One of the most common products made by the billions every year is plastic bottles. Manufacturers use an industrial molding machine to create bottles that can effectively hold beverages and personal hygiene products, like shampoos.
Despite being a convenient way to package goods, plastic bottles are an environmental nightmare. They take 450 years to decompose. What’s more, plastic waste will just likely end up in either a landfill – or worse – the ocean.
If you’ve got plastic bottles lying around your home, you could consider reusing and recycling them for the benefit of Mother Earth.
Here are nine ideas to help you upcycle these bottles:
- Pest Traps for Gardens
Insects and other critters can ruin your planted flowers and vegetables. Don’t let your effort go to waste by installing pest traps.
Begin by cutting off the neck of the plastic bottle to about a quarter away from the top. Then, take out the cap, reverse the top portion, and insert the neck into the bottom of the bottle. When your trap has fulfilled its duty, take out the makeshift funnel, dispose of the contents, and reload.
If you’re looking to attract and trap wasps, pour a few drops of dish detergent and a few inches of stale soft drink into the bottle. Place it upright in a sunny area where you’ve seen wasps. They’ll drown once they fly into the trap you’ve set.
Apart from wasps, you could use the trap to get rid of slugs that ruin your greens. Pour beer into the bottle and strategically place the trap on areas where slugs are prevalent. These slimy parasites will crawl in, fall into the beer trap, and drown.
- Airplane Toys
If you have expired shampoo in your house, don’t throw away the bottle in the trash. Empty the contents and use the bottles to create airplane toys. They’re excellent at keeping little ones entertained during bath time.
When creating this toy, let your imagination run wild. Use child-friendly paint and glue when adding designs on the bottle.
- Kitchen Storage Containers
Old and clean plastic bottles can serve as excellent containers for ingredients, such as pasta, beans, sugar and rice. When making this food container, use two bottles. One will serve as the base while the other will be the cover.
- Magazine Rack
Have a bunch of magazines just lying around the house? Reduce the clutter and make these reading materials easier to find by putting them in a DIY magazine and newspaper organizer. Simply cut up old and large plastic bottles, mount the top of the container to the wall with tape, and add labels. Your house will look more organized thanks to this eco-friendly rack.
- Covers for String Lights
Use the empty colored soda bottles in your house to cover each string light bulb. Cut a couple of inches on the bottom of the bottle. Next, make a hole in the center of each bottle bottom using a sharp nail or a drill. It should be big enough to hold the light fixture snugly in place.
- Piggy Bank
Saving every penny is important, especially during these times of uncertainty. You can start this habit by turning old plastic bottles into piggy banks. When designing your bottle, you could paint the entire container (the amount inside will serve as a surprise) or keep it transparent to see how your savings are progressing.
- Phone Charger Basket
Rather than toss away that empty bottle of lotion, turn that into a cellphone charging holder. This convenient basket allows you to charge your mobile phone at any outlet without extending wires on the floor. Make sure to give it a personal touch when customizing the décor for the holder.
- Snack Holder
Convert large and empty plastic bottles into candy or snack bowls. These bowls are perfect for serving guests at birthdays, dinner parties, and the upcoming Halloween.
Making this snack holder is easy. Simply cut the bottom of the bottle and use a hot iron to dull the edges of the bowl. Remember to add extra decoration to make the bowl visually pleasing for your houseguests.
- Lawn Sprinkler
If you find the lawn irrigation systems on the market to be too costly for you, consider making a sprinkler using a soda bottle. Simply poke some holes in a two-liter plastic bottle and connect it to the garden hose. You’ll have a sprinkler that will keep your grass nourished.
Turn an empty and unloved plastic bottle into a household tool or décor. These projects are a fun and creative way to help keep plastic garbage out of your local landfill.
