24 Water Bottle Crafts

24 Water Bottle Crafts

Keep some plastic out of the landfill with these water bottle crafts!

Of course the best way to reduce plastic pollution is to avoid single use plastic water bottles in the first place, but if you do find yourself with an empty bottle on your hands, using it in one of these water bottle crafts is the next best thing.

Unfortunately, plastic water bottles are pretty ubiquitous, so if you want to find some to craft with, you don’t need to work hard. Keep an eye on the recycle bin at your office or school. When you’re out and about on foot, you can probably find them right on the ground. I bet that within a week you can gather enough bottles to do at least a few of these projects.

Cleaning Your Bottles

When you’re prepping your found bottles for crafting, you’ll want to clean them first. If you have a dishwasher you can usually send them through on the top rack unless you’ve chosen a super hot water setting. You’ll also want to remove and labels. Paper labels are easy to get off, but they leave that strip of adhesive behind. I’ve also noticed a new trend in labeling where bottlers use a huge clear label that’s sticky across the whole back. Those peel off easily enough, but they leave glue residue behind.

Whether you’ve got just that strip of glue or a whole bottle covered in tacky adhesive, these tricks for cleaning the labels off of glass bottles will work on plastic too. Just use a little elbow grease!

25 Water Bottle Crafts

1. Make a Baby Game – My 11-month-old loves playing with the plastic bottle sensory toys that I made him! Right now he prefers the one that rattles, but once in a while I catch him staring at the water-filled one. Maybe he’ll get more into that one when he’s a little bit older.

2. Water Bottle Fountain – This is another fun sensory game for your little ones.

3. Party Invitations – Plan a natutical- or pirate-themed party, and use old water bottles for the invites. So clever!

4. Fish String Lights – These look so good – I would never have guessed that they were made from water bottles!

5. Bottle Flower Wreath – Make a pretty wreath for Easter or spring with old water bottles.

6. Plastic Bottle Ottoman – Need water bottle crafts that use up a whole bunch of bottles? This is the ticket!

7. Upcycled Bird Feeder – Combine an old bottle with some thrifted wooden spoons to make this sweet bird feeder.

8. Herb Planters – These inverted bottle herb planters are so clever!

9. Water Bottle Cuff Bracelets – You can get a few cute cuffs out of one water bottle.

10. Decorative Apples – Each of these apples takes two bottles to make, and they are so adorable!

11. Make a Stamp – The bottom of a water bottle works beautifully to create a cherry blossom stamp.

Water Bottle Crafts: Candle Holder

12. Votive Holder – This project uses the bottom half of your bottle to make a sweet tea light holder. Save the top half though! It works well as a funnel.

13. Spiral Party Decorations – I’ve seen these made with paper, but I bet this plastic bottle version would stand up to multiple parties!

14. Bowling Set – Painted plastic bottles make a fun bowling game for kids. I’m filing this away for our next snowpocalypse here in Atlanta!

15.Hanging Vases – This is a beautiful way to use the tops of your bottles left over from those votive holders and apples you made!

16. Water Bottle Organizers – Keep craft supplies in check with these three water bottle crafts!

17. Plastic Bottle Birdhouse – This is a more rustic take on the plastic bottle bird feeder.

18. Plastic Bottle Lanterns – These pretty hanging lanterns would look so sweet in the back yard.

19. Lava Lamp – Do teens still like lava lamps? Who needs Spencer’s Gifts when you can raid the recycle bin?

20. Bottle Plane – Your kids will love helping you make these plane toys from reclaimed water bottles.

21. Cascade Chandelier – These were made as art pieces, but it doesn’t look too tricky to replicate. Use fishing line to string up your cut up bottles from a hanging light fixture.

22. Make an Art Bowl – Whip out those heat guns, ladies and gents!

23. Plastic Beads – Wait! Don’t put the heat gun away yet. Make yourself some plastic beads while you’re at it!

24. Glue Gun Vase – A glue gun and spray paint add some 3D interest to an old water bottle.

Have you done any cool water bottle crafts lately? Feel free to drop links to your projects in the comments!

Image Credit: Water Bottle photo via Shutterstock

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