Upcycle Glass Bottles for Fun and Profit
Are you looking to turn great ideas into ways to save money and earn a profit? How about transforming everyday waste into unique household items with a fun DIY project? Upcycling used glass bottles, jars and cups is a fun activity that even can become a small business. With the incredible range of glass items available in any household, the options are only limited by imagination and inspiration.
What Can You Do with Old Glass Bottles?
What can you do with old glass bottles? How about, what can’t you do? Glass bottles, jars and cups come in so many shapes and sizes. The options to upcycle them and even repurpose them are endless. Glass bottles, glass jars and glass cups can be upcycled into items like a vase, bird feeders, storage containers, spray bottles and even candles.
Literally billions of used bottles are thrown into the garbage every year. Upcycled glass bottles are a great way to reuse what would otherwise become trash, reducing waste and saving money in the process. Upcycled bottles, jars and other glassware also make unique and memorable gifts for friends and family. People enjoy upcycled glassware so much they are willing to purchase high-quality crafts, and a skilled upcycler can turn their projects into thriving small businesses. This is why you should look into how to start an upcycling business.
How Do You Upcycle Old Bottles?
How do you upcycle old bottles? Start by thoroughly washing and drying your used glass bottles, jars and other old glassware, carefully removing any labels in the process. If sticky residue remains, you can scrub it off the glass bottle with a scouring pad.
Be sure and gather supplies like paints, paintbrushes and craft glue. You might also need additional supplies like wire, fabric or hardware items. Create a workspace where you can craft your upcycled projects.
Once your upcycled glass bottles are completed, you can use them or gift them. Don’t forget to also look where to sell handmade items locally. This includes selling them at local craft malls or online marketplaces. Speaking of online marketplaces, learn how to sell on Amazon Handmade as well as how to start a small business on Etsy. They will pay off when sales slow down locally.
Upcycled Glass Bottle Project Ideas
Have old bottles to recycle and want to give them a new purpose by upcycling them into household products? Perhaps you have enough bottles but you need some project ideas for inspiration. There are no limits to the repurposing projects you can create with recycled glass.
Next time you look at a bottle, don’t see a glass bottle. Instead, look for its potential. With enough upcycled bottles, upcycled jars and upcycled glass cups in your possession and a few creative ideas, you have the makings of a successful small business.
Upcycle Glass Jars to Vases
image: Pretty Handy GirlWhether they originally contained peanut butter, mayonnaise or candles, old jars make the ultimate containers and perfect vases for plants, flowers and other decor. A glass jar is the perfect vase, but you don’t have to leave it in its original state.
Decorate the glass by painting or etching it, and design handmade vases that match just about anything. These lovely containers also make excellent gifts… especially when filled with flowers.
Upcycle Wine Bottles to Bird Feeders
image: Elizabeth Joan DesignsA vase is far from the only use for an old glass bottle. What was once a wine bottle can be transformed into a useful diner for your feathered friends. You can repurpose a wine bottle into a bird feeder with a few basic supplies.
According to these instructions, you need only a few planks of wood from your local hardware or lumber store, basic tools like a drill, a saw and a couple of clamps, a wine bottle, some paint and some birdseed. By inverting the wine bottle, you create the perfect shape to funnel the birdseed down to some hungry sparrows. Just hang the beautiful bird feeder in your garden, and breathe a brand new life into an old bottle.
Upcycled Wine Bottle Soap Dispenser
image: Honest CookingYou can recycle an old bottle, saving waste and money, by upcycling a wine bottle and using it as a soap dispenser. After cleaning the old bottle, you can paint it, etch it or add other decoration to match the motif of your kitchen or wash room. Then, just add a pump top from another old dispenser, fill the bottle with liquid soap and voila! You have a one-of-a-kind soap dispenser to use or give as a gift.
Upcycle Glass Jars to Candle Holders
image: Spark and Chemistry
There are so many crafty ways of reusing glass jars. Upcycled glass jars make great storage containers and deocrative drinking glasses by simply cleaning and decorating them. Another popular way of reusing a glass jar is converting it into a candle holder.
After thoroughly cleaning the old jars, decorate them with paints, beads, sequins, ribbon, lace, foliage or any other craft items you have available. Simply place appropirately-sized candles into the empty jars and light their wicks. Upcycled jars transformed into unique candle holders make excellent gifts, and they can be designed to match any room.
Upcycle Glass Cups as Planters
image: Intelligent DomesticationsDon’t think you’re limited to glass bottles and jars when completing upcycling projects. Old tea sets, including ceramic or glass cups, can be repurposed into a variety of functions. Plus, they come in so many unique designs that they will match the decor of any room.
One way tea cups can be upcycled is by transforming them into unique planters, each glass cup perfect for a single blossom. Just attach the cups – and their saucers if you have them – to the top of stakes and place them into your favorite garden.
Upcycle Glass Bottles to Spray Bottles
image: BrendidHow many old glass bottles do you discard every year? At the same time, how many new ones do you buy to replace used products like vinegar, milk and cleaning supplies? Just imagine how much we drink, cook and clean. What if you could reuse glass bottles to replace the new ones, saving money while reducing waste in the process?
Just thoroughly clean the bottles and remove their labels. Next, paint the bottles to match your own kitchen decor or adorn a new decorative label before you fill the bottles with replacement product. Any bottle with a screw top easily can have a new spray nozzle attached. You either can purchase the attachment or recycle one from a previously used plastic bottle.
Upcycle Glass Bottles for Storage
image: Milk and MoreThere are so many ways to upcycle old glass bottles. Just because they originally held liquid, that doesn’t mean they can’t be repurposed as storage for something else entirely. What if you could use old glass milk bottles to save storage space for dry goods like spices, baking soda or popcorn?
Just empty and clean the old glass bottle, remove its label and fill it with the items of your choice. You can reuse a jar or any other glass container with a sealable lid in a similar way. Don’t be afraid to decorate the upcycled bottle and lid with paint, glitter, fabric or stickers.
Upcycled Mason Jars as Craft Supply Storage
image: By Stephanie LynnIf you’re always looking for another space to store craft supplies, why not repurpose old glass jars, creating a perfect place to organize every item? Storage units are a simple way to repurpose glass containers. You probably already have a few old mason jars floating around your house somewhere. Instead of debating how to deal with the clutter, clean them and add labels to the outside.
You can store items like pencils, crayons, erasers, paintbrushes, nails, stickers and so much more inside old mason jars, used mayonnaise jars or glass peanut butter and pickle jars. In fact, you probably can scrounge up enough jars already in your pantry and fridge to create a complete set of craft storage containers. Buy more supplies? Just refill the jars!
Image: Depositphotos
This article, “Upcycle Glass Bottles for Fun and Profit” was first published on Small Business Trends