There are plastic bottles everywhere, from milk containers and soda bottles to laundry containers and cleaning cloth containers. The plastic from these containers will just sit in landfills, or you can take them to a recycling plant to be broken down and made into something else that can be usable. The other option is to recycle it yourself in your very own home. Take that empty plastic container and turn it into something you can use around your house. See below for a couple of ideas.

1. Plastic Soda Bottle Planter

Create a planter to grow herbs or small flowers in your home using the base of a 2-liter bottle. Carefully cut the bottle using a utility knife about four or five inches up from the bottom. Clean this portion of the bottle out with soap and water, then allow it to dry completely. Fill it with potting soil and add seeds or plants and water as needed. You can make your planter a little more fun by using the lid from the bottle as a nose and add googly eyes to create a face on your planter.

2. Plastic Milk Jug Magazine Rack

Using a half gallon milk jug or a large orange juice jug, you can create a magazine holder. Draw a straight line on the side of your jug below the lid, then turning down parallel to the handle, then another line down and to the base. Repeat this on the other side. Use a utility knife to cut the lid portion and handle off, so you only have three sides remaining. Clean the bottle thoroughly and allow it to dry. Then use it for magazines, books or folders.

3. Laundry Soap Jug Storage Drawer

Those really large plastic laundry soap containers can be usable as well. Turn them onto their sides when empty and cut out a large square using a utility knife. Rinse out the bottle and use it as a storage drawer on a shelf or inside a cabinet. Use the top handle of the jug as a drawer pull. It's perfect in the garage to store items or for basement storage. 

4. Water Jug Toy Storage

Turn a large jug of water into a small toy storage container. Cut the top portion (where the jug begins to taper in) of the water jug off using a utility knife. Clean out the jug. Then use a knife or a nail to make four small holes at the top (two on each side). Use two equal pieces of thin rope or strong string (such as a thick shoe string) and run it through the holes to make handles. Tie the ends on the inside so they do not pull through the holes. Use washi tape (or duct tape) around the top portion to keep little hands safe from cuts. Add your child's small toys to the container to help with organization.

There are a number of things you can do around your home using plastic bottles, jugs and containers. Use your imagination and reuse what you can. If reusing these plastic containers just isn't for you, remember to take them to a recycling facility to be recycled, rather than placing them in the trash. To learn more about recycle bottles at North Hill Bottle Depot, contact a recycling center near you.