How To Turn Old Pot Lids Into An Adorable Storage Solution

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Do you have a couple of old glass pot lids stored in your pantry? Perhaps the original pots had outgrown their usefulness, but the lids were still in perfect condition and you were reluctant to throw them out. The short answer is that you don't have to. Instead, you can reuse them to create an adorable kitchen décor piece or storage solution that you can place on your countertop. This clever project from crafty YouTuber DIY Idea Factory involves decoupaging the lids and connecting them to a post to create a tiered cake stand like the ones used for high tea.

To get this project underway, you're going to need two glass pot lids of different sizes. If you don't already have some in the back of your kitchen cabinet, head to your local thrift store. Alternatively, there's no harm in buying some new, like this set of three Feipone Glass Lids for Pots and Pans in assorted sizes. Just make sure whatever you choose has a screw-on knob. You'll also need some patterned paper napkins, Mod Podge Matte Sealer, scissors, a screwdriver, a strong adhesive (like E6000), a glue gun, white paint, a small collection of wooden beads, four wooden skewers, a wooden curtain ring, and something for a base, like an HIC Natural Bamboo Egg Cup Holder.

Ready to get started on this creative way to use decoupage in your home? Grab your screwdriver and remove the handles from the two lids. Then give the lids a good clean and set them aside to dry. Split a napkin into two layers and discard the non-printed layer. Apply a little Mod Podge to the concave surface of one of the pot lids and smooth the patterned paper over it. Do the same with the other lid. Once the sealer has dried to the touch (that takes a few hours), cut away any excess paper. You've now created a patterned plate! Apply another thin layer of Mod Podge on top to seal it if desired. Paint the underside of the lids white or any other hue from the Colorful Acrylic Glass Paint Set. Or you could cover it with another napkin.

Once the paint and Mod Podge on the lids has dried, it's time to assemble the tiered cake stand. Poke the wooden skewers through the hole in the center of the largest lid-turned-plate. Use as many skewers as you need to fill the hole. Thread the wooden beads onto the skewers above and below the plate, using E6000 or another strong adhesive to glue them in place as you work. Push the second smaller plate onto the skewers, and add more beads to the top. Trim the tops of the skewers if necessary, and glue the curtain ring to the top, forming a handle. Finally, glue the entire stand onto the base — be that an egg cup or something else.

You can display fruit on your kitchen countertop in this attractive tiered cake stand, or give it a home on your coffee bar, filling it with spoons, coffee pods, and sugar sachets. Replace the natural wooden beads with colored beads to give the stand an '80s neon, spring pastels, or rainbow vibe. It would also make a cute display for mini snack packs or cookies when your kids have friends over after school. Of course, you can always use it in the traditional way — serving cucumber sandwiches, finger foods, and baked goodies to guests.

Your new tiered cake stand has uses outside of the kitchen, too. In the bathroom, it could hold small jars or containers filled with lightweight beauty essentials, like cotton balls and swabs. In a guest bathroom, you could place tightly rolled hand towels on the bottom plate and pretty bars of soap on the top. What about using it as a jewelry holder in your walk-in closet? Cover the pot lids with patterned fabric instead of paper napkins to create a more refined look.

Need something a little more luxe in your living room to hold items like candles, crystals, collectibles, or seasonal décor? Forgo the decoupage and spray paint the pot lids gold or any other color that matches your existing design palette. You could even buy proper cake stand fittings, like this Uxcell Gold Bow-Knot Cake Tray Hardware set for three tiers to replace the skewers and beads. Still have lots of old pot and pan lids? Some other clever hacks to repurpose them include a bird feeder, utensil holder, towel rack, and lighting fixture.