Asked on Mar 05, 2017

What can I do with these empty cat litter jugs?

Pge8320634
by Pge8320634
I've got quite a collection of these. icon They are pretty sturdy plastic, either green or opaque clear. I can recycle them but I keep thinking someone more imaginative than I can come up with good upcycle projects. They hold about 2 and a half gallons, measure 13" high, 9" wide and 5 and a half inches deep.
  17 answers
  • Dfm Dfm on Mar 06, 2017

    would they hold magazines if the top were cut off? how about seedling starting if cut down? store ice melt?

  • Dbr8248440 Dbr8248440 on Mar 10, 2017

    I keep 1/2 a dozen of the ones with the screw on caps filled with water for emergency use when and after the water lines have been cleaned. The ones where the whole top or part of it lifts up are good to keep birdseed in - but not outside as the squirrels love to get into the contents. I also donate unused ones to the habitat restore as contractors find many uses for them.

  • Lindcurt Lindcurt on Mar 11, 2017

    I have one that I throw old batteries into (9 volt, C's, D,s etc...) and then take it to the household waste facility when full.

  • Rhonda S Rhonda S on Mar 15, 2017

    If these are what I'm thinking, you can actually set them on the side and they remain stable. Think of the handle on the top as if it were actually the side, like a handle on a giant squarish tea cup. Cut the new "top" out, and you have a bin you can use for storage on a top shelf with a handle that makes pulling it down and replacing it easier. You can also label the lid with the contents of the storage bin to identify the one you need. Good luck. Possible contents - papers or notebooks like the manuals from the microwave, lids for plastic storage containers, cook books, seasonal decorations, etc. If "looks" are an issue, decorate them with tape or contact paper or paint them with plastic compatible spray paint. Wish I had a set for above the launtry to hold mesh laundry bags, laundry markers, laundry bleach pens, small items like dye packets not yet used, various small tubs of laundry treatment products (like "oxy" products) and items my son buys when he has to clean house while I'm out, thinking that the spray is the key, not the elbow grease!



  • Lin Parr Lin Parr on Mar 18, 2017

    They're great for storing sidewalk salt & my neighbors were happy to have one (or 3!) and they're actually are made of recyclable plastic so they can be recycled...not the tops though.

  • Sandy Mattes Cerveny Sandy Mattes Cerveny on Mar 20, 2017

    I put birdseed in mine but store them in the garage because if stored outside the squirrels eat through them to get to the seeds. I also store potting soil in them. It’s easy to pour the soil out into your pot with a whole lot less mess. I have a problem with squirrels climbing up and destroying my bird feeders and eating all the seed. So I tape 3 corks to the pole, cut one container in half, cut a hole in the bottom and slip it onto pole. Viola! I got a baffle that the squirrels can’t pass.

  • Diane2faye Diane2faye on Mar 23, 2017

    Put the cat poop and litter clumps in them.

  • Gail Rendle Gail Rendle on Nov 26, 2018

    Winter products, such as coarse sand and rock salt, are much easier for an elderly person (or anyone with a bad back!) to handle if the sand/salt is put into these jugs. Don't fill to top; have the prospective user check for how much they can carry. If you can get the jugs with a handle in the side as well as at the top, so much the better. My local lumber outfit will sell me a 40# bag of sand, and cut the bag and manually distribute (pour) the sand into 3 containers for me, no charge for the service. ASK! You have to ASK for these services. If they're your local store, and they value your business, they'll most likely comply.

  • Jim Jim on Apr 04, 2021

    Great for harvesting warming water from bath or shower....water your house plants or set up a covered 30 gal. trash can outside to accumulate for future use.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Feb 03, 2023

    Give them away to anyone that can use them.

  • Mlm82513375 Mlm82513375 on Sep 03, 2023

    The bucket style makes great waste baskets that can be closed off to keep a room neat. The handle makes it easy to empty them. I used a coat of spray paint on mine to make them fit in the room decor.

  • Dee Dee on Sep 04, 2023

    I have made flower pots for large plants. I use one to store concrete that was open.

    One for fertilizer, one for Amdro 24 hour kill, and one for mulch and or top soil.

  • Betsy Betsy on Feb 26, 2024

    Hi Pge: You can get some Rustoleum paint for plastic and paint them and then use them for planters. Or, you can wrap them with sisal rope for a more natural look. They would be great for planting veggies in, like potatoes, tomatoes, etc. If you are planting tomatoes in them, be sure to get the 'Determinate' type. They don't get tall and leggy like the 'indeterminate' ones. Just poke holes in the sides about 2 inches from the bottom. You can use them as stools for kids or, and I hate to say it, storage :( Here's a site that has a few ideas: 20 Ways to Re-Purpose Cat Litter Buckets - Oak Hill Homestead


    Good luck

  • Repurpose cat litter containers for storing periodicals and booklets. After plastic is removed, it can be turned into tags and bookmarks. For identification, use a label machine or a Sharpie to label. If the hanging tag is to be utilized, punch a hole.