20 Uses for Empty Ice Cream Buckets

We buy ice cream in the five-quart plastic bucket but instead of recycling them with a conglomerate or having them end up in landfill, we save them and use them handy storage containers. They're waterproof and seal tight so they're perfect and have endless possibilities and uses.

Here's a few things I do with them.

In The Kitchen

1. Use to store dry goods- it takes about five of them to store 25-lbs of flour and sugar. Plus they stack nicely in your pantry and cupboards.
2. In the kitchen you can use for making large quantities of Jell-O or pudding (dirt cake). They're great for mixing cake batters, storing bread or cookie dough that needs to be refrigerated and as a makeshift cookie jar with a handle.

Outside Uses

3. We use them to water the chickens and haul water out to the chicken coop. We keep one outside by the faucet for the dogs and hand a second one off the water spicket to capture water leaks and drips.
4. We use one to gather and collect eggs to bring in.
5. For traveling with the kids- great for little items like matchbox cars and legos.
6. My husband stores nuts, bolts, and other miscellaneous pieces and parts inside.
7. Great for winter time fun when building a snow fort or in the summer for sandcastle building at the beach.
8. Use for an oil container. When you change the oil in your vehicles this is a great way to store old oil until you can take to get recycled
9. Great for camping- I've used to take small quantities of powder laundry soap, shower items for the shower rooms, for storing fire making supplies like matches and lighters and for when you visit the beach you can collect seashells, pine cones, etc.
10. When spending the day at the beach, take an extra one to care you small items like wallet, change and money, suntan lotion, sunglasses, tissues and car keys.

General Uses Around The House

11. You can store the wide variety of crayons, colored pencils and markers inside and seal for easy transportation.
12. Freeze water in them for ice when we travel and this is also good to have in freezer to take up empty space and save on energy costs.
13. Great for cleaning product storage as you travel room to room. Instead of buying an expensive cleaner tote you can use the bucket with a handle.
14. Keep the toilet brush in when not in use. Plus you can soak the bucket ince a month in cleaner or bleach to get out stains and odors.
15. They make a great small garbage can in kids' rooms, the bathroom, the laundry room or garage with plastic bag inside.
16. Store nail polish and nail polish remover bottles in along with your cotton balls, nail files and all your manicure needs.
17. They're a great place to organize and store all your combs and brushes. Store with handle down so you can see each brush- plus they won't get tangled up.
18. Drill a small hole in the bottom and you can hang from clothesline outside to store your clothespins and still allow rain and water to drain out.
19. Good place to store craft items, yarns and sewing supplies.
20. Good for storing gift wrapping supplied like tape, scissors, ribbons and bows.