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Upcycle Pill Bottles with These 22 Fun & Creative Ideas

ByJessica Knowles Reading Time: 10 minutes

Upcycling pill bottles for craft projects is a great way to recycle and reuse them. Find inspiration to get those creative juices flowing.

A compilation of upcycled pill bottle projects.

I try very hard to use herbal remedies in our home, but plastic pill bottles of medications still squeak in from time to time.  I HATE tossing things, and I consider myself rather skilled at discovering new uses for old things.  There is a chance I’ve morphed into an upcycling addict.  Oh well, there are worse things.

So with a huge stash of pill bottles needing a new purpose, I hopped on Pinterest to get some ideas. If you’re not following me on Pinterest, you really should.

Gather your imagination and repurpose these containers into functional organizers, charming decor pieces, or even personalized gifts. With a dash of ingenuity, we can breathe new life into these overlooked items, crafting not only beautiful creations but also contributing to a sustainable and eco-conscious lifestyle. So, let’s roll up our sleeves, get our craft on, and turn those pill bottles into something truly amazing!

#1 Fire Starters

You can create fire starters with them.  They label this as a fun project to do with your kids. I’m not sure I’d get my kids involved (we have some “rambunctious spirits”), but maybe this would be a fun bonding experience for parents of responsible kids.

A picture of pill bottle firestarters.

#2 Hide-A-Key

You can easily make a hide-a-key for your spare key with some hot glue on the lid. I saw a similar one that used a pine cone. I’m not sure how long it would hold up, but given how cheap and easy it is, does it really matter if you need to keep replacing it?

A pill bottle hide-a-key.

#3 Travel Bottles

You can use pill bottles to store shampoo, conditioner, and lotion when traveling.  I believe that these are the proper size for airline security to approve. Obviously, you’ll want to investigate before you get to the airport.

A pill bottle filled with lotion.

#4 Portable Sewing Kits

You can make a travel sewing kit that holds a needle and thread with an attached pin cushion. This is a great thing to keep in the car or purse in case you’re out in the world and discover you’ve lost a crucial button or something.

A pill bottle covered in rose fabric and ribbon with a pin cushion on top.

#5 Survival Kit

You can make your own pill bottle survival kit. My boyfriend is an outdoor enthusiast who has made about twenty of these and has them everywhere he spends his time. I won’t lie; they’ve come in handy a time or two, and I’m glad to have one in my hiking backpack.

#6 Crafting Storage

You can store small craft and hobby items, such as cake piping tips, small beads, and needles. I have several stashed around the house with safety pins and paper clips, and I used pill bottles to keep the gems from my diamond painting kits.

Painted pill bottles covered with stickers and the numbers 0-3 on top.

#7 Halloween Decor

You can make cute Halloween potion bottles out of over-the-counter pill bottles. I really like these. I made some last year to put on the mantle, and I got a lot of compliments. They took my gourd “autumn” decor to a new spooky level.

Medicine bottles decorated with paint and hot glue to look like a series of potion bottles.

#8 Snowman Ornament

Maybe Halloween isn’t your thing and you’d prefer a winter snowman made from medicine bottles? My youngest made an entire community of pill-bottle snowmen a few years ago. They didn’t really “go” with my vintage Christmas village, but how could I deprive him?

A little snowman with a green scarf made from a pill bottle.

#9 Rainbow Crayons

You can make fun rainbow crayons using standard-sized prescription pill bottles as molds. You get two “upcycle points” if you are upcycling broken crayons (another thing I refuse to throw away).

Crayon wax melted in pill bottles in a variety of colors.

#10 Unique Vase

You can make a faux bamboo vase. When the bottles are nested into each other it creates a vacuum seal, so they are watertight without glue. Some cool science for you.

Pill bottles nested to look like bamboo with a bamboo cutting inside.

#11 Nail Polish Remover

You can make one of those nail polish remover tubs in minutes with some acetone and cotton balls. These are much less messy to use than acetone right out of the bottle on your nails. I feel like there’s less waste this way as well.

Pouring nail polish remover into a pill bottle filled with cotton balls.

#12 Ammo Storage

You can store ammo in them. Dry ammo is happy ammo. My super thrifty boyfriend keeps the ammo organized in empty prescription bottles and then he stores those in an old Christmas tin. If you open the gun cabinet, it looks like we’re hoarding those yummy danish cookies. Alas, we are not.

A painted and unpainted pill bottle holding ammo.

#13 Yarn Baller

Okay, knitters and crocheters will love this one. Make your yarn balls center-pull using old prescription bottles. No more chasing balls of yarn everywhere. My very sweet friend, Janet of Timber Creek Farm, gifted me an official yarn ball winder, but I used this trick for the years prior.

