Creative Ways to Upcycle Your Plastic Bottles

Sure, you toss your plastic bottles into your recycling bin instead of the regular trash, but did you know you can go one step further by upcycling? Here are 10 creative and easy projects that will add a homemade touch to your living space. 

1. Self-Watering Water Bottle Garden

Do you forget to water your plants? Here's a cool way so you don't always have to remember. Thread a string through the bottle cap and cut the bottle in half. Water goes in the bottom half. A plant and soil go in the top half. 

2. No Sew-Zipper Bottle

Organize your pencils and kid's crayons with this recycled DIY. Cut two water bottles, using only the bottoms. Then hot glue a zipper to plastic and store away! 

3. Bottle Mobile

Add some color to your back patio with a flower-styled plastic bottle mobile. Cut the tops off of your bottle and shape them so they look like flowers. Then glue tissue paper on them. Decorate the tips of the flowers with silver duct tape and hang them with a piece of yarn. 

4. Milk Jug Votive Candleholder

Your friends will have no idea these chic lotus candle holders are DIY. Simply cut the different sized petals from a milk jug and glue to an electric tea light. You can make one lotus per gallon milk jug. 

5. Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder

Transform your water bottle into a bird feeder. Simply add old wooden spoons as perches by cutting holes into the sides of the bottle and sliding the spoon through. Then fill the bottle with birdseed. 

6. Soda Bottle Sprinkler

It's spring, and that means it's time to water the garden. Simply drill holes in a soda bottle and duct tape it to the end of a hose. What you get is ingenious. 

7. Soda Bottle Lantern

Give a soda bottle a new purpose by converting it into a sophisticated lantern. Cut off the top of a clean 2-liter bottle, and then fill it with twinkly lights. Wrap the bottle with a few layers of cut paper. 

8. Recycled Wind Chimes

Teach your children the importance of upcycling with this adorable and whimsical wind chime. Paint your water bottle and hang colorful beads and buttons from it. Then simply let the wind do its thing. 

9. Cellphone Charger

Reuse a lotion bottle by turning it into a charging station. Cut the bottle so it has a "handle" large enough for your charger. Then mod podge fabric to it. Once dry, you can charge away while hiding those obnoxious cords. 

10. Bathroom Organizer

Organize your toiletries by taking old colorful spray bottles and cutting them in half. Then press a hot iron to smooth the jagged edges.