There was a time when metal containers ruled the day. Every kitchen had a metal bread box or a set of coffee and tea canisters. Often people bought entire sets of these containers so their kitchens matched. Some metal containers were decorated with colorful fruits, like cherries. Others had basket-weave or gingham patterns.

These containers came in a variety of shapes and sizes. And they often had a specific purpose. While tin containers had been around since the late 1800s, these decorative styles became popular in the 1940s and 50s.

Today, you can still find vintage metal containers at yard sales, thrift stores or antique shops. You might even have some stored in your attic. They’re often overlooked as a storage container because they don’t have tight seals anymore. Many are dented, scratched and faded.

While you might not want to use these vintage containers for bread, flour, and sugar, you can find many other uses for these containers in your home and garden.

Vintage Metal Containers to Look For…

Here are a few examples of popular decorative metal containers you can find and put to use in your home and garden.

• Lidded Bread Boxes
• Flour, Sugar, Coffee and Tea 4-Set Containers
• Cookie “Jar” Containers
• Kitchen Tool Caddies
• Branded Tea Canisters
• Spice Cans
• Lunch Boxes
• Metal Kitchen Tools such as colanders and sifters

7 Creative Ways to Use Vintage Metal Containers…

You can use these containers for their obvious purpose. You can store bread in your vintage bread box or kitchen staples in your canister sets. But if you want to enjoy these vintage metal containers in your garden and shed, here are seven ideas to get you started.

Plant In Them

Larger size containers can make a perfect miniature garden. Use a bread box to grow herbs in your kitchen. Plant some spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils in them to bring a burst of spring indoors, while it’s still snowing outside. Or plant your favorite sun-loving flowers in them.

Use small containers, such as tea and spice cans, to plant miniature succulents. Line them up on your window seal or place them together on your dining room table for greater impact.

Use vintage metal containers outdoors for growing flowers on your porch. Keep these containers close by so you can enjoy not only the flowers, but the beauty of the container as well. For many years, I’ve grown ‘hens and chicks’ and other succulents in a metal egg crate.

READ… The Best Vintage Containers to Use in Your Garden

Use For Seed Storage

The lidded bread boxes are a perfect place to store your seed packets. Use cardboard strips to form 3 rows. Then line up your seeds. Use pieces of card stock to divide the seeds by type and you have a vintage seed storage container that’s fun to look at and easy to use.

Use canister sets to store large amounts of your own harvested seeds. Whether stored in baggies, medicine bottles, or loose, these containers are a good way to corral all your seeds.

Store Small Tools

Kitchen tool caddies and cookie tins can store your garden tools. You can also store plant label stakes, garden gloves and planter decor. Use one large container or gather several smaller canisters on a tray to hold your small tools, labels, pencils, garden markers and more.

Another option is to use a vintage metal container to store games on your porch. A large vintage bread box would be perfect for holding a deck of cards, a set of checkers with a folding board, a set of dominos or travel-sized games. The games will stay dry and protected, but will be instantly available when your family wants to spend time on the porch.

Fill With Bouquets

While many of these vintage metal containers might not be watertight, you can use them as a decorative sleeve for your garden bouquets. Arrange your flowers in a jar or vase that will fit inside a coffee or tea canister.

Another option is to use several vintage milk bottles or mason jars to hold a variety of flowers. Then place these ‘vases’ into a larger container such as a metal lunch box.

Snack and Beverage Container

Gather a variety of containers to use for serving snacks and beverages. Coffee and tea containers can hold popcorn, pretzels, cookies or candy. Line a bread tin with plastic then fill with ice and small drink bottles such as iced tea and coffee. Perfect for serving on your porch or in the garden during the summer.

Fertilizer Container

Larger sized containers such as a flour or sugar canisters can be useful for holding special fertilizer products. Store your indoor supply of plant food or cut-flower water preservative in a vintage metal container. Keep a small scoop handy for dishing up your fertilizers.

Bird Feeder or Bird House

Fill small containers with birdseed and leave them where the birds can find them. Attach a small container to a fence post or tree so it’s more stable. Be sure to not place it where your cat will have easy access to the birds.

Use a round flour or sugar canister with a lid to make a cute bird house. Cut a circular hole about two-thirds of the way up on the side. Be sure to sand the edges of the hole to remove any sharpness. Glue a small stick below the hole for perching. Attach the birdhouse to a tree for the small birds that live in your garden.

Tabletop Shelf

Use several containers to make a temporary shelf for holding your garden supplies or small plants. Space two or three equal size containers where you want the shelf and then place a board over the top. The size of the board will depend on the container sizes that you have to support your shelf. While this is a temporary shelf, it can add charm to your shed, potting bench or porch.

Tips For Using Vintage Metal Containers…

There are a few things to keep in mind when using metal containers. First, you must decide how much damage you can allow these containers. Especially if you use them outdoors. That metal egg crate holding succulents is a good example of damage that can occur outdoors. It has reached the point where the bottom is disintegrating. The constant exposure to moisture, heat and cold temperatures has taken its toll.

If your container will regularly be exposed to the outdoor elements, you will have deterioration. This is important to remember when choosing your containers to use outdoors.

Keep These Tips in Mind For Your Containers…

1. If your container is a family heirloom or in pristine condition, then consider using it inside your home or in your garden shed rather than outdoors.
2. Drill drainage holes in the bottom of your container if you’re using it to grow plants. This will help prevent over-watering and root rot. If you don’t want to damage the container, you can line it with a plastic trash bag and place a layer of gravel at the bottom to wick water away from the plant roots.
3. When using containers outdoors, consider applying a coating of sealant to the outside. This can preserve the images on your containers.
4. If you’re using multiple metal containers together, try to match the styles. This will give your garden area a cohesive look. For example, you could use a plaid bread box with a flower covered kitchen set if they’re the same color.

Why settle for a boring container in your garden, on the porch or in your shed when you can use a decorative vintage metal container instead? These containers are easy to find and aren’t that expensive. You might even have some stashed away that you forgot about. So dig through your shed or attic, spend a weekend hitting the yard sales, or visit your local thrift store.

Not only do these containers bring a bit of nostalgia to our gardens, but they can bring a smile to your friends and family. These reminders of our childhood or our grandparents are a great way to recycle and use what’s available. So pull out your old vintage metal containers and put them to use in your garden.