11 Clever Ways To Repurpose Unused Ashtrays Around Your Home

Do you have an ashtray or multiple that you don't use for smoking purposes? Maybe someone gifted them to you, assuming that you smoke when you don't. Or perhaps you bought them when you previously smoked but have been taking a break from smoking or trying to quit, so they haven't been used recently. Instead of picking up a cigarette for no reason besides using the ashtrays, consider finding functional or decorative uses for the unused items instead. To help you come up with some creative ideas, we've found 11 ways to repurpose an ashtray in your home.

Don't throw out your unused ashtrays either, as these pieces can be extremely beautiful, artistic, unique, and useful. It would be a shame to let such lovely items go unnoticed! While selling your ashtrays is also an option, there are many ways to repurpose the objects around your home instead. Don't be afraid to put them on display or use them for things that have nothing to do with smoking and still allow you to appreciate the pieces. However, if the trays have been used at all in the past, it's crucial to thoroughly clean them with soap and water before giving them a new purpose.

Before you buy a new jewelry holder, consider using your ashtray to hold some of your rings, earrings, bracelets, and other pieces. After all, ashtrays will look much more glamorous when you fill them with jewelry instead of cigarette butts and ashes, so make the tray sparkle with some jewels. You could keep this item on your bathroom counter, in your closet, or by your bedside to corral the jewelry you take off before falling to sleep.

Are you looking for a way to repurpose an empty ashtray that will suit a squeaky-clean lifestyle? Use it as a soap holder! Put the ashtray next to your sink or off to the side in your shower or tub to store your soap bars on top of it. Not only will doing so provide a practical new use for the ashtray, but it will save you from having to spend money on a new soap tray. This will also prevent you from having to clean soap scum off your bathroom surfaces, as all the residue will be contained inside the easy-to-clean tray.

Business cards and flyers are some of the easiest items to misplace and lose. There's nothing more frustrating than needing to call the number on the card or flyer only to have no idea where it is once you try to find it. Prevent that from happening by dedicating your ashtray to holding these items. Or, if you're a business owner, display your business cards and flyers in ashtrays in your establishment to draw more attention to them and inspire visitors or customers to take one.

Anyone who frequently uses pencils knows that sharpening them can get messy. Sharpening over the floor or a table can lead to the shavings getting all over the place, and cleaning them up is not fun. So, consider doing the sharpening over an ashtray to keep it all contained. Once you're done, you can simply pour out the shavings over the trash can. If you think about it, letting the ashtray catch the pencil shavings is kind of a similar concept to the original purpose of having it catch cigarette butts and ashes.

Snack enthusiasts should consider storing their go-to bite-size foods in ashtrays instead of using plates and bowls for such small, compact munchies. If you frequently eat berries, nuts, candies, or other small treats and energy boosters, look no further than the ashtray. This will keep them easily-accessible every time you get hungry, and the ashtrays will add a decorative feature to your kitchen, too. You may even want to use more than one ashtray so each type of snack has a different tray.

Why not ditch expensive picture frames and DIY a frame out of your unused ashtray instead? Add meaning to the item by cutting out a picture in the shape of the inside of the tray and attaching it to the center. This will transform it from something meant to catch cigarette ashes to a frame that displays a memorable moment. You could also give the tray new life with spray paint or other decorative embellishments. Once done, prop it up on a shelf or against a wall.

Anyone with an artsy side should consider treating their ashtray as a canvas for an art project. Paint it in any colors you'd like, add a saying, and perhaps embellish it with 3D details to make it a bolder piece. Once you finish it, you may want to hang up your creation on a wall, shelf, or fence so guests can appreciate your work.

Are you not a smoker but like gritty vibes and want to give your home a grunge aesthetic makeover? If you enjoy pottery projects, you can still achieve that smoky, grimy aesthetic by creating fake cigarette butts and ashes out of clay. This will provide your ashtray with that edgy look without actually smoking or having to deal with the cigarette smell.

On the other hand, one of the cleanest-looking ways to upcycle an ashtray is to put a plant in it. Ensure you choose a plant that doesn't need drainage holes or carefully drill some holes in the bottom of the tray before planting. If you don't want to attempt to grow and care for a living plant, use a cute fake plant that will last a long time and make the ashtray look more green and charming.

Like business cards and flyers, loose change and sunglasses can be annoyingly easy to misplace. One of the best ways to keep track of your quarters, dimes, and sunglasses is to have them all within reach on a convenient ashtray that provides them a designated spot to stay in one place. You could also put your tray near the front door and use it to hold your car keys or other small items you need when you leave the house.

Ashtrays can be fun and convenient items to reuse as chic candle holders. Simply sit your candle on an attractive ashtray to draw more attention to the cozy lighting option in your home. This is a great repurposing idea for displaying candles that don't come in a glass jar, as the ashtray will prevent you from having to clean candle wax off your wood furniture or countertops.