Transform a popcorn tin into chic storage

There’s no need to rush to the home goods store for adorable storage options. You can easily create one-of-a-kind storage from upcycled materials for a fraction of the cost. This one, made from an old popcorn tin, keeps waste out of the landfill while beautifying and organizing your home. The ways you can customize the color, handle and decorative details of this container are endless, a bonus you don’t get from store-bought solutions.

Anyone will appreciate this attractive storage container, whether you’re a knitter who wants to wrangle unruly yarn or a scrapbooker who needs to store rolls of washi tape. If you want a container with four compartments instead of two, simply cut and cover a second cardboard divider with a slit halfway down the middle. Cut a slit on the opposite side of the first cardboard piece, then slide the two pieces together to create a T-shaped divider. No matter your organizational need, this clever container made with a popcorn tin can get the job done.

Materials
- Empty popcorn tin
- Piece of paper
- Scissors
- Painter’s tape
- Drop cloth
- Rust-Oleum Chalked Ultra Matte Paint in "Serenity Blue"
- Ruler
- Cutting mat
- Cardboard
- Pencil
- X-Acto knife
- Striped contact paper
- Permanent marker
- Decorative drawer pull
- Permatex Steel Weld
- Mixing stick
- Scrap piece of cardboard

Instructions
1. Wash and dry an empty popcorn tin.

2. Turn the tin upside down. Press a piece of paper into the bottom of the tin to create an outline of the base. Cut out the circle.

3. Place four loops of painter’s tape onto the base of the tin. Press the paper into the tape. Cover the metal rim of at the bottom of the tin with tape to protect it from the spray paint. Fold the excess tape onto the bottom of the tin to further hold the paper in place.

4. Place the tin upside down on a drop cloth. Following the package instructions, spray paint the outside of the tin with "Serenity Blue" or a light blue matte spray paint. Allow the tin to dry completely. Once the tin is dry, remove the tape and paper from the bottom.

5. Turn the tin right side up. Measure the depth and diameter of the opening. Place a piece of cardboard on a cutting mat, then use an X-Acto knife to cut the cardboard to the dimensions of the opening. Note: If the diameter of the popcorn tin’s opening and base are different, cut the cardboard piece, so it tapers into a subtle trapezoid shape. Otherwise, a rectangle piece will suffice.

6. Unroll a sheet of contact paper on the cutting mat. Place the cardboard piece near the bottom corner of the contact paper, with a few millimeters of space around each edge. With the ruler and X-Acto knife, cut the paper, so you have a rectangle long enough to cover both sides of the cardboard.

7. Remove the protective backing from the contact paper. Place the cardboard on the sticky side near the bottom edge of the paper. There should be just enough of a border around the two sides and the bottom edge of the cardboard to let you fold over the paper and hide the edges of the cardboard. Flip the cardboard up to cover the other side. Cut off the excess paper with the X-Acto knife, then fold over the edges. Use your hands to smooth out any air bubbles on either side of the cardboard. Place the piece inside the tin to use as a divider for your storage container.

8. With a ruler and permanent marker, make a small mark in the center of the top side of the popcorn tin lid. This is where you’ll place the drawer pull.

9. Mix together the two parts of Permatex Steel Weld on a scrap piece of cardboard. You only need a small dollop of product. Place a quarter-size amount of the steel weld directly onto the mark you made in step 8. Place some steel weld directly onto the underside of the drawer pull. Press the drawer pull onto the lid. Follow the package instructions for the steel weld drying times. Allow it to dry completely.

10. Once the glue is dry, fill the container with whatever you want to store, and place the lid on top. Your new, chic storage is complete!