As we come to the end of National Recycling Week, our intern Courtney decided a few DIY tips would be a usefu blog post to encourage us all to recycle where we can! Everyone who drinks dairy milk finds themselves with plenty of empty milk bottles, especially when you have a large family with teenagers who like their milk! The large bottles add bulk to your recycling bin, so why not try some of these ideas around the home!
A Watering Can
If youre an avid gardener and want to reduce your impact on the environment, this tip is for you. Make a few of these and have in handy spots around the house where your plants are, so it is nearby and reminding you to keep the water up especially important in the hot summer months ahead.
Directions:
- Wash the milk bottle to make sure its clean.
- Get a needle and heat the tip with a lighter.
- Put the lid on the top of the bottle.
- With the hot needle tip, pierce the lid.
- Fill it up with water and you have an instant watering can!
And, if you feel like the spray is too fine, add more holes into the top of the lid. Sorted!
Image sourced from: A Journey to a Dream
A Hanging Plantar
Anther idea for those with green fingers, or if you are keen to start growing your own herbs and vegetables. Even works in small spaces perfect solution for creating a green wall which is very much in style these days!
Directions:
- Wash the milk bottle and remove any labels on it.
- Cut the milk bottle in half.
- Add soil to the clean milk bottle.
- Put your plant in.
- Water daily.
These need to be attached is a trellis or hung on hooks. You can also run piping around them for watering and drainage.
Image sourced from: BalconyGardenWeb
Storage and Sorting
This ones for those who like to keep things in order! Organise your kids pencils and pens by colour, Turn those old milk bottles into a pencil case for the kids! They can sid on desks or find a rod that fits through the handles and find somewhere to hang them. Great DIY to get the kids to help you with too!
Directions:
- Clean the milk bottle.
- Trace where you want to cut around bottom of the bottle so items are accessible but dont fall out and cut.
- Put in pencils or pens or whatever you want to store!
You could use the different coloured tops to represent different item.s Use sticky labels or write and draw on the bottles for extra decoration. Now when the kids want to get artistic everything is at hand!
Image sourced from Pinterest.
Bird Feeder
This can be a wonderful way to see more of the native birds in your area. Hang on a tree in the garden or on your balcony.
Directions:
- Wash the milk bottle.
- Cut a hole out of it thats big enough for birds to get in and out of (about 10cms).
- Create holes and tie rope at top for hanging. Or even a large whole that goes over a branch in the tree.
- Fill it with wild bird seed because wild birds cant digest the same seed as budgies or cockatiels. Ask your local pet store for which feed is best for the birds in your area.
You could make a hole near the base and add a stick for the birds to perch also. Make sure its rigid to hold their weight! Get the kids to decorate it with coloured pens or glue sticks and other natural items form around the garden so it blend in with the surrounds then sit and wait for the local birds to discover!
Image sourced from: Molotilo
Dont forget some of these idea would work with other types of bottle. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration for DIY ideas. Happy creating!
And from the Rose-Hip Vital team thank you to Courtney who has spend the last 3 months in our head office helping with blog content and scheduling and hopefully learning some new skill she can take with her as she embarks on a career in journalism.
Share your other uses for used bottles in your house in the comments below.
