Use for old oatmeal canisters

[i_am2bz]

Since there are so many clever people on this forum, I thought I'd ask...

I go thru a lot of oatmeal, the kind that comes in the cylindrical cardboard canisters with the plastic lid. They're pretty sturdy, & it seems a shame to just throw them in the trash. Does anyone here use them for something else? I've put kitchen scraps in them before transferring to the compost bin, that that's about it.

 

[FarmerDenise]

When DD was little, she used them as a drum. I stored her toys in them, too.

 

[ORChick]

Storage. If you have access to a store with bulk bins for dry foods you could use the containers you have to store bulk bought grains/beans/noodles/etc - even bulk bought oat flakes . Win/win - use what you have, and not add anymore.

 

[kcsunshine]

If you crochet or knit, you can keep your yarn inside and pull the thread out through a hole you cut in the top. Keeps it from becoming tangles.

 

[country freedom]

If anyone raises budgies, oatmeal canisters can be used for inexpensive hollowed out trees.

Keeping the lid on, about one fourth way down from top of canister, make a hole just slightly larger than mama budgie (daddy budgie will help feed babies when babies have grown a bit), they do not need a perch.

To keep nest in place, situate the canister in a corner and make four very small holes for bread ties on two places just over half way up from bottom, tying the four bread ties to the cage bars. You want these to be out of sight and reach of the birds so they won't mess with those.

Inside the canister, you will need to depress the bottom inside so it forms a shallow bowl, as this will keep the eggs from rolling to the sides inside of canister.
No nesting material is needed.

You do not need to strip off the colored paper, unless you worry the birds may chew on it. Please make sure the glue part of the canister is facing the corner, so the birds won't mess with it.

I have switched to another canister when the mama budgie is laying another set of eggs. Older baby budgies may still be in the nest - they, also, can go into the new nest.

I had raised budgies for five years like this, before moving from Virginia, to Indiana. Be forewarned - baby budgies are so adorable when you've heard their squeeky little voices, but they become an obnoxious loud nuciance as they grow older - every two hours for every feeding, 24/7!

 

[PamsPride]

If you are crafty you can decorate the outside and then put a little poem/saying on a tag on the inside with some hot cocoa or hot cider or tea packets and then you put them on someones doorstop...and run! They get a little treat and then they are supposed to put it on someone else's doorstop until all of the packets are gone. It is called "Ding, Dong, Ditch" I believe.

A Turkey Trot poem for Thanksgiving...

Turkey trot
Turkey run
Time to have Thanksgiving fun!
Turkey right
Turkey left
Placed some treats upon your step.
Turkey sandwich
Turkey ham
Gobble up this Turkey-Gram!

Or you can put some turkey 'poop' in it...tootsie rolls or candy corn.

 

[sparks]

I would put oatmeal cookies in them and send to daughter in school.

 

[chipmunk]

I use them to put presents in to wrap. Works great for clothing and blankets and such.

 

[me&thegals]

Soap mold

 

[i_am2bz]

When DD was little, she used them as a drum. I stored her toys in them, too.

This one made me smile - I have a photo of my sister when she was about 2 years old (she's 45 now), wearing an "Indian" headband & carrying an oatmeal drum that I apparently made in kindergarten that day.