My friend has a condition that requires her to take quite a lot of medicine; when I was at her house the other day I discovered a rather shocking stash of empty pill bottles.
I was glad that she hadn’t simply tossed them, contributing to the plastic problem we have, but my-oh-my was there a lot of them!
She knew that there was some way that she could upcycle or repurpose all her bottles but never really got far enough to do anything with them.
So I decided to make it my mission to find some helpful new uses for her stash, and I’d just love to share my findings with the rest of you.
What to do with empty pill bottles
Jump to:
- What to do with empty pill bottles
- Hide-a-Key
- Candle Holder
- Makeup Organizer
- Love Prescription
- Jewelry Holder
- Piping Tip Organizer
- Fire Starter
- Travel-Sized Shampoo
- Cotton Swab Container
- Rainbow Crayons
- Portable Sewing Kit
- Bobby Pin Storage
- Survival Kit
- “Bamboo” Vase
- Center-Pull Yarn Ball
- Snowman
- Vitamin Packs
- Light Garland
- Nail Polish Removal
- Coin Holder
- Child-Proof Container
- Tooth Holder
- Handbag Trash Can
- Earphone Container
- Jewelry
- Seed Storage
- Grow Magnet
- Interesting Lamp
- Single Flower Vase
- Cat Toy
Hide-a-Key
Hiding a key in your mailbox or under the welcome mat is way too obvious – those are the first places potential robbers would look. If you really are worried about accidentally locking yourself out (guilty!), hide a spare one in a pill bottle with a rock glued to the top of the lid. No one will be the wiser. Just make sure you remember which rock to look for!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – ZakkaLife
Candle Holder
You can make a fantastic candle holder by painting and gluing together a few bottles of different heights and shapes. It makes a fabulous centerpiece with tealight candles; no one would ever guess what you made it from!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – Allthatscrap
Makeup Organizer
You’ll find the size of prescription pill bottles make them perfect for your beauty products and tools, like your brushes, eyeliners and mascara. Keep your dresser nice and tidy with this little trick.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – LauraThoughts
Love Prescription
This is a cute and cheesy idea for Valentine’s Day or whenever you just want to cheer up your other half or a close friend. Fill the bottle with their favorite candy and write a funny little prescription for them.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – CookBake&Decorate
Jewelry Holder
If you’re going traveling or even just staying over at a friend’s place, keep you small rings and earrings safe in one of these containers. I like to be prepared, so I always end up lugging too much jewelry around; maybe this will help!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – TheBeautyBlog
Piping Tip Organizer
Here’s on for all you bakers. Since piping tips aren’t all that cheap, you need to keep them both safe and organized. I absolutely love this idea since you can number then on the lids so that you know exactly what’s what.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – TheBearfootBaker
Fire Starter
Some petroleum-jelly-soaked cotton balls stuffed in an empty pill bottle will make an excellent firestarter when you or your kids go off camping or hiking in the woods. Make sure not to actually burn the pill bottle – burning plastic is not good for the environment.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – MomWithAPrep
Travel-Sized Shampoo
You don’t want to take massive bottles of shampoo, conditioner and lotion when travelling or camping, so save some space in your bag by filling up your empty pill bottles. Genius!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – TheBeautyBlog
Cotton Swab Container
Q-tips, or cotton swabs, fit perfectly into a regular-sized prescription pill bottle; it seems like such an obvious match! This is great for traveling, or even just keeping around the house in each of the bathrooms.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – TheBeautyBlog
Rainbow Crayons
If you have a little kid then you’re sure to have a bunch of broken crayons – the thin shape seems to be just too easy for toddlers to snap.
Instead of wasting those broken pieces, melt them into a pill box to make these awesome rainbow crayons; the bigger size will suit your little tots so much better.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – Momtastic
Portable Sewing Kit
I have been saved on more than one occasion thanks to my friend keeping a mini sewing kit in her handbag. I actually used to make fun of her for it, but now I’m thinking I should make one to keep in the glove compartment of my car. You never know when you’ll need some thread, needles, pins, safety pins and buttons!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – ClipWithPurpose and FromGlitterToGumdrops
Bobby Pin Storage
Like most women, I’ve probably bought a million bobby pins in my life, and, like most women, I probably only have about 10 in my house right now. Keep them from going missing by keeping them in your empty bottle – it’s also great for keeping in your handbag.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – TheBeautyBlog
Survival Kit
You never want to think that you’ll be in a position where you’re lost in the woods, but if you’re a regular outdoors(wo)man, then this handy little kit could very well save your life, or at the very least, save you some pain or infection. I’m truly amazed at just how much can fit into that small bottle!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – SurvivalAtHome
“Bamboo” Vase
I love this project because it reminds me of just how creative people can be; who would’ve thought that stacking empty pill bottles could result in this cool bamboo-looking vase?
