5 Things to do With Buckets
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
Use old plastic or metal buckets as lobster pots, planters, Christmas tree stands, and more!
Old buckets have countless great uses around the house.
1. Make a Lobster Pot
If you don’t have a large kettle, boil lobsters in an old metal bucket. Make sure to use pot holders and tongs when cooking and removing the lobster. Let the bucket cool before handling it again.
2. Garden in a Bucket
Use a 19-litre plastic bucket as a minigarden or planter. Use another as a composter for scraps and cuttings. Bucket gardens are just the right size for apartment balconies.
3. Make a Christmas Tree Stand
Fill a bucket partway with sand or gravel and insert the base of the tree in it. Then fill it the rest of the way and pour water on the sand or gravel to help keep the tree from drying out.
4. Make a Camp Shower
A bucket perforated with holes on the bottom makes an excellent campsite shower. Hang it securely from a sturdy branch, fill it using another bucket or jug, and then take a quick shower as the water comes out. Want to shower in warm water? Paint the outside of another bucket matte black. Fill it with water and leave it out in the sun all day.
5. Keep Extension Cords Tangle-Free
A 19-litre bucket can help you keep a long extension cord free of tangles. Just cut or drill a hole near the bottom of the pail, making sure it is large enough for the cord’s pronged end to pass through. Then coil the rest of the cord into the bucket. The cord will come right out when pulled and is easy to coil back in. Plug the ends of the cord together when it’s not in use. You can use the center space to carry tools to a worksite.
