Pet Supply Storage: 8 Upcycling Crafts for Bags and Cans

Looking for ways to upcycle that cat and dog food packaging, rather than recycle it? Here are a few ideas — some decorative and some practical — for you to upcycle pet supply storage bags and cans.

Got Bags?

1. Food mat: Keep your floors clean by making a food mat for your four-legged friend. Simply cut a piece of a pet food bag into a circle, rectangle or square. Then, add a non-slip backing and sew it together with a vinyl binding. Now you have an easy-to-clean mat that will keep pet food off the floor.
2. A tote: A pet food bag turned into a tote makes an extra-strong carryall, making it a perfect bag to take to the supermarket. All you need is a sewing machine, thread and scissors. Cut the bag to the height you want, fold over the top to make a neat hem, and sew it closed using a zigzag stitch. Make handles by cutting two strips, each about three inches wide. Double them over and sew them onto the bag. Done!
3. A revamped lawn chair: Your favourite old metal lawn chairs might be relegated to the back of the garage because the webbing ripped or sagged. Make the chairs look like new using dog or cat food bags for webbing. Cut into strips the same width and length as the old strips, then simply sew them onto the chair for a quick and easy transformation.
4. Baby bibs: Plastic pet food bags make the perfect baby bibs because they're so easy to wipe clean. Trace over a current baby bib onto a food storage bag and cut out. For lining, cut out a piece of fleece that is an inch or so larger. (You'll need that extra inch for a border.) Stretch the fleece around the bag and sew together. Cut the "neck" of the fleece apart and add touch fasteners or snaps.
5. Freezer burn guard: If you know you're going to be freezing human food for a while before eating it, place the wrapped food in a clean, empty dog or cat food bag. Doing so adds an extra layer of protection against freezer burn. Just make sure you wash the bag clean first.

Don't Can Your Cans

1. Decorations: The blog Craft with Cartwright features lots of ideas for cute DIY tin can decorations and craft projects. The kids will love making tin can stilts, drums and bird feeders, while adults can try their hand at customised storage cans, herb planters and vases.
2. Containers: Paint your cleaned pet supply storage can to remake it into a pretty and useful container. Cat food cans are the perfect size for a desk drawer, where they can hold things like paper clips, drawing pins or spare change. You could also use them in your medicine cabinet for hair grips, clips and hair bands.
3. Wind chimes: This is a cute project for kids and parents to enjoy together, and the end result makes a great homemade gift for grandparents or other relatives. Check out the Homify blog for a detailed tutorial.

If you've got a creative, crafty itch to scratch, be sure to take a look at your pet food packaging as there are endless ideas of things you can create from upcycling the packaging.