I’d suggest giving it a paint job to make it look more realistic.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – MichLInLA
Center-Pull Yarn Ball
Here’s a way to save all you knitters and crocheters from buying an expensive ball winder. Wrapping your yarn around your empty pill bottle will help create that center gap. It’s a real lifesaver!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – IAlwaysPickTheThimble
Snowman
Turn your empty bottles into cute little snowmen for Christmas! This is a great craft for the kids to get involved; you can set them on your mantelpiece, in the kids’ rooms or even hang them from the tree.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – CraftingAGreenWorld
Vitamin Packs
Personally, I’m not a fan of taking too many vitamins and supplements, but I know many people who swear by it. If you’re going away, don’t lug all those big bottles around with you, just use your empty pill bottles for their intended purposes: carrying pills! Seems pretty obvious, right?
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – TheBeautyBlog
Light Garland
If you’ve got quite a few empties you can give your LED string lights more of a subtle amber glow by using the orange pill bottles and mini lamp shades. If it looks a bit too obvious for your liking and you want to hide what they really are, take off the lids and cover with something like little craft flowers, butterflies etc.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – CraftingAGreenWorld
Nail Polish Removal
Need to get that chipped nail polish off in a hurry before you head off to work? Turn your old pill bottle into a handy helper by stuffing some cotton balls soaked in nail polish remover. You just need to dip each finger in and twist.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – WhoKnew?Tips
Coin Holder
When it comes to coins I don’t know how much money I’ve lost in my life, but I’ll bet it’s a rather sizable amount that I could’ve spent on something incredible. So instead of losing coins in that black hole of a handbag, in the couch, under the car seats or wherever else coins disappear to, make use of a perfectly-sized empty pill bottle.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – WDWPrepSchool
Child-Proof Container
Since these bottles have that handy child-proof feature, it makes them the perfect storage containers for anything that you wouldn’t want the kids to get their hands on, like sharp pins, beads or any other small items that could be swallowed.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – ThriftyFun
Tooth Holder
This one’s really cute if you’re a mommy with children who still believe in the tooth fairy. Slipping into their room and trying to sneak out the tooth from under their pillow is actually quite a task, so why not make this cute little holder instead? It’s easier on the “tooth fairy”, and she can leave her financial trade in there.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – AboutHome
Handbag Trash Can
A woman’s handbag can easily turn into a bottomless pit of useless trash, making it so much harder to find the actual useful stuff. So this little idea is so damn handy and clever: use an empty pill bottle to store all the candy wrappers, receipts and who knows what else until you get to a trash can. It’s just big enough to hold it all, yet not too big that it takes up too much space.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – ModPodgeRocks
Earphone Container
One of those small but significant frustrations in life is broken on tangled earphones – I know this from experience since I usually just toss them carelessly into my bag. Save yourself the irritation by keeping yours safe in an empty pill bottle!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – Pinterest
Jewelry
I would honestly never have thought of cutting up the plastic bottle to make jewelry, and I’d also never expect it to actually come out looking pretty instead of tacky! Once you get started and let the creative juices flow, I’ll be there’s a lot of pretty pieces to be made.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – LilacPop
Seed Storage
If you’re need to keep your seeds safe during the wintertime, an empty pill bottle should be just the right size to store them until it’s time to get planting.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – SlightlySteady
Grow Magnet
This is a fun one for the kids—almost a bit of an experiment—because they’ll be able to watch the roots and plant grow through the transparent pill bottle. Once the plant has outgrown its little container you can also show the kids how to transplant it to a bigger pot.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – AboutHome
Interesting Lamp
This is a cool little project because it seems so random and out of the ordinary – a modern-looking lamp made from reused pill bottles (the larger size will work best). This would look great simply hanging on a wall as an interesting feature.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – Instructables
Single Flower Vase
I love this idea because not only is it really easy, but the simple elegance of it is what’s so attractive. You can make a whole bunch of these and scatter them across a mantelpiece or group them together as a table centerpiece.
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – ForTheLove
Cat Toy
Some beans or dry rice and jingle bell in an empty pill bottle can make the best DIY toy for your kitty.
You can even knit a little cover for it so that your beloved cat can claw at it all day long. I’d suggest hiding it at night if you’re a light sleeper!
DIY Instructions and Project Credit – AboutHome
Anonymous
For the cat toy, can add a small bell or more.....
Linda
I’ve been using old pill bottles for old sewing machine needles and other sharps. Safer way to dispose of them. I love all these ideas. I’m all for repurposing things.
SABRINA
I save quarters in mine! Each regular-sized pill bottle will hold $10 worth of quarters! I keep the filled bottles in my RV for laundry at the campground, a bottle in my car for donations, parking, etc.
