Do you have a bunch of empty mint tins? Maybe you a fan of Altoids and can't bring yourself to throw away those cool hinged containers. Or, you might have received personalized favor tins at a party. But what do you do with them when the candy's gone? Here's fourteen ideas.

1. Little first aid kit - Fill your tin with bandages, sample size anti-bacterial cream and alcohol wipes to take with you for those minor cuts and scrapes.

2. Sugar substitute holder - Use it to carry extra packs of Nutrasweet or Splenda. It also could hold packets of salt, pepper, duck sauce, soy sauce, taco sauce or whatever condiment you want to bring with you on the go.

3. Pill box - Use it for medications or vitamins. But it's even better for those powdery antacid tablets that are too large for pill bottles.

4. Mini sewing kit - Whether you leave it in your purse, car or desk drawer at work, this can come in handy. Place a pair of folding scissors (or other small scissors), needles, safety pins, buttons, and some thread inside the tin. Choose a few thread colors to match colors in your wardrobe. You can take a small piece of cardboard and put a notch on the top and bottom for each thread color. Cut a length of thread long enough to use for mending, and then carefully wind it around the notched area of the cardboard. Repeat for each color.

5. Tissue holder - Don't pay extra money for the convenience of those purse size tissue packets made by the manufacturer. Instead, fold up your tissues and put them in that little metal box..

6. Travel jewelry box - Place earrings, bracelets, pins and other small accessories in a recycled mint tin to keep your little items together in your luggage.

7. Loose change container - Throw in your coins and place in your car for tolls and parking.

8. Case for your guitar picks - Stop losing them by storing your picks in one of these hinged metal boxes.

9. Mini-electronics storage - Keep your extra rechargeable batteries, memory cards or flash drives with you by using one or more of these tins.

10. Drawer organizer - Add your odds and ends to these little containers. They're great for paper clips, thumb tacks, bobby pins, nails, screws, washers, beads, rubber bands and other small items.

11. Stamp holder - Keep your postage right at your finger tips in your desk drawer by placing your stamps in a repurposed candy tin.

12. Gift box - Decorate it by covering with acrylic or spray paint, pretty paper, craft foam, polymer clay, or by decoupaging. Then glue on embellishments like beads, sequins and fake gems. You can turn a fun craft project into an elegant keepsake package for your small present. Of course, it's great for jewelry and other little trinkets. But did you know it's also just the right size for a gift card?

13. Greeting card - This time, decorate the top of the container with something appropriate for the occasion. Inside, place a folded up note containing your sentiments.

14. Party favor - If you have a lot of tins and plenty of time, this can be a great craft project. If you don't have enough hinged containers accumulated, you can buy blank, empty ones at most craft stores. If your time is limited or you're not very crafty, you can order personalized photo mint tins online. Then fill them with the candy of your choice, like M&Ms to coordinate with your party colors.

So, don't toss away those cool, hinged containers. Instead, reuse those empty mint tins for a new purpose. There's so many things you can do with them long after the candy is gone!