What to do with old prescription bottles?

Joan
by Joan
I go through prescription bottles quickly as I have a number of maintainence medications. I really hate to throw away all those bottles! Also, they are of all difference sizes. Please give me some clever ideas for their use!

  10 answers
  • Peg Peg on Aug 14, 2017

    You can store needles, pins, safety pins and any other small item you have more than a few of. Just put a new label on the bottle that tells the contents. They stack easily in a drawer so you can see the labels.

  • C. D. Scallan C. D. Scallan on Aug 14, 2017

    Give to your local cub scout troop. One of the badges they have to earn is to make a mini first aid kit in a prescription bottle to take camping . They also use them for keeping fire starting kits in when they get older.

  • Bet28462106 Bet28462106 on Aug 14, 2017

    Think recycle first, then repurpose. Always ask your pharmacy if they take the bottles back. Always, always remove your label if recycling to pharmacy or through your trash or just throwing away. I have used my old bottles for storing everything from screws, picture hanging items, nails and even for salad dressing in my lunch box. Caution, washing with hot soapy water is important to remove any residual of medications.

  • Sandra O'Shea Sandra O'Shea on Aug 14, 2017

    Hi Joan, I have taken the labels off and made a Jack O lantern necklace . I used , black contact paper to make eyes, nose and mouth. Then cut them out and stick them to the orange part of the bottle. The cap I had the kids paint green. Put a string on two sides where their are holes and tie it so the children could put it around their neck. Inside I put candy in for parties and class room events. You can even put a small glow stick inside the bottle so it lights up for night time if the children go out for Halloween for starter's. I am sure you can add to this idea also. :)

  • Charlee Hunter Charlee Hunter on Aug 14, 2017

    paint them is bright colors or metallic (which is popular right now, glue them in a circle and create a fun wreath with them!

  • Sandra O'Shea Sandra O'Shea on Aug 14, 2017

    If you do not have young one's to do this for I saw in a book made by Carol Duval . She cleared the labels off the bottles and put them on an old cookie sheet first place aluminum foil on the old cookie sheet and put it in an old toaster oven so the plastic would melt. Then add beads etc to decorate with, have it ready to put them on it right away. Then you can make them into jewelry by putting a pin backing on. Or right when they come out of the heat you can place an thin wooden dowel to make a hole in it to make a necklace by putting a chain through the hole. But before you put the chain through the hole you would need to attach one of those small circular pieces so the piece will hang correctly on the person. Sorry I forgot what they call that circular piece. You can always look on line for Carol Duval crafts and then type in pill bottle jewelry to possibly get the accurate directions for this. I have not tried this yet but it has always been in the back of my mind to. Love to know how it works if you do try it. =)

  • Sunny C Sunny C on Aug 14, 2017

    Hello Joan; Prescription pill bottles can be used for so many Crafts, as well as house hold goods.

    I researched this for you, and I would suggest that you Please look on both Pinterest and Google.

    I found some awesome Crafts that you can use with these bottles!!!

    I saved several, as I plan to make some!!!!

    I hope that this helps you!!!! Take Care!

  • Sandra O'Shea Sandra O'Shea on Aug 14, 2017

    OOPS, If you do this make sure you use in a well ventilated area. Also ,if you have a child that comes home and needs to get in the house on their own a key is a great thing for him or her to place in it. They can even put a label on it and put their name on it in case it gets lost at school or on the bus. If they are older, after you take the label off of the bottle place an extra key in it and on the outside put a magnet on the side of the bottle, your adult child can put the bottle with the extra key in it under their car in case they lock themselves out of their car this might help solve the problem. Hope these ideas help.

  • Sylvia Parke Sylvia Parke on Aug 14, 2017

    I use them to coordinate my buttons and beads.

  • Joan Joan on Aug 14, 2017

    THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSES! I FELL RIGHT DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE ON PINTEREST!