I’d never given much thought to recycling before working at POLYWOOD. As I’ve worked here for over a year now, it is something that has been on my mind more and more (we’re pretty big on recycling here *wink*). Repurposing plastic bottles and/or milk jugs sounded interesting, so I turned to Pinterest for ideas.

Below are just a few of my favorite DIY upcycling projects…if you look for yourself on Pinterest there are many, many more fun and easy ideas.

1 | DIY Plastic Watering ‘Can’

Materials

• Empty/cleaned large plastic bottle
• Nails
• Hammer

Directions

You can use a water jug like we did, or even a clean milk jug. First, you want to take a thin nail and use a hammer to carefully hammer or push the nail through the cap of your container. Make about 10 holes all around the top of the lid. Fill the jug with water, find the lucky plant you want to water, and go to town!

Tip: we found that you may have to squeeze the jug a little bit to get enough water pressure for the water to come out.

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2 | Monster Pencil Organizers

Materials

• Empty/cleaned bottle (shampoo, body wash, etc.)
• Scissors
• Construction paper or adhesive paper
• Glue
• Double-sided tape (to attach your “monster” to the wall)

Directions

First, remove the label from the shampoo bottle, then draw the eyes, mouth, and head of the monster using a pencil. Insert a hobby blade above the top of the monster’s head to make an initial cut, then cut the monster’s head with scissors. Draw the arms of the monster. Draw one on each side of the upper part of the bottle, the leftover, then cut it. Glue the arms on the back of the monster, pressing to stick well. Cut construction paper or adhesive paper to make the eyes and mouth. Stick eyes and mouth on the monster and use double-sided tape to stick on the wall.

View the full instructions with photos at MadameCriativa.com.

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3 | Colorful Plastic Organizers

Materials

• Plastic bottles (different shapes and sizes)
• Knife
• Scissors
• Steam iron

Directions

Use a knife to first trim off the top of the bottle, and then the scissors to clean up the rough edges. Lastly, place the bottle onto a steam iron (set on a lower setting) to heat and smooth any additional rough edges.

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4 | Shampoo Bottle Faucet Extender

Materials

• Empty shampoo/body wash/lotion bottle
• Scissors

Directions

Remove the lid and cut off the top portion of your bottle to create a flat edge. Then cut out the shape as shown and attach it to any curved style faucet.

If you happen to have a shorter spout in your bathroom, try this version from One Crazy House:

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Last but not least, is probably my favorite idea. This idea originally came from BruDIY and it was too cute to pass up!

Plastic Bottle Cat Planter

Materials

• Plastic bottle (2 liter or 20 oz. soda bottle)
• Spray paint for plastic
• Scissors
• Permanent markers (pink and black)

Directions

Wash out your bottles and then cut the top half off (the top part could be saved as a funnel, or recycled). Then, carefully cut out your cat ears as shown below. Grab your spray paint and cover the outside of your ‘cats’ in a well-ventilated area. Once dry, use your permanent markers to create your cat face, add potting soil, and a plant of your choice. That’s it! You can view the original post for this idea at BruDIY.com.

Planting Tip: It’s best to poke holes in the bottom of your cat planter to allow for drainage. Make sure you set your plants in a dish if you go this route, OR just add rocks to the bottom of your planter for drainage like we did in our previous post for Upcycled Party Favors.

Blog Post Updated March 15, 2021