The most creative ways to reuse takeaway containers

An occasional takeaway meal when you can’t be bothered cooking is a nice treat but those plastic containers your takeaway comes in sure build up, until it appears they’ve somehow bred like rabbits in the darkness of your bottom kitchen draw.

Of course, if you’re like most people, you keep them because you have good intentions of using them to store leftover food in, but over time you end up with far too many – yet throwing them away seems awfully wasteful.

This doesn’t mean they have to hit the bin though, because there are some smart ways you, or perhaps your creative grandkids, can make use of them.

1. Paint trays

If you’re the artistic type, plastic containers, or the lids alone, make a great paint tray. Instead of using fine china or purchasing a special palette, use old containers or lids to blend colours or keep colours separate.

If you’re enjoying a painting activity with your grandchildren, you won’t have to worry about them ruining anything either with no chance of breakage. As an added bonus, you can simply snap on the lid to save any leftover paint from drying out so you can use it the next day.

2. Trays for plant pots

Filling your home pots of lovely flowers and plants can really brighten up your environment. The downside is that some pots come without matching water trays, meaning water leaks out the bottom of the pot and onto your floor, even when you think the soil has dried out sufficiently to bring the pot inside after a soaking.

Putting the lid of a takeaway container under your pot will catch any leakage, prevent those little bits of soil from falling from the hole in the bottom of the pot and ensure your floor is mark-free.

3. Glass protectors

Dishwashers save a lot of time and effort, but there is a risk of damaging glasses by cramming them in next to each other. A slight bit of movement as the dishwasher’s going through its cycle and, unless you’ve placed your glasses very carefully, you’re at risk of breakage. This is particularly the case for delicate wine and champagne glasses.

To solve this problem, place the lids of plastic containers between each glass, or at least those that you’re worried about hitting each other. The lids create a barrier between the delicate items so they don’t crack.

4. Craft storage

Plastic containers are usually just the right size for storing the grandkids’ craft goods, such as crayons, pencils, stickers, glitter tubes and sticks of glue. The same goes for your own crafts; thread, scrapbooking bits and pieces, mosaic pieces all fit in nicely rather than being muddled together in one large box. Containers are just as good for DIY storage needs, such as keeping different size nails and screws separate, and for storing fiddly games pieces such as dice and markers.

5. Seed-starting trays

Plastic containers can be used to get seedlings started. All you need to do in punch a few holes in the bottom of the container for drainage, fill it with soil, plant the seeds and place the lid back on top.

This creates a greenhouse atmosphere for the seedlings to grow in before they are re-planted in individual pots. And using takeaway containers will save you money, which is a perfect excuse for buying more plants!