Give New Life to Old Drinkware
If you’ve made the switch to reusable water bottles, you’ve chosen a lifestyle that reduces waste, but even the sturdiest steel water bottle will eventually reach the end of its lifespan. What, then, do you do with your old reusable water bottle? When you’ve invested in something that lasts, it’s hard to just throw it away, so why not give it a new purpose in your home? March is National Crafting Month, making it the perfect time to start a new DIY project—with a little imagination, you can transform your old reusable water bottle or tumbler into a fresh vase, utensil holder, and more. Here are a couple of fun ideas to try!
Natural Wrapped Vase
Give your home décor a little natural flair! The texture of the twine completely changes the look of the water bottle and pairs well with your favorite greenery. A weighty, solid, stainless steel bottle like our 24-ounce Genesis Flex works well for this project and is less likely to tip over once it’s filled. The straight sides also make it ideal for wrapping.
Supplies:
- Old water bottle
- Scissors
- Tacky glue, super glue, or hot glue
- Twine and/or thick rope
- Vase insert of your choice
Instructions:
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Put a drop of glue on the lowest part of the bottle, place twine in glue, and wait for it to dry.
- Tip: Both hot glue and super glue will set relatively quickly without needing to clamp your project. Tacky glue takes a little longer, so you may need to hold it in place with a rubber band or tape until it starts to set, and handle carefully until the glue is fully cured according to the instructions.
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Once glue is dry, wrap twine tightly up and around bottle until you reach the top.
- Tip: If your water bottle has curved walls or you’re having trouble keeping the twine tightly wrapped, add more glue along the side of the bottle as needed.
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Trim twine to length. Place another drop of glue at the top of the bottle to stick down end.
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If desired, switch to thick rope for top of vase and repeat same steps as with twine.
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Place flowers/plant of your choice in the vase opening.
Monster Pencil Holder
If you’re starting with smaller or shorter water bottles for kids, a pencil holder is a great end product, because they leave plenty of room at the top to easily grab the writing tools you need. This project makes homework time a little more fun for kids and presents an opportunity for them to stretch their creativity.
Supplies:
- Old water bottle
- Scissors
- Tacky glue, super glue, or hot glue
- Googly eyes (various sizes)
- Pipe cleaners
- Felt (black, white, additional colors if desired)
- Pompoms
If you’re making this project with kids and not just for kids, make sure to lay down scrap newspaper or similar to protect your work surface. Drips and spills from super glue are difficult to clean, so choose tacky glue, which can be wiped with water before it dries, or carefully supervise older kids as they use the hot glue gun. You might also consider getting a low-temperature glue gun and the matching glue sticks for additional peace of mind.
Instructions:
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Place glue on bottle and stick eyes into glue.
- Tip: Work the existing contours of the bottle into your design! You can use a permanent marker on a non-porous surface to lay out the positioning before you start to glue. If you make a mistake, the ink can be wiped away with a little bit of rubbing alcohol.
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Cut a mouth shape out of black felt. Cut smaller triangles out of white felt, glue onto mouth shape, and glue entire mouth to bottle.
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Glue pompoms along top of bottle.
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Use your imagination! Add a pipe cleaner tail, extra eyes, or even a bow!
- Tip: Protect your nice pair of crafting scissors! Use wire cutters or a pair of old or cheap scissors to cut pipe cleaners.
These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg—there are tons of other ways to turn your old reusable water bottle into something new and fun. Stay hydrated, reduce waste, and have a great time crafting!
