We live in a world where many of our everyday items are disposable. From cutlery to carrier bags, we throw away a lot of items that are harmful to the environment if not recycled properly. An effective way to do our part is to buy reusable, sustainably sourced items and to reuse or recycle the disposable items we have.
1. Organizers For Everything Else
Another excellent way to make organizers for your bathroom, kitchen, or workbench is this method of making plastic bottle containers. Here is a creative way to recycle plastic bottles. You can use this as stationery holders, toothbrush holders, and cosmetic holders.
What needed:
- Plastic bottles (different shapes and sizes)
- A knife
- Scissor to trim rough edges
- Steam Iron
How to do: Using the knife, remove the upper part of the bottle, and use the scissors to trim rough edges. Lastly, place the bottle onto the Steam iron to smoothen the rough edges lest you hurt yourself.
2. Self-watering planter
This technique uses a wick to pull moisture up into the soil. As long as the reservoir is filled and the wick is in the water, there will be a steady supply for plant roots. Start with a 2-liter bottle and cut off the top third. Then follow these steps:
- Take off the cap and drill two ¼-inch holes in it.
- From the inside of the cap, poke the ends of a short length (ours was about 4 inches long) of ¼-inch cotton rope through each hole. The ends should be long enough that when you screw the cap back on and put the planter in place they will reach the bottom of the reservoir.
- Leave a loop of rope inside the cap so it will stick up an inch or two into the soil.
- Once you have the lengths adjusted, screw the cap back on.
- Add water, and slip the top of the bottle into the bottom part as you see in the photo.
- Fill it with potting mix and add the plant. You can lift the top portion out when you need to add water, or cut a small hole in the side of the base so it’s even easier to refill.
3. Create a mini greenhouse
For a mini greenhouse, use the top of the bottle to make a dome that will fit over the cup. Use the cap to help regulate heat and moisture. On sunny days remove it so you don’t cook the plants. Replace the cap at night to hold in heat and moisture.
4. Create recycled plastic bottle supply cups
Make plastic bottle cups to house pens and supplies at the office, or craft supplies at home. Impress your coworkers and kids with your sustainable efforts.
5. Reuse coffee creamer containers for snack storage
Looking for a sustainable way to organize your kitchen counters? Repurpose old bottles into snack containers to save space on snack storage. They make pouring incredibly easy, allowing you to take all types of food on the road. Recycled coffee creamers can also be used to store sugar, salt and similar products.
6. Start an herb garden with empty 2-liter bottles
These can be cashed in for absolutely nothing. Well, maybe to feed your eco-soul. Regardless, upcycling 2-liter bottles into sub-irrigated planters is one of the more creative plastic bottle projects. Follow these steps to create an herb garden from a recycled bottle:
- Remove the label from the bottle and clean the inside.
- Take a sharp object and poke drainage holes in the top third of the bottle.
- Poke a hole in the side of the bottle about half-way down.
- Wrap a piece of paper around the bottle.
- Take a marker and trace a cutting line around the bottle.
- Cut along the bottle on the line.
- Flip over the bottle top and insert a strip of fabric.
- Make sure the fabric is in contact with the soil.
7. Reuse Plastic Bottles to Make a DIY Sprinkler
Who doesn’t remember the days of running through a sprinkler in the front yard? Make an easy DIY sprinkler with reused plastic bottles and recreate this memory for your kids. Simply poke holes in a 2-liter bottle and you’ve made it happen. You can also recycle ballpoint pens that no longer work for a more effective sprinkler.
8. A hanging milk jug garden
Cut up some milk jugs to create flower pots for your herbs. Then, use the handles to hang them. Save enough milk jugs, and you can do a whole vertical garden wall on your porch or patio.
9. Plastic bag dispenser
Upcycle a plastic, two-liter bottle into a dispenser for your plastic bags. It can be hung on the wall, in the pantry, or on the inside of a cabinet door.
10. Soap bottle
A quick and easy way to recycle plastic bottles is to repurpose your bottle as a soap bottle. All you need is a twist-on soap dispenser spout and any empty bottle can be used this way.
11. Bird feeder
Don’t bother buying or building a bird feeder made of wood that’ll eventually rot or break from exposure. These plastic feeders work just as well and will last for many years to come. And believe us, your bird pals will be just as happy to get their snacks from a plastic feeder!
