11 Genius Ways To Repurpose Plastic Container Lids Around Your Home

It's a good idea to keep your old plastic container lids – even though it can be tempting just to throw them away — because there are many clever ways to repurpose them rather than just keeping them in your home to sit around and collect dust. Some of the best ways to work with those old lids include functional transformations such as coasters, mini trays, lazy Susans, hand towel holders, and labels — as well as more decorative creations, including suncatchers, petite wall art paintings, wreaths, and centerpieces.

Anyone needing additional motivation to repurpose their plastic container lids should think about how their discarded plastic damages the environment. According to Ribble, there is a 9 percent yearly increase in plastic waste in the world — so environmentally friendly homeowners will likely want to avoid contributing to that percentage. And sadly, all that thrown-away plastic can harm or even kill animals when they find and swallow it. Thus, if you'd rather reuse than pollute, don't be afraid to explore some of the various ways to repurpose your container lids at home.

Are you looking for no-effort DIY coasters to protect furniture in your home? While you shouldn't expect a lid from a plastic container to work as well as a professional-made and dedicated coaster, the plastic lid will still give your cups, bottles, and glasses a base to sit on if you don't want to put them directly on surfaces. The more plastic container lids you hold onto, the more of these makeshift coasters you'll have ready to go when needed.

Everyone knows the struggle of a fridge's interior that's become a sloppy mess from moving and reorganizing stacks of food and drink. Even in packages, liquids from foods and beverages can leak through, causing wetness and even stains in the fridge. To avoid those messes, save your plastic container lids and put foods and drinks on top of them before adding them to the refrigerator. That way, the old lids will be what gets stained or wet instead of the fridge shelves.

You can also use plastic container lids to strategically organize your refrigerator by repurposing them into labeled lids. First, carefully clean and spray paint for a new look. Next, put some thick tape on top to write over with a marker, creating a label. For instance, you may want to dedicate one to fruits, one to vegetables, and one to condiment packets. If possible, save and repurpose the original containers in addition to the lids to ensure you'll have something that fits to keep the items inside!

Who says repurposed plastic container lids are only beneficial for humans? If you have wet pet food with more inside than your furry friend should finish in one sitting, and their favorite food is packaged in a container that doesn't have a solid lid, hang onto your old plastic container lids. Once you have enough of them collected, you're bound to find one that will fit on top of the food's container. Just remember to clean the lid before using it as your pet food container's lid.

Believe it or not, you can repurpose plastic container lids into glamorous statement pieces if you're willing to spend some time working on the project. After you clean the old lids, use glue and a dotting tool to apply rhinestones, sequins, or other embellishments to the tops of the lids. Cover them in these show-stopping sparkles so that when you reuse the lids, you'll take any container from boring to beautiful. You'll also be more likely to remember the contents in the container when it has such an exciting lid.

People who want to use suncatchers–but prefer DIY projects over buying something they can make themselves–should save their plastic container lids to use as part of their at-home suncatcher creations. First, draw and color your design with colorful markers on the clear, flat lid. Then, frame it with a border made of dark construction paper so your plastic container lid-turned-suncatcher will be ready to catch some rays. And, of course, having more container lids will give you more opportunities to explore new designs.

Do you have an artsy side and enjoy upcycling projects? Create your own piece of mini wall art on your plastic container lid. Let the lid be your canvas, and use paint and brushes to bring that canvas to life. Once it's dry and ready to go, hang it on your wall. If you don't want just one lonely plastic lid-turned-painting on the wall and have a bunch of old container lids ready to repurpose, paint them all and design your own sustainable gallery of the painted lids.

Cooking — and eating — enthusiasts with more spices, snacks, or garnishes than those homeowners know what to do with will benefit from having a lazy Susan. They can group all those little jars and containers on the tray and turn it to access whatever they need, whenever they need it. So, why not use your round plastic container lid as your basic lazy Susan for a convenient pantry addition? Just make sure you use a large enough lid to fit the items you plan to put on it.

Before you go out and spend money on a new hand towel holder, consider creating one with the help of two circle-shaped plastic container lids. First, cut out the centers, as you'll only use the outer rims for this project. Then, stack and securely wrap them in sturdy yarn–or string in a color that fits your bathroom's aesthetic–to bind the two plastic circles together for thickness and to make it look more uniform. Finally, mount it to your bathroom wall to hold your hand towel.

Another way to repurpose the outer borders of circle-shaped plastic container lids is to transform them into small decorative wreaths to display in your home. Once you have the rims cut out, cover them in ribbon or drop cloth. Next, have fun embellishing them with faux flowers, leaves, and sparkles so they look like wreaths you would typically buy in a store. Then, hang them up and admire their beauty. Whether you save them for the holiday season or keep them up all year is entirely up to you!

Enchanting centerpieces don't have to be expensive if you're willing to embrace a DIY project. To start the project, paint the lid in a color you like. Once the paint is fully dry, embellish it with details for any theme, such as a beautiful underwater effect with fish and wave designs or a garden theme with charming florals. Place it at the center of your table when it's done, and finish off the centerpiece by surrounding the decorated lid with more details following the theme, like candles, flowers, or faux vines.