Here’s a cool and inexpensive way to add some stainless steel elements to your kitchen storage: Paint cans. No, we’re not kidding. We know, paint cans aren’t actually made of stainless steel, but they sure look close, don’t they? You can buy empty paint cans from the local hardware store for almost nothing. They’re available in a large range of sizes - from 1/4 pint to a gallon - and they’re typically used to store leftover paint from larger jobs. When we saw them, though, we couldn’t help but imagine how they’d look filled to the brim with every little thing our junk drawer no longer had room for.

Our kitchen utensils were the first things to get the paint can treatment, but we didn’t stop there. We’ve already put a small can by the back door to keep our laundry quarters together. No more digging under couch pillows for us! We know someone who uses paint cans to grow plants and display cut flowers. Maybe next we’ll add a few holes to some cans to create (literally!) flashy candle holders…

But enough about us. What would you store in your kitchen paint cans? (Note: They probably aren’t food-safe, so don’t put food in them.) But beyond that, go wild. And then share. We could use some more ideas, and we know you’ve got them! Send us an email to tell us what you’ve done.