A multicolored ball of yarn wrapped around a white medicine bottle.

#14 Ink Dauber

You can make your own ink daubers with empty prescription pill bottles. I’m not sure what one would do with an ink dauber – BINGO maybe? – but it looked like a cute idea. Okay, upon further research I discovered they use daubers for scrapbooking as well.

#15 Coin Storage

If you’re having trouble finding a place to store all your quarters (I’ve never had that problem… my children always seem to be pilfering my coins), you can use a pill bottle as a coin holder. It would be handy to have them in the glove box of your car in case you need to swing by the car wash for a quick clean or vacuum.

Painted red and blue pill bottles with disney stickers.

#16 Party Lights

You can make some cool amber-colored party lights. I’m not sure what occasion these would be appropriate for. Maybe for a doctor’s graduation party? I’m sure you could add elements to make them more appropriate for other occasions.

A string of lights hung on a mirror with pill bottles secured over the bulbs.

#17 First Aid Kit

You can create a travel first aid kit.  We use these all the time! Again, I have rambunctious children (okay, ONE rambunctious child, but I’m not naming names… smallest dude). Often the smallest dude has used up all the bandaids in the bathroom closet, so my mini first-aid kit is my salvation.

A pill bottle with tweezers, bandaids, and ointment spread around it.

#18 Tooth Storage

You can help out the Tooth Fairy by giving her something a bit bigger than a tooth to look for in the mess of bed sheets. You have no idea how many panicked nights “she” has experienced trying to locate a teeny tiny tooth lost between stuffed animal friends.

A pill bottle painted purple and blue with a purple ribbon and a tooth sticker on the front.

#19 Hair Supply Container

You can store tiny hair doodads in them. I am not a girl who puts a lot of effort into hairdos, but I seem to be always searching for the bobby pins I bought 15 years ago because they are little and get lost. I refuse to purchase more because I’ll only use them once a year. Hair elastics (including those tiny clear ones) can be wrapped around the outside of the bottles.

A pill bottle filled with bobby pins and a purple hair clip.

#20 Q-Tip Holder

You can lock up your cotton swabs so your children don’t attempt to clean each other’s ears – yes, it’s happened. 

Two views of a pill bottle filled with cotton swabs.

#21 Seed Storage

If my DIY Printable Seed Packets weren’t for you, you could store seeds in them. The childproof cap means you won’t have an incident that requires you to spend hours organizing your seeds after collecting them off the floor.

A bunch of pill bottles on their sides with the names of seeds written on their lids.

#22 Battery Organizer

Last, but not least, you can use pill bottles to organize batteries. Because most old prescription bottles are watertight, the batteries won’t likely become corroded.

Pill bottles filled with batteries fastened to a piece of wood by their lids.

Frequently Asked Questions

Soaking the pill bottles in warm, soapy water often helps loosen the labels. For stubborn residue, rubbing alcohol or oil (like olive oil) can be effective. Gently scrub with a sponge or cloth to remove any remaining adhesive.

Disposing of expired medications responsibly is crucial to prevent environmental contamination and ensure public safety. Here are some guidelines:

  • Take-Back Programs: Many pharmacies and local law enforcement agencies organize medication take-back programs. Check with your local pharmacy or police station to inquire about upcoming events or permanent collection sites.
  • Pharmacy Drop-Off: Some pharmacies have dedicated drop-off bins for safe medication disposal. Ask your pharmacist if they provide this service.
  • Community Disposal Programs: Check with your local health department or community organizations for information on disposal programs. Some communities host periodic events for safe medication disposal.
  • DO NOT Flush Medications: Avoid flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, as these methods can contribute to water pollution.
  • Remove Personal Information: Before disposal, remove any personal information from medication packaging to protect your privacy.
  • Mix with Undesirable Substances: To discourage accidental or intentional misuse, mix the expired medication with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter before disposing of it in the trash.
  • Follow FDA Guidelines: The FDA provides guidelines for disposing of specific medications, especially those with a high potential for abuse. Follow any specific instructions on the medication guide or packaging.

Always check with your local regulations, as disposal methods may vary by location. If you are unsure, consult your pharmacist or healthcare provider for guidance on the most appropriate disposal method for your specific medications.

Yes, many organizations accept donations of empty pill bottles for various purposes. One notable option is the organization Matthew 25: Ministries. They have a program that collects clean, empty pill bottles and repurposes them to distribute medicine to those in need. Another option is reaching out to local animal shelters, as they often use empty pill bottles for dispensing medication for pets. Additionally, some pharmacies or medical supply stores may have specific programs for recycling or repurposing empty pill bottles, so it’s worth inquiring with them directly. Always ensure that the bottles are thoroughly cleaned before donating.

