We are all trying to reduce the amount of waste we produce, but sometimes you can't avoid it. Plastic water bottles, laundry detergent bottles, soda bottles, and cut to size perspex are a part of our daily lives, and more often than not they just end up in the recycling.
Of course, recycling is a better option than throwing them in the trash, but did you know there are even more ways to reuse you plastic bottles?
These are some of my favorite:
1. Pencil Cups
How many times have you gone to grab a pencil and can't find one? That's because you don't have a pencil cup!
Cut a plastic bottle to just a little under the length of your writing utensils. You can decorate it if you want, but you don't have to. I would recommend taping the edge where you cut the bottle, though, as it can often be sharp and you don't want anyone cutting themselves!
2. Snack Storage
Larger juice or milk jugs are great for transforming into watering jugs for your garden! The ones with handles are generally better for this, but use what you've got!
All you have to do is punch holes in the cap and you're ready to go!
4. Planters
Who doesn't want beautiful plants growing in their backyard? Plastic jugs come in all shapes and sizes, which mean your planters can too!
Whether it's veggies or flowers, you can start your own garden in the house and then transfer it to the backyard when they're ready. You can also get your kids (or grandkids) to help decorate the planters if you want to make them a more permanent fixture.
5. Beach Bucket
Everyone loves going to the beach, so why not make your own buckets? An old laundry detergent bottle is a great starting point for a sand toy!
You can cut the bottom off the bottle and you'll be left with a great bucket that also happens to double as a shovel. What more could you ask for?
6. Snack Platter
Large soda bottles have a sturdy base, which makes them perfect to transform into kitchenware! Cut the bottoms off the bottles and decorate them however you want! They become perfect little bowls to hold finger foods at your next party.
To avoid sharp rims, hold the edges to a warm iron for a few seconds to flatten them. You can also glue multiple bowls together to make a serving tray that is perfect for entertaining!
7. Sensory Bottles
Sensory bottles are a great way to calm down kids who get anxious, or even just to keep younger kids entertained! Your old plastic bottles are the perfect starting point to make some to have around the house.
Choose what you want for the interior, like glitter, small toys, beads, or anything else that won't get destroyed when it's wet. Then add in the liquid, which is usually a combination of liquid soap and baby oil. It can also just be colored water!
For these, you can also use glass VOS water bottles.
8. Jewelry Holder
If you're really crafty, you can make your own jewelry holder using multiple bottles. This will require something sturdy to center it, but other than that it's all plastic!
All you have to do is fasten the bottle bottoms to the middle rod, and you're set! You'll have a jewelry stand in no time.
9. Piggy Bank
My favorite crafts over the summer were piggy banks. I can't explain why, I just love it. Plastic bottles and jugs are a great starting point for DIY piggy banks, and you can design them in any way you want! I always stuck to the literal sense, making it look like a pig, but the best part of this craft is that it's all up to your imagination.
10. Bird Feeder
A bird feeder in the backyard can bring beautiful wildlife on a daily basis. Filling a bottle with bird seed, using wooden spoons as little spots for the birds to sit, and hanging the bottle from a tree is the easiest way to attract birds to your yard.
As with anything, you can decorate it any way you want!
11. Bubble Snakes
If your kids love bubbles, they'll love this craft. Cut the bottom off a water bottle, leaving the spout in tact. Then, cover the end of your bottle with a sock and fasten it with an elastic band.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the sock, then dip the sock into a shallow container filled with water and dish soap. Then, blow on the spout of the water bottle and you'll have a colorful bubble snake in no time!
12. Sprinkler
Poke some holes in a large soda bottle and fasten it to the end of garden hose. Turn the hose on, and you've got a DIY sprinkler at your disposal! No need to buy one from the store, and if this one breaks, it's way cheaper to replace!
13. Charging Dock
Large milk jugs or even lotion bottles can be transformed into charging stations for your phone or other electronics. This way, all your things will be in the same place and you won't have to worry about losing your phone! You can also keep spare chargers in there with it.