Anonymous
I use them for : different size nails , screws . Push pin’s , safety pins, sewing pin’s. small Velcro, Command strips , paperclip’s small staples and loose stamps.
Barb
My church collects them to send to third world countries otherwise when medicine is dispensed they’d have to carry the pills in their hands.
Kelly F
What is the name of your church? We could all ban together and send them to it.
Anonymous
What a great idea
Anonymous
great idea.
Demetria Hensley
Do you have the contact info to send the bottles to for use in third world countries?
MDurrance
I use them to store dry batteries on our boat!
Anonymous
Great ideas thanks,put some paint in after you've finished painting your walls it's handy to touch up marks at a later date,saves opening the tin ,just label the colour on the pot
Linda
I have a lot of bottles!
Debbie
I use old medicine bottles to store bulk spices. Just soak off the label and write the spice's name.
JR
put a tack thru the cap to mount it on a round dowel and you have a revolving location for screws, nuts etc. Use a common nail at each end of the dowel so you can suspend it from a shelf or rafter. then you can fill bottles and screw them into caps on the dowel.
Mary
Marvelous ideas!
Thank you 😃
Cindy Beeman
I love creating with recyclable materials and this is one that has given me ideas already. Thanks a bunch.
Dee
Share ur projects i just going to start this as a hobby
Sue
Once years ago I came home and thought the lock on my front door had been tampered with. Since I had my grandkids with me I called the cops. They came and with guns drawn, they went through my apartment and told me there was no sign of an intruder. They then told me that they had never in their careers seen an intruder come through the door. Mostly, they just throw a rock through the window and they are in. If there is a screen they can cut or remove it in seconds.
The shampoo trick didn't work for me. The shampoo leaked all over everything in my bag.
Layne
Sue. Thank you for your positive feedback it is so nice to get such uplifting messages when you are trying to inspire a world that is so fast to waste. Bless you for taking time out of your busy day to be so helpful. Karen wholeheartedly agrees with you
Ruth Coules
For Layne:
LOL! Also, I love to upcycle but prescription bottles have been my nemesis. I only have so many coins, pins, and thumbtacks to put in them. You have come up with so many new and genuinely great ideas. I especially love the nail polish remover and purse trash bottles. The only way I could have liked you more was to find out you had a great sense of humor, and then you do!
kg
? lock, door? what has that got to do with re-cycling pill bottles?
Kia
Love these ideas! We also use them for fishing lures when we just want to take a couple extras with us.
KaTHyHankins.
I have been using a medication bottle for my quarters for years now.. The one I use holds 10.00 dollars worth then when I go to the laundry room I have my quarters on me.
J Jaafari
Best use for old pill bottles I have found is in the sewing room, safe way to collect bent, broken or dull pins and sewing machine needles, and dull single edge razor blades. Keeps them safe, holds months worth of old items, and can be safely thrown into the trash without danger to anyone else. keep one next to each of my sewing machines at all times.
Sanjeeth
Great ideas
Janet F
Very clever ideas for empty pill bottles (which I seem to accumulate in no time). Probably more bottles than projects! LOL!
David
Good creative stuff
Janie
Love these ideas to recycle, reuse to be more mindful of what is happening.
Eugenia
I am a person with diabetes so I use a large wide pill bottle to put my lancets in after using it to prick my finger for testing; then place in garbage bin when full. I also keep an empty test strip tube/bottle to put the used test strips in and place in garbage when its full. You can also use pill bottles to keep small picture hangers with nails in. They also are great for storing beads.
Terri
Warm the label in the palm of your hand. In a minute the label should peel off. Start at one end & go slow. Peel close to the surface, not straight up.
Terri
You should NOT dump your sharps in the garbage. Ask your pharmacy where a sharps recycling bin is. Or they might take them. They usually have an old pill bin too.
Dale Gregg
Any suggestions regarding what will easily remove the label and glue from prescription pill containers?
Anonymous
On any type of plastic or glass bottle or jar of any type you just need to put a generous layer of butter/margarine over the entire label and let sit overnight. Wash in warm soapy water.
Anonymous
A hairdryer on hot
Nancy
Mayonnaise works best. Rub it on the surface and leave for 15-20 minutes and it comes off very easily.
Crystal
There’s so many great ideas to choose from.
Val
Hot hairdryer loosens the glue n they pull right off
Paul
To remove labels till with water and place them in the microwave for 30 to 50 seconds and the label will come off without leaving any residue on the bottle.
Anonymous
Oil
Ed Wong
Drop pill bottle into a container with paint thinner and let it sit for about a day. Label will peel off easy and wipe bottle with rag to remove leftovers.
Barb
Goo Gone, SkinSoSoft, or any type of oil like vegetable oil or olive oil, etc.
Anita
I heat the label with a hair dryer and it peels off in one piece.
