Do you find yourself surrounded by empty jars and bottles at the end of every month? From food and drink packaging to cosmetics, glass and plastic packaging surround us wherever we turn in the modern world! So how can you dispose of this waste efficiently and in an eco-friendly way? Of course there are recycling programs offered by councils in the UK, but why not try upcycling?
Upcycling is the process of transforming waste materials into products of better quality. This can be anything from as simple as using an old CD spindle as a bagel holder, or as tricky as transforming a bike wheel into a minimalist clock! We’ve been scouring Pinterest for the latest upcycling ideas involving jars and bottles that you can use to enhance your home.
1. Message In A Bottle
It’s a cute activity that has been practised for centuries: put a message into a glass bottle, add your contact details and the year, then launch it out to sea and see where it ends up around the world! This however could do more damage than intended, with a big push for creating cleaner seas and oceans, so why not create your own romantic message in a bottle display in your home? This lovely idea seen above is a unique way to display your favourite quotes and even photographs in pride of place. Our range of chutney jars are absolutely perfect for creating this display!
2. Fairy Light Displays
Sure you can put a candle in a jar, but why not go one step further? Get yourself an empty glass bottle or jar and fill with a chain of fairy lights, leaving the plug hanging from the top (kudos if you have battery operated lights). Switch the lights on and be amazed at the lighting effect it produces. From a distance it can look like a galaxy full of stars… absolutely perfect for cosy winter nights in.
3. Balloon Bottle Decorations
This is a genius idea for the festive season (or any season)! Simply take some large balloons with a design of your choosing and place a glass bottle within it! The latex of the balloons will stretch out to keep its design and create a fantastic looking display piece! Ideal for table centrepieces, for use as a vase or even to fill with homemade wines and juices to give away to friends and family as gifts.
4. Bottle Clock
Every hour can be beer o’clock with this DIY wall hanging! For all the amateur engineers, this is an activity for you. All you really need is a clock mechanism, clock hands and a wooden base big enough to fix your bottles onto. We think this would make a quirky feature in pubs and clubs, or in the kitchen of a beer lover! We can’t guarantee it will be to everyone’s taste however…
5. Superhero Banks
Are the kids always hassling you for the latest toy or gadget? Encourage them to learn the value of money with a fun piggy bank! Instead of a boring old plain jar, you can easily create a personalised money bank that looks right at home in a child’s bedroom. All you need is a plastic or glass jar with a lid that can be cut into, some paint and any craft materials you want to use to decorate your jar in. You can find the full tutorial at Fireflies And Mud Pies and we have plenty of glass and plastic jars that you can use for this activity at competitive prices if you don’t have a suitable spare at home.
By giving your kid’s pocket money when they help out around the house, the next time they ask you for anything they can contribute towards it with their hard earned money! It’s a great life lesson to learn.
6. Indoor Garden
With housing seemingly getting smaller and private gardens being hard to get hold of in modern flats, a new trend has begun for those who have green fingers: terrariums! They are a great way to add the beauty of nature to your home if you can’t access an open space yourself. There are plenty of tutorials available online to help you craft the perfect terrarium, here’s one of the easiest that we’ve found from Real Simple.
Our 31oz Candle Jar is ideal for creating a terrarium in and is only £3.71.
7. Salt and Pepper Shakers
Transform your empty small plastic spirit bottles into handy little spice shakers that look fantastic on the tables of chic cafes. All you need to do is punch some holes in the lids and fill with your preferred spice!
8. Cocktail Jars
Why buy cocktail glasses when you can use a perfectly good mason jar? This has become a big trend in modern bars and restaurants for some time now and we think that drinks look BETTER served in them! You get a bigger serving size and you can jazz up the jar by adding crazy cocktails ticks, fruit and other mad accessories! It is a sure-fire way to put a smile on the face of your party guests.
9. Bottle Bird Feeder
Make your garden a haven for wildlife with this upcycled plastic bottle bird feeder. It’s super easy to make and will only cost you the price of bird feed! Simply hang from a tree and wait for the birds to come flocking.
Find the full tutorial at Wildlife Gadget Man.
10. Snow Globes
Although synonymous with Christmas time, you can adjust your snow globe design to whatever you wish. Instead of ‘snow’, you could have confetti or glitter floating down in front of a family photo or lifestyle scene.
But if you’re going down the Christmas route, we’ve found a selection of stunning anthropologie inspired designs from Simple Craves And Olive Oil that you can try out at home.