And remember, health doesn’t come from plastic bottles, but if it does, make something cute with the bottle afterward!

Also, be sure to check out 12+ Fun Ways to Upcycle Holiday Cards After the Season, Mason Jar Crafts You’ll Love to DIY, and 12 Uses for an Old Milk Jug.

If you’ve found value in this blog post and enjoyed reading it, why not share it with your Pinterest community? Pin the image below and spread the love!

A collage image of upcycle pill bottle craft ideas for pinning.

Repurposing old pill bottles opens a world of possibilities for both practical organization and creative DIY projects. From clever storage solutions to crafting unique items for everyday use, these innovative ideas breathe new life into what would otherwise be discarded. Embracing the art of upcycling not only contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle but also showcases the potential for creativity and resourcefulness in transforming the mundane into something truly extraordinary.

What great uses have you come up with for old pill bottles? Share in the comments below.

Owner, Writer at The 104 Homesteader

A gifted writer and long-time Maine homesteader, Jessica is here to share her knowledge and expertise. Jessica can help you homestead successfully on your piece of land. You can rely on her advice and tips since she has been engaged in small-scale farming and self-sufficiency for over a decade. In her downtime, Jessica loves to take her boys on hikes or spend time with her quail coveys, named after the four Hogwarts Houses. She also loves caring for her goats and garden. Jessica will show you how it's done so you can thrive on your homestead.

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336 Comments

  1. Gingerbread says:

    I love all these ideas posted! I use them for my super glue and just add tiny broken pieces that need to be glued on. It is the longest my super glue has ever lasted. I also use them for thumb tacks and other sharp things in my junk drawer. I covered a strand of white lights with them with labels attached and hung them as an Over-the-Hill party decoration. For the same party we made up funny ‘prescription labels’ and filled them with candy and such and then put them in white paper bags (like those you get at the pharmacy) and glued small logos like ‘Rite Age Pharmacy’ on the bags. It was tons of fun and everyone loved the decorations. I am now getting ready to sort some ‘out-of-control’ sewing supplies using them. They are perfect for my scrapbooking embelishments I will be using in the scrapbook at hand.

    Reply

  2. I use them for dental flossers and keep in my car or when traveling.

    Reply
  3. Debbie Craft says:

    These are some great ideas! I use some of mine for earbuds, q-tips, laundry quarters, gum, tooth flossers/picks, nail clippers,and other little items. I also save them for the local vet to use. I think it is a great idea to re-purpose various items.

    Reply
  4. 1cheepchic says:

    I also use them for storing wood matches along with the strip on the side of the box to start the match….zippers don’t always work!! I use to live in the Northeast and carried an emergency preparedness kit/plastic bin in the car just in case I got stuck in snow, ice, mud…whatever, and this came in handy along with other things I had for those “just in case” trips!! I also buy the larger economy size bottle of Excedrin migraine med and put them in a smaller bottle for the car. Very helpful when sitting in traffic. They’re also good for carrying small candies for quick low blood sugar fixes until you can get something more solid to eat. Something else we do with them is to make peel & stick labels for every day of the week times 2 for my dad’s meds. We line them up on Sunday…usually…then fill each one with all the meds he’s going to need for each day….MORNING AND EVENING. Then we put 7 in a small plastic container for the morning and another one for the evening meds. Extra tip…..the A.M. meds container has a bright yellowish orange lid for daytime…YELLOW FOR MORNINGS….and the evening meds lid is red…RED FOR BED. Makes life LOTS easier for all of us and the confusion over WHICH med to take WHEN is 100% eliminated!! EVERYBODY’S HAPPY!!

    Reply

  5. I usemineforcamping, putting wooden matches in to keep dry.

    Reply

  6. Save them,spray paint with green, red and or white and make a Christmas Tree!!

    Reply
  7. Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says:

    Lights for a doctor’s graduation party — too funny, Jessica! I like the travel sewing kit and travel first aid kit best, since I don’t know a lot of graduating doctors! 😀

    Reply
  8. anna@greentalk says:

    Love these ideas. I use mine for seed saving. Sharing!

    Reply
  9. Patti Salinger says:

    I use them to bring condiments to work. They fit in your lunch bag. Keeps other employees from “borrowing”, but never replacing..Plus, if they do get too icky, you are not wasting a lot. Just bring fresh mayo, etc. the next day…

    Also works with salt, sugar, or powder creamers….
    Speaking of salt, I keep a small pill bottle with salt/pepper in my purse. When we go to certain restaurants with the salt or pepper grinders, it is hard to operate them with my arthritic hands…

    Reply
  10. maria goreti says:

    Congratulations! You had good ideas! I liked and shared them with my brazilians friends!

