Try These 9 Ideas for Upcycling Dollar Store Trays

The Dollar Store is a wealth of random objects, most of which are used once and then discarded. For instance, those plastic Dollar Store trays, which are great as a cheap buy for finger food at any gathering. Once you’re done with said trays, you probably toss them out, right? Well, unless they’re covered in mustard and not salvageable, don’t move towards that garbage! Instead, upcycle those trays with these nine clever DIYs.

1. Tray Wreath

The holiday season isn’t the only time for wreaths! This can be a fun year-round decoration for your home, plus it’s easy to make and only costs a few bucks. We love how expensive this piece looks, even though it’s just a few Dollar Store trays spray painted silver and glued on top of one another.

2. Towel Holder

For a decorative touch in the bathroom, transforming a tray into a towel holder is really simple. Extra points for using blackboard paint on the surface of the tray to write cute, little notes.

3. Decorative Serving Tray

If you’re not fond of the plastic aesthetic of Dollar Store trays, there’s an easy way to make them look like a million bucks. With this simple DIY, you can cover any tray in the fashionable fabric of your choice to make a fancy serving tray.

4. Makeup Organizer

Anyone who has an overflow of makeup knows how difficult it can be to keep all of your odds and ends organized. Creating this tiered makeup organizer is an easy and cheap way to keep everything in its place and clean up your vanity for good.

5. Rustic Wall Decor

If your home follows the rustic decor theme, then this easy DIY wall decor is for you! Paint a Dollar Store tray with an appropriate color (pastels always work for a rustic palette, like this mint green) and deck it out with pieces of fabric or even pictures of loved ones.

6. Menu Board

Whether it’s to display the meal options at an event you’ve organized or to let the kids know what’s for dinner tonight, this menu board is easy to make and looks adorable!

7. Barbecue-Themed Plates

Backyard barbecues on the horizon? Prepare for plenty of festive feasts with these decorative plates! These were once basic Dollar Store plates, but with a quick paint job, they’re the perfect platters to eat plenty of ribs off of.

8. Jewelry Tray

Just like the tiered makeup organizer above, you can stack a few Dollar Store trays to make a picture perfect organizer for all your jewels. This layered organizer looks almost as beautiful as your favorite baubles!

9. Cement Flowers

Planters are great for growing little seedlings, and it’s extra impressive when they’re shaped like the beautiful flowers they’re growing! An easy way to achieve this is to make planters with cheap molds. A serving tray might not be what you’d imagine when you think of getting this job done, but they achieve the same shape for a much smaller price.

What do you think of these nine clever crafts? Share your favorites in the comments section below.