Things You Can Do With Your Old Plastic Bottles
1. No-Sew Zipper Cases
Image source: The Better India
Turn your old plastic bottles into sturdy no-sew zipper cases that are useful and made with practically no cost at all. You can use them to store art and craft supplies and they are also an awesome back to school craft idea for kids. Simply cut the plastic bottle, glue a zipper to it and customise the decorations!Advertisement
2. Bottle Cap Mosaic
Image source: The Better India
If you want an eco-friendly piece of mosaic art, start gathering plastic bottle caps! If you don’t have enough, get your friends and neighbors to save them for you. Don't bottle up your artistic talent! Take on this environmentally friendly craft project and you'll love the results.Advertisement
3. Soda Bottle Sprinkler
Image source: The Better India
If you want to keep your outdoor plants happy but you don’t have a sprinkler to water them, then poke holes in a two litre plastic soft drink bottle, insert a hose into the bottle and then wrap some sticky tape to fix the hose to the opening of the bottle. Once done, turn on the tap and your homemade sprinkler is ready to go.Advertisement
4. Piggy Bottle Bank
Image source: The Better India
Not only does this project recycle a plastic bottle and make a cute piggy bank but it also encourages kids to starting saving and learn about recycling from a young age. Just cut the bottle and have fun creating these super cute designs that will look amazing on your shelves. It doesn’t have to be a pig. It can, of course, be any animal.Advertisement
5. Recycled Bird Feeders
Image source: The Better India
If you live in an area that attracts loads of birds, a strategically placed DIY recycled bird feeder will let you view your feathered friends up close and personal. Taking only a little time and very little money, you can make one from materials you would probably have otherwise thrown away, a plastic bottle and two wooden spoons.Advertisement
6. Kitchen Storage Containers
Image source: The Better India
Old plastic bottles make excellent storage containers. Make them out of your old bottles and you could save yourself money by crafting something you actually need rather than going out and buying it. A little time, a pair of scissors and your imagination is all you need.Advertisement
7. Magazine Rack
Image source: The Better India
If you love reading your favorite magazines but hate the clutter they make, then cut up old plastic bottles to make these useful newspaper and magazine organizers. You need scissors, paint, tape and a way to mount them. Your home will be greener and more organized so it's a win win!Advertisement
8. Drip Irrigator
Image source: The Better India
Drip irrigation will deliver moisture directly to plant roots without over saturating the soil. This helps the plant root deeper and grow healthier because they don’t experience moisture stress. Get yourself some 2 litre plastic bottles, punch two holes into the caps and hang or plant the bottles next to the plants. When you fill them with water, the plants will get the slow watering they prefer.Advertisement
9. Vertical Hanging Garden
Image source: The Better India
Vertical gardens are an amazing solution for small spaces. Any amount of bottles can be strung together and hung up against a wall, fence or railing to create a garden. Remember to select plastic bottles that are thick and durable, such as soft drink bottles rather than thin water bottles.Advertisement
10. Plastic Bottle Porch/Party Décor
Image source: The Better India
Create a gaggle of cute characters to brighten up your outdoor area by recycling old, soft drink bottles. They are so easy to make, great to look at and can store a variety of things. It can help teach kids the importance of recycling as well. You can also use them to up the fun factor at a house party!Advertisement
11. Pretty Plastic Bottle Flowers
Image source: The Better India
Pull a few water bottles out of the recycling bin to create these easy, stunning flowers. You can string together the flower-like bottoms of plastic bottles to make pretty curtains or to make a stunning, spring wreath for your door. Get creative and start yours today!Advertisement
12. Zero Electricity Cooler
Image source: The Better India
The world’s first ever zero electricity air cooler, utilizing a perforated board and empty plastic bottles, creates an instant and effective DIY air conditioning system! To make the eco cooler, get a piece of board to the size of a window, drill holes in the board big enough to push a plastic neck through. Gather some plastic bottles, cutting the bottoms off and then slide the neck of each bottle through the holes. Secure them with the cap until the board is full.Advertisement
13. Greenhouse
Image source: The Better India
Turn used plastic bottles into a greenhouse. It's a great way to turn trash into something really useful if you have some time on your hands as it does take some effort. It will be worth it as you will get an eco-friendly structure at a fraction of the energy or economic cost of a traditional glasshouse.Advertisement
14. Plastic Bottle Pet Feeder
Image source: The Better India
If you have pets, then this is an awesome plastic upcycling project for you to try. You can turn your plastic bottles into a device for feeding your furry friends. Just choose the bottles to suit your pets, preferably thick and strong ones and get going. You'll never look back!Advertisement
15. Mobile Charger Basket
Image source: The Better India
