How To Make Your Own “Secret Stash Can” To Hide Your Valuables From Criminals… Right In Plain Site!

Crime reports have indicated that the average time a burglar spends in the home is around 6-10 minutes.

Since statistics show that most burglars are looking for high profile items (electronics, jewlery, firearms etc) and will typically look through bedroom and office drawers and closets, normal everyday items will be overlooked.

You can use this to your advantage by stashing valuables “out in the open” with your own homemade stash cans.

Here’s a tip that shows you…

How to Make a Homemade “Secret Stash Can” To Hide Your Valuables In Plain Site

Making a stash can is a very simple process.

In this example, I’m using a used aerosol paint can, but any similar can could be used.

Items You’ll Need:

• Used up aerosol or similar type can
• Can opener
• Ceramic block or disk magnets (or similar powerful magnet)

Step 1: Obtain your empty can “hide”

Again, almost any can can work for this, but there are a few considerations to think about…

For example, these instructions use a magnet for closure… and not all metals are magnetic – so test your can out before going through the rest of the steps.

And you wouldn’t want to store a whipped-cream can in the middle of a bunch of paint cans, right?

Be sure your choice fits in with the environment and with the other items around it.

Also, the more drab and “ordinary” your choice the better because you don’t want to draw any attention to the item at all and bright colors and flashy logos can subconsciously attract the eyes of any home invader.

And finally, don’t make your can choice anything that’s commonly “useful” to anyone who might pick it up for the purpose the original canned item was used for.

If you have company in town and your sister-in-law goes to grab the can of hairspray you have under the bathroom sink – only to find a can of silver coins – well… cover blown, my friend!

Step 2: Carefully remove the bottom of your can

With a standard can opener, place the circular blade directly above the metal lip of the bottom and open as you would a normal food can.

Be as precise as you can with cutting off the bottom.

Jagged edges from sloppy cutting will stand out like a sore thumb.

Oh – and a word of warning here…

If you’re using an aerosol can, be sure that you have fully discharged all the air pressure by pressing on the nozzle until no more air comes out.

Otherwise, you’re going to get one helluva surprise when you hit this step! 😐

Step 3: Clean out the inside of your can

A lot of items leave behind chemical residues that can damage the contents of your DIY “safe” – or at least change how they smell.

You don’t want you Great Aunt Bessie’s heirloom pearl necklace to smell like glue remover, do you?

So, once you’ve completely removed the lid, be sure to clean it out thoroughly with soap and water.

Also, make sure you let the can fully dry before assembling it to avoid trapping any moisture in the final “safe” that could cause rusting or mold to begin to form that might also damage the valuables you add into it.

Step 4 & 5: Place your magnets in the can

Using magnets instead of any kind of adhesive is what allows you fast, easy access to your valuables without having to “untape” or “unglue” the can every time you want to get inside.

For these next steps, take your magnets and place them in the bottom of the can.

When positioning them, do it in a way that the magnets are flush with the very bottom of the can (See Image #5)

Also, the polarity of the magnets matters – so, since the ends of the magnet will be what’s holding the bottom on it, you need to make sure you test the positive or negative polarity of the end closes to the bottom.

This is especially necessary because with more than one magnet being used, it’s possible that one of them has an opposite polarity and will try to repel the bottom away from the can while the others are trying to pull it in.

Step 6: Place your valuables in the can

Ok, you’d think this is pretty self-explanatory, right? 🙂

But you still need to stay with the “covertness” of your hide, considering that someone may actually pick the can up as they’re moving things around.

If they move it or pick it up and your can of “paint” jingles from the loose coins you put in there… again… cover blown! 🙂

So if you’re adding in coins, loose jewelry, bullets (!) or other “jingly” stuff, it’s best to put them in a plastic baggie and add some bubble wrap to keep everything secure and stable.

Things like rolled-up wads of cash will be fine.

Step 7: Replace the bottom of the can by attaching it to the magnets

Since the bottom lid of your can is made of metal, it too will strongly adhere to the magnets.

This is a good time to check and make sure that the magnets were placed in a way that creates a pretty tight closure between the can and its bottom.

While the can won’t be completely air-tight, you want to make sure you have as complete a closure as you can.

Any little gaps could allow spilled liquids in the area (or from leaky pipes) to get inside the can and potentially damage your valuables.

This is also a time to test the strength of your magnets based on the weight of the contents you have inside by picking up the can to see if the bottom will stay intact.

Step 8: “Hide” your valuables right out in the open!

For this step, you want it to blend in as best as possible.

As you can see in this picture, it would be hard for anyone to tell that the can is actually filled with all of those gold doubloons your Great-Great-Great Uncle Blackbeard left you in his will.

Also, I don’t suggest you put this in a location where it’s so out in the open that you can’t access your items in plain view of anyone around you.

That’s why it works better in places like your master bathroom or other areas out of sight if you have company in your home at a time when you want to go and access your loot.

What Other “Secret Hiding Spots” Are Good Locations In A Home For Covertly Stashing Valuables?

Please Leave Your Best Tips In The Comments Below Now…