National Organizational Month: Soup Cans to Storage
by Alishafun , news , Sewing Workspace , staff projects Add comments
This week's tip is so easy, and really fun to do!
Customer suggestion: Take some empty soup cans, paint them your favorite color, and hang on the wall for easily accessible storage.
I've seen people decorate their cans in so many fun and adorable ways, so if you're not a fan of spray paint, that's okay! Other options could include wallpaper, fabric (hey, why not!), or simply decorating them with a little bling. For the purposes of this test, I simply spray painted my empty cans with a glossy white using a paint that is meant for metal and wrapped a little ribbon around the top. If you don't use metal-friendly paint, you will start to notice a lot of knicks and peeling pretty quick -- trust me, I say this from experience.
Here's some examples of other cans I've seen....
(courtesy of iheartorganizing.blogspot.com)
(Courtesy of My Life in Lyrics)
(Courtesy of Fancy Schmancy)
An alternative to soup cans would be pint-sized paint cans. The tops are smooth, and the can's larger size offers a great amount of storage. You can either mix and match like I did, or use just one size and create beautiful uniformity like the picture above shows.
Once I had my cans painted, I used some Command Damage-Free hanging adhesive strips (they are SO strong!) and just stuck my cans straight to the wall. Because the heaviest thing I am storing in my cans is a rotary cutter, the hanging adhesive strips were perfect for my needs. If you need something that can take a little more weight, you might consider screwing your cans into your wall.
Another great option is to just set your cans upright. Upright cans make great catch-alls for your marking supplies, clips, and cutting tools. 
As you can see, the cans turned out really well, and I think they are a unique, and really cute addition to my sewing room. I love that I can now store my fabric scraps, cutting tools, small rulers, and marking tools right above my sewing and preparation space. It is so convenient!
Jan 26, 2013 at 11:36 AM I am going to present this idea to my quilt guild. I like the magnet on the board as well a the non-damage hangers. Most people do not want the hassle of repairing walls when moving things around.
Jan 24, 2013 at 12:40 AM Love this idea, use a magnetic board, attach magnets to the bottom of the can with hot glue and just stick to the board. Really strong magnets can be found at home improvement stores for very little cash! Most dry erase boards are also magnetic. Thanks for the idea.
Jan 23, 2013 at 6:21 PM Wow! that's cool and great idea. I will spread word to the deaf people at retreat. Thanks!
Jan 23, 2013 at 5:01 PM Everything old is new again! I did this back in the early 70's when I was in high school.
; )
Jan 23, 2013 at 4:39 PM I think this is a great way to get your notions off of the table. I like Rosemary's idea of mounting them to a board and then hanging the board to your wall. It would leave fewer nail holes in the wall.
Jan 23, 2013 at 3:12 PM Love this idea and it is a great idea for quilting friends for Christmas gifts too. Also, a great craft idea for the grand kids. I will do this the next time they come down and let them select the fabric that they want for their own personal "whatever" holder. Thank you
Jan 23, 2013 at 2:25 PM What a great idea for storage...Love the idea!!!!
Jan 23, 2013 at 1:22 PM I found this on my connecting threads web site and I went back and looked at many of your previous projects and prized. This is fabulous!!!!! I love the ideas and I love the shoe box and soup can storage ideas. Keep up the good work.
Jan 23, 2013 at 1:16 PM I like this idea also. I think I will mount mine to a thin board of some kind and then hang it up.
Jan 23, 2013 at 10:40 AM Love this idea.