Instead of throwing away those old bottles of lotion or shampoo, make yourself a phone holder for charging. Created from an upcycled bottle, this caddy makes it easy to charge your phone anywhere without leaving a trail of wire everywhere. Give it your personal touch by customising it.Advertisement
16. Jewelry Stand
Image source: The Better India
Here is a project to make a jewelry stand from plastic bottles. It looks great and can hold and hang lots of small pieces of your favorite pieces. It does not even take long to make. Cut the bottoms off plastic bottles, fix a metallic rod through them and watch your craft turn into a beautiful jewelry organizer.Advertisement
17. Snack Bowls
Image source: The Better India
Transform leftover plastic bottles into snack or candy bowls for a party. Cut the bottom off the plastic bottle, use a hot iron to smooth and flatten out the cuts - and there you are! Your bowl is ready. Decorate it how you wish and with any color scheme you prefer.Advertisement
18. Quirky Recycled Owl Vases
Image source: The Better India
If you have some empty plastic bottles then don't put them in the bin. Think outside the box and why not turn them into these very quirky owl vases? Once made, they can be used as pencil holders, planters, toothbrush holders or flower vases. The list is endless.Advertisement
19. Eco-Friendly Ottomans
Image source: The Better India
Instead of throwing out old plastic bottles, think again. You can make a custom ottoman for your home and it's so simple to do! You don't have to spend much on this project and it makes good use of throw away bottles. Who would have thought your furniture could be made from plastic?Advertisement
20. Bird House Tree Decor
Image source: The Better India
Try turning an empty plastic bottle into a cute decorative bird house! You can use any colour scheme you want and the little birdhouses take very little time to make. Paint them or cover them with craft flowers and you can then hang them wherever your little bird friends usually visit.Advertisement
21. Jet Pack for Kids
Image source: TheMomCreative
Waiting until the last minute to find a costume is a Halloween tradition for so many households! If this is sounding familiar to you, we have an awesome idea to show you how to re-use plastic. Create a plastic bottle jet pack and lift that burden of a Halloween costume off your shoulders!Advertisement
22. Toy Car
Image source: TheMomCreative
Sometimes the simplest toys are the biggest hit with our kids. Test this recycling idea out and you will be saving yourself some money. Use a laundry detergent bottle to build toy cars. You’ll need to save extra caps to use for the wheels and a big bottle should allow plenty of room for the kids to decorate.Advertisement
23. Beach Bucket
Image source: TheMomCreative
As your washing machine powers through load after load and you come to the end of the detergent bottle, don't discard it in the recycling trash. Stash it away for a rainy day as it can be cut up and made into a beach bucket. Kids love stuff like this when they are playing in the sand!Advertisement
24. Cacti Lights
Image source: TheMomCreative
This is one of the most unique recycled bottle ideas we've seen and it's so cute! Turn those empty plastic bottles into cacti, with plastic bottle flowers. You can add lights to make them even cooler and anything else you wish, depending on how creative you are feeling.Advertisement
25. Soap Bottle
Image source: Life Hacks
A really quick and easy way to recycle your plastic bottles is to re-purpose the bottle as a soap dispenser. All you need is a twist-on soap dispenser spout and any empty bottle at all. Empty Coke bottles tend to look quite effective but it's up to you which one you decide to go with.Advertisement
26. Sink Extender
Image source: Life Hack
A really helpful way to reuse plastic bottles, if you have kids, is to extend a sink spout so their short arms can reach the water. It takes no time at all to make and you'll wonder why you didn't think of it sooner. Once you tell your kids friends' moms, they will all be having a go at making it.Advertisement
27. Leaf Lamp
Image source: Life Hack
Yet another delightful way to reuse plastic bottles that’s particularly effective at home is this simple yet attractive leaf lamp. Use your leftover green plastic bottles to cut out leaf shapes, and they will emit gorgeous, ambient lighting when used as a lampshade.Advertisement
28. Milk Jug Votive Candle Holder
Image source: Tree Hugger
Your friends will have absolutely no idea that these chic lotus candle holders are the result of a DIY project. Simply cut the different sized petals from a milk jug and glue them to the bottom of an electric tea light. You can make around one plastic lotus flower per gallon milk jug.
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29. Wind Chimes
Image source: Tree Hugger
Another way to turn your old plastic bottles into fun decor is with this whimsical wind chime. Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle, paint it, turn it upside down and then hang strings of colorful beads and buttons from the edges. If you hang it in a tree, the wind will do its thing!
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30. Christmas Decorations
Image source: Quora
All you need to do to create Christmas decorations is to cut your bottle to the right size, prepare a wooden or cardboard base to put your statuettes on and decorate with cotton wool. Put the bottleneck on it and it's done! Coloured ribbons and your imagination will do the rest!Advertisement