Mini Fairy Garden
Oversized glass canisters are great for pantry staples, but if you have an extra one, try this fairy garden idea.
Fill a large glass canister with sand from Dollar Tree (or table salt), shells, and beachy miniatures. The miniatures shown are from The Little Hedgerow. I love the miniatures from this seller because they are so detailed. The beach chair was originally white, but I painted it aqua.
For more fairy garden inspiration, visit –> Inspiring Fairy Garden Ideas and Easy DIYs.
21. Teacup Gifts
There are so many uses for teacups. Use them as planters, or a bird feeder, or pour beeswax in them to make candles! Here I’m using one as a small gift holder. Just fill a pretty teacup with chocolates and your favorite tea bags to give as a thoughtful gift, or wrap one up to add to a sunshine basket to make someone’s day!
22. Teacup Sconce
Make a teacup chandelier or wall sconce by gluing pretty tea cups to your fixture using E6000 and adding flameless tealight candles.
23. Teacup Gnome
Make a teacup gnome! How cute is this little guy? I found this cute gnome at the Fleatique and snapped a picture. If you have mismatched cups and saucers, this might be the perfect upcycle for them.
24. Colander Fruit Bowl
This is a simple idea, but I thought it was worth noting. Repurpose a strainer to use as a fruit bowl. Use a single colander as a stand-alone fruit basket or string two together to make hanging baskets.
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25. Pretty Soap Dispenser
Turn a vintage syrup dispenser into a pretty soap dispenser. I gave this one a fresh coat of sea glass spray paint and used my Cricut Maker to make a stencil for the word ‘wash’. This dispenser is so cute and brings a little bit of a vintage vibe with it.
26. Pretty Daisy Sifter
Upcycle an old sifter to make a beautiful decor piece. Strainers, sifters, or mesh pan covers will work for this DIY. I found this old sifter at the antique store, but you can purchase new ones here on Amazon or find vintage ones here on Etsy.
To make the appliqué, I started by drawing a daisy design onto the strainer with chalk. Then I used yarn and a wide-eyed needle to stitch the design.
27. Old Strainer Turned Holiday Wall Decoration
Give old mashers or strainers a refresh, especially ones with red or green handles, by turning them into beautiful holiday wall decorations.
28. Pastry Cutter Organizer
Make a cute pastry cutter organizer to hold recipe cards or stationery! Drill a hole into a mini wood tray, like this one from Dollar Tree, and attach two or three pastry cutters at the bottom with wire or screws.
29. Cheese Shaker Picture Holder
Grab some copper wire and an old cheese shaker to make a cute picture holder. I used 16-gauge copper wire and curved it around a pipe about seven times, then fanned out the wire to make flower holders. Add colorful beads to your floral picks to finish.
30. Jello Pan Wreath
Upcycle a copper jello mold or fluted pan into a beautiful wreath. Paint your pan if you like, then hot glue flowers on and add ribbon to hang!
31. Jello Mold Pumpkins
Jello molds come in a ton of shapes and colors. If you have a pair of them, don’t throw them out — make a pumpkin for fall! You can also find these beautiful molds in copper and tin at antique stores, flea markets, and online. Here are a few I found on Etsy: Copper Jello Molds.
32. Plastic Tumblers Silverware Caddy
Use an extra paper towel holder and plastic drinking cups to make this quick and easy silverware caddy!
I found this metal paper towel holder and the three plastic tumblers at Dollar Tree, but you may already have these items on hand and ready to upcycle.
This versatile caddy works well to serve up silverware for a dinner party, as a caddy for the picnic table, or to keep on your counter to hold cooking utensils. Check out the full tutorial here –> Easy DIY Silverware Caddy.
33. Mosaic Picture Frame Tray
Give broken plates new life by making a beautiful tray out of them!
I love how this little tray came out. All you need to make one is a little tile grout, a couple of ceramic plates, an old picture frame, and two cabinet handles. Get all the details on how to make a Mosaic Picture Frame Tray here!
34. Butterfly Whisk
Upcycle a wire whisk into butterfly art for your garden.
To make a butterfly, shape a wire whisk into a butterfly shape. Snip one of the whisk loops with wire cutters and curl the ends with needle-nose pliers to make the antennae. Next, use 28-gauge stainless steel wire (from the hardware store or link to it here on Amazon) to wrap the whisk with colorful beads.
35. Spice Rack Paint Caddy
If you’re a crafter, you probably have oodles of paint bottles hanging around. This metal spice rack has a carousel on the bottom, so I’m glad I didn’t throw it out. Now all of my paints are neatly stored in one spot!
36. Cheese Grater Windchime
Repurpose an old cheese grater into a beautiful windchime!
To make this windchime, I used a copper pipe from our garage and cut it down to size using a handheld pipe cutter. Then I set the pieces in a vice so I could easily drill holes into them! For sparkle, I added a few crystals salvaged from an old chandelier.
37. Frying Pan Planter Upcycle
Turn a thrift store lamp base and an old frying pan to create a beautiful pedestal plant stand or birdbath!
Get all the details on this easy planter upcycle here–> Frying Pan Planter Upcycle With A Patina Finish.
38. DIY Garden Mushrooms
Upcycle old kitchen bowls and jars to make beautiful DIY Garden Mushrooms! Learn how to make them here–> DIY Garden Mushrooms Using Thrift Store Glassware.
39. Flour Sifter Holiday Centerpiece
Turn an old flour sifter into a holiday centerpiece by placing floral foam inside the sifter and adding greenery, holiday cookie cutters, and other decorations to make a cute centerpiece for your holiday table.
40. Cutting Board Signs
If you have old wood cutting boards, don’t throw them out! Stencil them to add a pop of color to your kitchen!
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Watch A Video
Link to the full tutorial here –> Pineapple Wreath Made With Sunflowers
Hi, I’m Dawn, a graphic designer, mom and weekend crafter! Join me on my adventures! I always have something new and inspiring going on. Learn more about me 
This Post Has 2 Comments
How did you attached cookie cutters to Mason jar lids.
Thanks
Hi Renee! For the spade shaped cookie cutter I drilled two holes into the mason jar lid and used wire over the handle to attach it to the lid. For the round cookie cutters I drilled two holes (through the cookie cutter and the mason jar lids) and used long screws with a small hex screw bolt on the end.