Emma earley
I like this site!
Barbara
I like your idea about using pill bottles
Robin W Collier
Love this, I have been looking for something to do with these bottles.
Bosslady Brown
I use mine to put exactly two tablespoons of salad dressing in hen I take salads to work! No leakage.
Tryen
I use mine to pack salad dressings in our lunches.
James
A regular sized pill bottle will hold $9.25 and you can add about $5 in bills rolled around the edges inside of bottle we keep some in console for emergencies also makes a good driver bit container
Terri
Warm the label in your hand. Start at one end and pull close to bottle. Not straight up. Most labels are not permanent, and can be peeled off fairly easily. You can rub off any sticky residue or goo gone/WD-40.
Ronald R Leard
Old green pill bottles , Punch a hole and insert a string of green leds with droping resistor Atracts minos small fish. Have fun and let the kids look over. Surprise mino come right up to the green light . Put some rocks in the pill bottle. Use a long lead with 9 volt battery. wooops they attract big fish also. looking at a R2-5 pound bass on attact of the kids or adults . ron rrl +_
Cindy Lundy
Just found this diy for pill bottles. I have a couple more ideas for you. Here in Tucson, Pima County Humane Society sends out calls for pill bottles periodically. They have several animals in foster care so, they send pills or whatever the animal needs, in those pill bottles to the foster family. Also, Tucson has started this new recycle program in partnership with ByFusion Company of non-recyclable plastic (like pill bottles) Amazing how much non-recyclable plastic there is. They are making blocks with this plastic that they are starting to build houses with. You can probably google ByFusion and Tucson non recycle plastic. We, here in Tucson, are pretty excited about it, mainly because it takes so much plastic out of the ocean and landfills.
Anonymous
Wonderful ideas 💡
R M Hutch
You have overlooked the greatest use for old pill bottles. Sorting out various types and sizes of screws, nails and nuts and washers
Vanessa Beaty
What a great idea, are you doing this already? Send me a pic vanessa at diyncrafts.com
Hazel
We do that and it saves so much time looking for nails or screws the size you need. I have even started seeds in them. Glad you posted
Josy
Pop a medicine bottle over the spout of your tea pot when you're putting it back in the cupboard. The spouts are so easy to chip, and this protects them.
Coral wooding
Love the ideas .I'm going to try some.i know about the cat one.only trouble is my little dog bits them so they don't last long..
If any one could give me some ideas for thing I could very happy. Keep up the great ideas
Sandra Palmer
I have ask so many crafters their ideas for all my bottom and no one had any idea other than what I have done, q-tips, toothpicks and cotton balls. I'm so happy someone found a way to use these. This is so great. Thank you so very much.
Sandra Palmer
I'm sorry I wanted to see if there was any way you could send me a copy of this. I have seizures and am afraid that if I have one I will not remember what or where this info is. I take 12 different meds. A day and can not explain how happy I am that you did this. This is the best thing I have seen. Please help.
Vanessa Beaty
Hi Sandra, just pin your favorites in a pinterest board and visit the instructions whenever you start a proiect!
Marvin
I use empty pill vials , with proper labeling to ordanize the medication I will take when I am out of my house.
Vanessa Beaty
Good idea Marvin!
Kathy
When I was younger, we used to go to the pharmacy and they would give us empty bottles. We would take them and put glitter in the bottom of a and then we put them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and put it in the oven to melt, it would turn out to be very pretty Christmas ornaments. as soon as it comes out of the oven, poke hole in it to put your string through.
Jutta Hood
If you are a crafter like me, use them for your embellsihments, beads etc. Glue a magnet on the lid and mount them on a hung metal board on your wall. You are also able to see the contents from the bottom.
Maritza Casiano
I use them to prep medication for the week instead of little zip bags. I write morning, noon & night and I have 3 shoe boxes full one for each set of meds. If I’m going out I grab the corresponding bottles. If I’m not home and the aid or family is here it’s self explanatory.
Nancy
Take to local animal shelter for medical kits. That are often prepared and sent home with newly adopted pets.
Terri
Warm the label in your hand. Start at one end and pull close to bottle. Not straight up. Most labels are not permanent, and can be peeled off fairly easily. You can rub off any sticky residue or goo gone/WD-40.
Anonymous
Warm the label in the palm of your hand. In a minute the label should peel off. Start at one end & go slow. Peel close to the surface, not straight up.
Anonymous
Great ideas, I had no idea that pill bottles could be used for so many fun and useful tools. Thanks for the tips
Anonymous
Nice ideas. One more: These days I don't need to carry a checkbook, but having one or two checks in my purse for emergencies is a good idea. I curl them up into a pill bottle and they never get mangled. I usually have a twenty in there, too. The childproof ones are also safe storage for spent button batteries until you can recycle them.