Absolutely—those old Goodwill trays can be surprisingly useful. Thrifted trays are commonly repurposed into organizers, wall décor, serving pieces, and display stands. DIY Everywhere+1
10 Brilliant Ways to Reuse Thrift-Store Trays
- ☕ Create a coffee station
Put your coffee maker, mugs, sugar, and coffee supplies on one tray. It keeps everything together and makes the counter look instantly neater. DIY Everywhere - 🌿 Make a plant display
Use a sturdy tray as a base for several small potted plants. Add pebbles or a waterproof liner to protect the surface from moisture. - 💍 Turn it into a jewelry organizer
Add small hooks, dividers, or little cups to create compartments for necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. Lining it with felt can protect delicate pieces. DIY Everywhere - 🖼️ Transform it into wall art
Paint the tray, stencil a pattern, add decorative paper, or use decoupage. Attach suitable hardware to the back and hang it as a statement piece. Stenciling is a proven simple way to give an inexpensive tray a completely different look. Design Improvised - 🛁 Organize the bathroom
Group lotion, soap, perfumes, towels, cotton swabs, and other small items on one attractive tray. It turns scattered products into an intentional display. Reinvented Delaware - 🛋️ Make a coffee-table organizer
Use one to corral remote controls, books, candles, and decorative objects. Instead of several small piles, you get one organized zone. - 🛏️ Create a bedside catch-all
A small tray can hold glasses, a phone, reading material, hand cream, and other nighttime essentials. DIY Everywhere - 🌱 Build a mini herb garden
A sufficiently deep, waterproof tray can hold small herb pots. If you modify a tray for direct planting, make sure its material and drainage are appropriate and protect indoor surfaces from water. - 🍽️ Give an old tray a makeover
Sand a wooden tray if necessary, repaint or stain it, and add new handles. Decoupage paper, stencils, or a fresh finish can turn a dated tray into attractive home décor. DIY Inspired+1 - 🕯️ Create a centerpiece
Put candles, a vase, seasonal decorations, or a small floral arrangement on the tray. The tray creates a visual boundary and makes it easy to move the entire arrangement when you need the table cleared. Reinvented Delaware
Before you start
Clean the tray thoroughly and inspect it for damage. If you’re planning to serve food on it, don’t assume an old painted, cracked, or chemically treated surface is food-safe. For decorative projects, you have much more freedom with paint, fabric, paper, and other finishes.
A particularly nice transformation is a plain $2–$5 wooden tray → sand → paint → stencil or decoupage → protective finish → new handles. Similar thrifted-tray makeovers have been done successfully with inexpensive materials. DIY Inspired+1
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