Hiding your trash can in an apartment rental or dorm room can be a tricky job (just like whose job it is to take it out is a constant source of strife). You’re in a tighter space, and you probably don’t have the cabinetry needed to stash that bin out of sight. Not ideal but not necessarily a deal-breaker in your home either. Think of it as an opportunity: If you’re forced to stare down your garbage all day, you might as well make that can as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of your decor, right?
In a recent TikTok, user Chelsea (@chelseazeferina) gives her trash can a colorful makeover that fits right in with the rest of her home’s curated vibe.
How to Make Your Own Striped Trash Can
The first thing Chelsea tells viewers to do is sand their trash cans, to even out the surface and remove any bits and grime off of the bin. Once it’s all smooth, you can apply your primer all around the trash can to hold your paint in place. Allow it to sit before going in with your colors. Chelsea uses an acrylic wall paint, rolling a few coats onto the bin and letting them sit afterwards. When her paint is dry, she applies her painters tape to create a stripe pattern around her trash can and then adds her next coat of paint in a new color.
If your trash can has a lid, you can repeat these steps there as well and use different colors if you’d like. When your tape is removed, all that’s left to do is seal the paint with a water-based polycrylic, and your trash can will look brand-new and perfectly personalized to your room.
How to Make Your Own Gingham Trash Can
In her comments section, Chelsea notes that this DIY was inspired by a project done by user @samswhurld on Instagram. If your room has more of a soft, cottagecore vibe, this version could be another great alternative for your trash can design.
This project seriously gives new meaning to the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” am I right?
