It might seem strange to say, but plastic trash cans are essential items in any home. If you’re thinking of buying one for your house, then these five clever ways to use it will leave you with even more ideas on how to get the most out of it around the house.
1. NOT-SO-FUNKY FLOOR LAMPS
Lamps are always excellent items to have around the home – they not only look great in corners and against dark walls, but they also provide illumination when reading or doing menial household tasks like sewing, knitting, or writing. But if you’ve got plastic trash cans lying around them, why not turn them into funky floor lamps by drilling holes through the bottom and attaching some rope or chain to hang them up.
2. A PLASTIC BAG DISPENSER
Plastic trash cans also make great plastic bag dispensers. Easy ones for putting away plastic bags in your kitchen, bathroom, linen closet, and bedroom – all you need is a plastic bag with handles on it (the kind that’s used for carrying sandwiches) and drill holes around the top of the plastic trash can so that the plastic handle fits snuggly inside. The more durable plastic bins will be better than others because they’re harder to break into, but if you’re using one anyway, then just be aware of its susceptibility to cracking or breaking if it’s overloaded or dropped on the floor. Use thick garbage bags that are tear-resistant as well.
3. A SEED STARTER KIT
If you’re into gardening, then plastic trash cans with lids are perfect for starting seeds and keeping them warm and moist until they grow and can be transplanted outside. They also make good compost caddies to take the kitchen, garden, and bathroom scraps so that you don’t overload your bin bins with things like eggshells, teabags, coffee grinds, etc.
4. UNDER-BED STORAGE CONTAINERS
Plastic trash bins are also great under-the-bed storage containers – keep plastic bags inside them ready to store plastic bags in them as soon as you’ve emptied them of the home plastic bag dispenser! They’re hard to scratch, impossible to break through (unless it’s plastic-breaking plastic), and won’t be damaged by mice or bugs.
5. PLASTIC BAG DISPENSERS FOR THE CAR
Plastic trash cans are also brilliant for storing plastic bags in your car – simply drill holes in the side near the bottom to thread plastic handles through, then when you go shopping, just grab them out of your boot one at a time as you need them. What’s more, if it’s raining or snowing, then you can cover up the top with an old plastic bag too so that none of your precious plastic gets wet or dirty.
There are lots of ways to use plastic trash cans around the home; apart from throwing away garbage in them, they might seem like mundane items but try incorporating them into your room design, and you’ll soon see that plastic can be a blessing not a curse.
