In today's day and age, we're always being told to reduce, reuse, and recycle - but what about repurposing? Upcycling is becoming a huge trend and something that helps breathe new life into old and often forgotten things. So, while it's easy to throw away old tin cans, you might want to think twice next time before shoving them in the recycling bin. It turns out there are endless ways to repurpose these simple containers into decor, storage, and more. All you need is a little DIY skill, some old tin cans, and the useful tips and tricks we've gathered here.

Hanging Hairbrush Storage

When you have your hairbrush, hair dryer, makeup bag, toothbrush, and other items on your vanity unit, the whole space can become cluttered and dirty. Thankfully, some old tin cans can help you with that! Although you might not have realized it, hollow tin cans are the perfect size to hold hairbrushes - especially when you're short on space. And all you have to do is remove the top and bottom and decorate it how you please.

Then, you can simply hang these tin cans on the wall. This will allow your hairbrushes to hang with ease but also be ready for whenever you need them next.

Make Nautical Rope Vases

Most people like to commit to a theme when they're decorating their houses. Some go for minimal and modern, others go for cottage chic, and then there are those who can't get enough of nautical. If you're one of those people, take a look at this hack to repurpose old cans! This crafty project is incredibly easy, and all you have to do is glue rope around the outside of the can.

Finish off the nautical vase with the flowers of your choice, and place wherever you'd like in the home. If you want a top tip, though, opt to decorate different-sized vases for the best effect.

Keep Your Cutlery Organized

There's nothing more annoying than opening up a cutlery drawer and seeing the forks and the knives caught amongst themselves. The whole drawer looks messy and uninviting, which is why it's always a good idea to organize them in some way. And while you could buy a cutlery organizer, why not make your own instead? After all, it turns out that you can recycle tin cans and make your own cutlery organizer.

You can use however many old tin cans you need to bring this idea to life, and you can even decorate them however you'd like. We love the copper in the photo above, though!

Hang Unique Decorative Planters

If you have a large tree in your yard, or you only have a balcony on which to hang things, hanging planters give you the option to jazz up your outside space. But who wants boring hanging planters? If you have old tin cans lying around, you can use these to your advantage and make your own personal hanging planters that suit your space and your style. And the hanging planter world is your oyster.

Whether you want to stick with a floral theme or you want to turn your planters into a disco ball, the choice is yours. Just remember to fill them with plants!

Create the Perfect Mini Pie Cases

If you love pie as much as the next guy (who really loves pie), you'll know that nothing compares to the smell and the taste of a homemade pie. But no matter whether you love apple pie or meat pie, sometimes making a whole family-sized pie is way too over the top. To combat that, you can repurpose some old tins you have lying around the house and make mini pies instead.

Yes, these recycled tin cans work perfectly as little pie cases. They're great for people who love solo, but they'd also be great to hand out at your next dinner party!

Make a Working Tin Grill

There are two kinds of people in this world; there are those who hate camping, and then there are those who can think of nothing better than immersing themselves in nature and living a simple life for a weekend. If you're part of the latter category, you might be interested to know that you can actually make your own working tin grill using any tin cans you might have left over.

It's pretty easy to do this, too. Using scissors, simply cut 3/4 of the tin can down into strips, folding them out to create the grill shape. Then, cover in aluminum foil and hot coats and cook!

Create a Bespoke Lampshade

If you're the kind of person who hates the idea of buying something that someone you know already has in their house, the concept of making your own bespoke pieces probably floats your boat. So, why not make your own bespoke lampshades? To do this, you can repurpose old tin cans and turn them into an intricate light with one-of-a-kind cut-outs that make it stand out from any other lampshade in the world.

To do this, take an old tin can and use scissors, a knife, and a hammer to create your own personal design. You can go as wild or as subtle as you want with this.