16 Ways To Repurpose Soda Can Tabs In Your Home

For the creative-minded person who loves a good upcycle, your next fun, household DIY is much closer than you think, and it can justify your love of soda too. Soda can tabs are a surprisingly versatile crafting tool that can be repurposed in many different ways around the home. From inside your closet to decor for your walls, there's a way to recycle those metal tabs in a reimagined way. Crafters, especially, can incorporate their favorite DIY techniques into their soda tab upcycling projects, while handy folks can use these pop tabs in extremely practical household and decor upgrades. 

And while it may seem like recycling those soda pop tabs, like you would normally with the rest of the can, is the most logical way of recycling these metal accessories, sometimes repurposing them in your home is far more sound. Generally speaking, pop tabs are made from aluminum, however, certain varieties of tabs are actually made from other metal products like steel — and some recycling centers or programs don't take one or the other. So, a great way to extend the life of those soda can tabs is by repurposing them, and you can have some fun doing it too!

Starting off simple, this upcycling hack requires minimal effort and supplies. Grab your saved up soda can tabs, a bit of hot glue or crazy glue, and that boring, sort of generic picture frame. Glue the tabs in a pattern around the frame to give it some texture. It's a really minimal effort way to upgrade an otherwise dull frame that would've likely ended up in a donation bin somewhere. For an even more dramatic effect, you can even paint the tabs different colors before you glue them down.

Soda can tab crafting and crocheting go hand-in-hand, and once you master the skill of tab crochet, the possibilities are endless. A simple, quick, and beginner-friendly craft that incorporates these two materials together is your very own DIY lampshade. It doesn't have quite the same difficulty level as some more advanced DIYs, but still makes for a unique design that's very special to you. It's a great way to make that bland, throwaway lamp a décor centerpiece in your home, so really, you're upcycling more than one thing!

When strung together, soda can tabs make a surprisingly sturdy pen holder that's both useful and interesting to look at. Using a chainmail technique, lock the tabs together into a rigid square piece, bending the tabs so they stay in place. Make four sides and a bottom layer to the holder, and string them all together with yarn or ribbon of your choice. It's helpful to do two layers for each side so that pens don't fall out of the pop tab holes accidentally, as well.

Another craft that shows off the DIY harmony between crocheting and soda can tabs, these crochet coasters are such a whimsical way to add a little color and texture to your home. Since this craft involves crocheting on the tab itself, it's a uncomplicated way to begin your crocheting journey, since you'll have a solid guide to follow and work around. Crocheting also adds a fair amount of design flexibility too, since you can pick and choose from a variety of yarn colors.

While some folks already know about the minimalist tealight holder made from wooden curtain rings, did you know you can also make some unexpected tea light holders with a chain of soda can tabs? Fashion a small chain of tabs together with jewelry jump rings or the chain mail method, measuring a little bit bigger than the diameter of the tealight for a unique, industrial looking holder. Aluminum pop tabs will also float, so you can put these holders in water-filled vases for a distinctive center piece.

Who said you could put your crochet needles away?! This is another genius repurposing of soda can tabs, once again involving some crocheting creativity. Incorporating a netting technique, you can also craft a fashionable water bottle carrier. It's eco-friendly for multiple reasons — you're upcycling tabs and saving them from the landfill and utilizing reusable water bottles. Make a soda can tab chain to attach to the holder as a cross body strap or crochet a wristlet for easy wear.

Time to step up your crochet and soda can tab crafting game! This DIY basket from Creative Erika on YouTube is a bit more on the complex side, however, with a little bit of patience, you'll have a stunning home décor piece. Another craft that'll use soda can tabs as a guide for your crochet pattern, these beautiful baskets will definitely be a conversation starter at your next dinner party. Swap out your crochet yarn colors depending on the season for a timely décor piece or make a seasonally appropriate DIY gift!

One of the more practical hacks repurposing soda can tabs, this definitely comes in handy when you have a broken zipper and you're not home to fix it. If your zipper pull fails you, don't stress and instead replace it with a handy dandy soda tab. Simply cut an incision on one side of the tab, and slip it straight onto the zipper loop; it's basically the same mechanism, just a little bigger. This hack works well with clothing, but also with bags too.

In an age of technology, it seems like we can't escape the great wire untangling challenge, but soda can tabs can make organizing wires a whole lot easier. For headphones, for example, fold the wires over one another, bunch them together, and slip the tab over the bundle to keep it all tangle free. This hack also works great with a variety of wired electronic devices, like chargers, but can also help keep some of that holiday decor, like festive lights or garlands, straight too.

Repurposing soda can tabs into keychains is both practical and creative, a true win-win. While crocheting soda tabs together to craft key chains is a fun option, you can also let the metal, as a material, speak for itself. Fashion a soda tab chain as the focal point of the key ring, switching up different directions if you'd like some variety. Add a round ring or carabiner to the end of the chain once you're happy with it, and just like that, you have a unique piece that suits your style and needs.

While technically this hack is outside of the home, it's a handy way of repurposing can tabs nonetheless. If you're ever in need of a tensioner, whether bungee cording supplies together or you're out camping, a soda can tab will do the trick. Pull your cord through one loop of the tab, then the other loop before tying it off in an overhand knot to make a DIY tensioner. Soda can parts have many uses outdoors, so don't forget to repurpose empty soda cans around your home and garden too!

Save your soda can tabs for an extra organized closet, because this is the ultimate space saving hack. Simply slide one loop of the tab over the metal hook of your hanger, and then hang an additional hanger through the second loop on the tab. With that really easy addition, you've just made yourself a nifty multi-layered hanging tool that gives you much more vertical, hanging space. This soda can tab hack is particularly useful to hang shorter pieces, since it helps maximize your space usage.

Getting back into the more creative and crafty uses for soda can tabs, they can make great centerpieces for large scale, wall art pieces too. Whether crafting a seasonal wreath out of soda can tabs or a statement piece that will be up on your walls year-round, it'll definitely make your space unique and give it some dimension. You can use the same crocheting techniques that you'd use in those basket, jewelry, and water bottle DIYs, or make the same kinds of chains from the keychain craft too.

Another great idea for the more outdoorsy ones of us is to repurpose soda can tabs into inexpensive, yet effective, fishing hooks. This hack involves making an incision in the tab, and possibly sharpening a point to make a true hook, so make sure to watch your fingers or wear gloves when working with the tab on this one. Otherwise, this is an uncomplicated way to fashion some fishing hooks, in case you run out on that beer drinking — oops, we mean fishing, trip! 

How frustrating is it when you buy a beautiful piece of art, and the accompanying frame doesn't have hanging hardware already attached? Don't worry about running to the store and buying an expensive hanging mechanism though, and instead grab a soda can tab to DIY hardware on the cheap and easy. Either hot glue or lightly nail a soda can tab to the back of the frame for a DIY frame hook that's both sturdy and inexpensive, and is often always at hand.

If you thought tab chains were just for upcycling tea candle holders, think again because these heavy duty versions can lock some hefty things in place. While this repurposing project will take a healthy amount of tabs, the pay off is a sturdy chain that you can use in a number of ways, like as a DIY bike chain. Hook a series of pop tabs together (quantity is important here as it creates the resistance needed to lock things in place) until you've reached the desired length, then hook in your lock.