Check out these clever ways to use vintage tins in your home!
I’m always drawn to vintage and collectible tins when I run across them at garage sales or antique stores. It’s like finding a blast from the past and I’ve accumulated quite a few over the years.
Most tins are fairly inexpensive (under $10) and I always seem to find room for one more! If you have a few of these beauties tucked away, here are some amazing ways to showcase them and use them.
1. Seasonal Displays
Use vintage tin containers as part of your seasonal decor! Fill tins with greenery and mini ornaments for the holidays or swap out decorations for different holidays and seasons!
2. Nostalgic Display Shelf
Fill a shelf or two with beautiful tins you’ve collected and mix in some nostalgic items.
On this shelf, I display old books and vintage tins that bring back memories for me. I love this yellow Mambo’s coconut macaroons cookie tin, it was such a good find and it reminds me of our trip to Hawaii.
I wasn’t born in the 40s-50s but I’m drawn to vintage tin toys and I’ve been slowly collecting the ones that resonate with me. How cute are this mangle and toy stand mixer? By the way, if don’t know what a mangle is, it was a tool used to ring the water out of clothes! I had no idea what it was when I bought it but I fell in love with the beautiful retro green color!
3. Vintage Coffee Can Buckets
Turn those big old coffee cans into a pretty bucket using a wire hanger! I had a couple of handles from old rolling pins left over so I used them here for the handles.
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4. Gift Tin
Don’t pass up a cute vintage tin especially if it has a hinged top like this one. These make beautiful gift boxes for Mother’s Day or a birthday.
Fill it with tea, hand lotions, lip gloss, small candles, chocolates, a handmade bracelet, or anything else you can think of. For Dad, fill a vintage tobacco or other rustic tin with shaving supplies, a tie and tie clip, or make a shoecare kit!
5. Vintage Tin Light
Turn a vintage tin into a starry night light by drilling small holes into the sides in any pattern you like. The first couple of holes I drilled left indents from pressing too hard so I recommend using light pressure when drilling and letting the drill do the work.
Make a hole in the bottom and insert a corded LED night light (like this one on Amazon) or add a battery-operated candle and set the timer to come on in the evening hours.
6. Patriotic Tin Pedestal Table
I have no idea what this old rusty tin was used for but when I found it, I knew it would make a great top for an old pedestal table base that I’ve been holding on to. I didn’t have to do very much here except spray-paint the table pedestal base blue. This patriotic side table cost just a few dollars to make and I love how it came together! To protect it and prevent it from rusting further, I gave it a coat of polyurethane.
7. Turn Decorative Tins Into Tiered Trays
Stack vintage tins to make a tiered tray to organize your craft supplies, kitchen utensils, or anything that needs gathering up!
Here, I used three vintage tins to make this fun-tiered tray. For more on this DIY, check out my post –> How to Make A 3-Tiered Tray Using Vintage Tins.
I used an old coffee can, a wood bowl, and a candle holder, to make this retro coffee bar tiered tray! Learn more on how to make tiered trays from thrift store items in my post –> 6 Unique DIY Tiered Trays Made With Flea Market Finds.
8. Vintage Tins As Planters
Vintage tins and containers make beautiful containers to hold small succulents and air plants.
9. Gift Wrap Storage
Tall tins like holiday popcorn tins, make great storage containers for kraft paper rolls of gift wrap!
10. Vintage Tin Lids
Don’t throw out those decorative vintage lids! After making the upcycles above, I had a couple of lids left over so I decided to turn them into something useful. They have such a great old patina don’t you think?
I hope these upcycle ideas inspire you! If you have a vintage tin idea you’d like to share, reach out to me in the comment section below. I would love to feature your photo and link back to your website.
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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 
