20 Easy Upcycles for Old Kitchen Gear

Chipped lip? Lost lid? Don't toss that old tureen; instead give it new life as a decorative cachepot, or overpot, for a houseplant. The plant you use should already be planted in a plastic pot with drainage holes, so all you have to do is place the potted plant inside the tureen whose solid bottom will prevent leaks.

Nesting Bundt pans can easily be fashioned into a handy tiered server or organizer with wooden dowels or spindles. Just drill a hole in both ends of a long dowel and add an interior dowel screw to each end. Secure the dowel to the opening in the center of the large bottom pan with a washer and wingnut. Stack the smaller pan on top of the dowel so the end of the screw comes through the hole in the center of the pan. Finish the top with a decorative screw-on finial. Give your tiered server a trendy, farmhouse look by painting the whole assembly with chalk paint, then roughing up the surfaces with sandpaper to add a timeworn charm.

Transform an old baking pan or cookie sheet into a magnetic message board. It's easy — just add a coat of gold spray paint and line the inside with pretty fabric using spray adhesive. Attach a hanger to the back using gel superglue and let dry thoroughly. Hang in a visible, high-traffic area of your home and attach notes with stylish magnets.

Old silver-plate forks are gorgeously detailed and plentiful at charity and thrift shops. Add small self-adhesive magnets to the backs to display them on your fridge, a metal filing cabinet or any magnetic surface. The tines can hold business cards, shopping lists or photos. Any size fork will work, but small, child-sized forks are more space-efficient.