6 Easy Items You Can Make from Used Plastic
Published: May 10, 2023 Updated: October 1, 2024
Today, plastic can be disposed of in various ways – while we generally focus on recycling, there are other ways to reduce your waste with plastic that are pretty cool. Luckily, there are things to do with the plastic you already have sitting in your homes. These plastic items include some familiar basics like:
- Plastic bottles
- Small & medium plastic containers
- Large plastic containers
No matter how creative you are (or aren’t), here are 6 easy items you can make from used plastic.
1. Planter – creating a tiny planter from a plastic bottle is always a fun DIY project. Just cut the bottom of a 2-liter bottle and paint the bottle or add cool decorations and other features to it. After you’re done, select your favorite plant and fill the bottle with soil – then you’re good to go!
2. Money Bank - upcycling a plastic bottle into a piggy bank for someone of any age is a great crafting moment! You can paint the bottle just like we suggested with the planter or leave it transparent.
3. Bird Feeder - making a bird feeder is a simple quick way to repurpose a regular plastic bottle. All you need to do is to add the bird seeds and a small opening for the animals to peck the food out!
4. Gift/storage boxes – The craft diary created this clever video which shows how people can upcycle small plastic items into gift or storage boxes – these of course are always useful for the holiday season.
5. Charging Station – we all need a place to put our phones while charging them & to keep them out of the way – a plastic charging stand is cost & eco-friendly. Check out this video to learn how to make a station of your own.
6. Scoopers - pet scoopers can easily be made from a plastic container. Watch this quick video from Toby Lerone on how to do it.
Now that the creative juices are (hopefully) flowing, note that the plastic used to make these items must be #2, #4, or #5. Plastic products can leach toxic chemicals when heated or damaged, however, the numbers listed above are the safest when it comes to DIY items.