DIY Pencil Tins

Here is a simple idea for those with kids who love to draw or for those with a collection of pens scattered over their desk.

Collect up some tins from your recycling bin and give them a good wash. I try to choose tins from foods that don’t smell after washing them out and tins with out a sharp top edge, for obvious reasons.

Then grab some nice paper. You could use pages of sheet music, comics, or magazines but I find that this is a great project after a birthday when you have heaps of cool wrapping paper left over that is too nice to throw away.

Lay your tin down on the wrong side of the paper and use a pencil to mark your cut lines. Leave enough room for a small overlap on the short edge and cut your rectangle piece out. I use a small piece of double-sided sticky tape to secure each short end to the tin.

A cheap, quick and easy way to store pencils. When you get tired of the pattern it is easy to pull off and replace with something new. Not only do they look good sitting packed up on the shelf but it encourages kids to clean up and keep their pencils tidy. They are so handy I even made one for myself.