Don't Toss Your Lids From Old Pots & Pans, Do This Instead

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Many people toss old, damaged pots and pans because they're not sure how to fix them, or because the restoration process wears their patience thin. Though it's possible to repair rusted enamel pots and remove burned crusts from pans, the longer you wait to address the issue, the more elusive success may be. If you do get rid of a ruined pan, or if a pot disappears for some other reason, don't automatically throw away its lid. Instead, transform it into a wind chime with a bit of wire or string and a few other materials. In addition to adding soothing sounds and visual interest to your yard, a wind chime can scare away deer, raccoons, and other creatures eager to nibble your garden's plants or rummage through your garbage can.

Don't worry if the lid from an old pot is less than perfect if you plan to turn it into a wind chime. Even with a few dents, it can provide a sturdy foundation for a variety of designs. A lid with a handle is especially useful since it has a natural spot for a hook. You can repurpose a wire coat hanger to make a hook or create a durable yet flexible one from jute rope. Drill holes in a metal lid to attach strings or hooks capable of supporting strands of dangling objects. If your lid contains glass, don't attempt drilling. Rather, attach vertical wires with a waterproof glue such as Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive. Or, if the glass has broken, carefully remove it and use the metal ring from its rim as your wind chime's base.

Deciding what to suspend from your pot lid is an opportunity to express your creativity. When choosing your materials, consider both the look of the objects and the sounds they make when they collide. Try upcycling metal chain necklaces for the vertical component of your wind chime. They offer an array of small openings for clipping on other items you'd like to display, from bottle caps to enameled keychains. Or, drill holes in pieces of copper pipe and draw string or wire through them to affix them to your lid. 

Of course, there are all kinds of other objects that will accommodate a drill hole and hang on a wind chime made from a repurposed pot or pan lid. Your options include small terra cotta pots, varnished pieces of bamboo, wooden spoons, and mismatched silverware. Want to minimize the amount of drilling required? Choose objects with ready-made holes. Some of your options are washers, old keys, mason jar lid rings, and holiday ornaments attached to loops, especially music-making ones such as jingle bells.

Attractive stones and pieces of sea glass can be added to a wind chime without drill holes, too. Just wind wire around them when creating a vertical strand of baubles. These items pair nicely with beach-inspired elements such as seashells and dried bits of driftwood. If you don't have access to sea glass or shiny beach pebbles, mimic their look by incorporating dried dollops of color-infused translucent glue. Use outdoor acrylic paint to adorn jar lids with fish, coral, or other sea creatures, and string them onto your creation, too.