    Reply

  11. 2 ideas: I sometimes have trouble sleeping without earplugs. When I travel, I put them in a pill bottle so they are easier to find and don’t get squished or dirty. Second, at Renaissance Festivals they sell qhite expensive little metal bottles to fill with ice and put in your cleavage to help you stay cool. A pill bottle would be great for this in summer, Fest or not!

    Reply
    1. Jessica Lane says:

      The cleavage suggestion has to be the best suggestion ever offered. Brilliant!

      Reply
      1. Anonymous says:

        Yes,brilliant. Can’t wait to try this one out.

        Reply

        1. I’m in AZ and some of my relatives and friends are in FLA. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this!!!l So cool!

          Reply

    2. Ha, love that idea, especially for hot menopausal days

      Reply

    3. Rather than try to fill it with ice, you could fill it with water and freeze it. I bet it would last a little longer that way!

      Reply

  12. Facebook post: Pill bottles: they are those translucent orange soldiers that pile up all around us… in our drawers, bags, cabinets… sometimes I wonder – if I had saved every empty pill bottle since I got sick, what would that look like?
    Mountains of Pill Bottles
    One of the things I have always hated the most about being sick, is you often need more help than you can give. That’s not always true, but there are definitely days or weeks like that for even the most functioning among us. I see those specials on tv and think: I want to build a Habitat for Humanity house or dig wells in Africa (this might be a late night, insomnia induced thought but the general sentiment still stands).

    Neither of those will be happening in my lifetime, but that’s okay. There really are other things we can do, all of us, to help other people no matter how sick we are. Here’s one idea that only requires a bit of energy…

    “Medicine Bottles for Malawi” is a project with an idea so simple, it’s brilliant. I’ve tried this myself so I can vouch for how easy it is to do and how good it feels to pass on something you know will help others.

    Imagine you’ve walked miles to a remote village or hospital to receive any form of medical care you can find. You are given the medication you desperately needed and now you have to start the journey back home. You don’t shake the pill bottle maraca as you walk because there is no pill bottle, heck there’s barely medicine. The pills you received are wrapped in a tiny scrap of newspaper.

    A scrap of newspaper is all the protection your precious cargo has. The more I thought about this, the more I realized it’s a bigger problem than it sounds like: no safe way to carry the meds home when you are most likely walking miles, no way to really protect the meds from moisture, loss, damage once you get them home. Apparently those orange bottles do more than you think and so can you…

    How to Help:Screen Shot 2015-08-20 at 2.43.33 AM

    Step 1:
    Take your meds and when you finish the bottle, don’t throw it away! This includes bottles you might receive over the counter like for Advil, Motrin, vitamin bottles, supplements – as long as the bottles aren’t large, send them on! (Large bottles just cost too much to ship).
    Donate Pill Bottles
    Step 2:
    Remove the label.
    I find it’s easiest just to peel them off, takes a few seconds, but you can also save up until you have a pile of the bottles and dump them into a bowl of boiling hot water.

    Step 3: Snail Mail
    Send them off!
    I used a large flat manila envelope, it’s cheap & easy to mail.

    Address it to:
    The Malawi Project, Inc.
    3314 Van Tassel Drive
    Indianapolis, IN
    46240

    Tip: Take a photo of that ^ address on your phone & save it as a contact! When you have enough bottles to send off, you won’t have to log back in here to find the address. I do this often and it definitely saves some energy to take photos of info.

    Bonus Benefit:
    I saw someone online arguing that we shouldn’t send them to Malawi because they won’t be recycled when they are finished being used. I thought this question was silly since they are so desperately needed there but I like the answer all the same: Nothing goes to waste in Malawi. Your medicine bottle, when it’s empty, will be used in 100 other ways. Imagine you have very little and then think of all the ways a bottle with a sealed lid could be helpful.

    The medicine bottles we don’t need or want anymore, that probably lie around in drawers reminding us we need that medicine to begin with, to someone else, it’s a gift. What better way to use a little bit of energy and send them on!

    Reply

  13. I use the empty bottles to hold items such as small screws, nails, brads, nuts, bolts, etc.

    Reply

  14. I didn’t read all the posts, but I have donated mine to the local animal shelter. They need them for doggie/kitty medicines. I just remove the labels.

    Reply

    1. Our animal shelter is always in need of pill bottles for stool samples to go to the vet’s office.

      Reply

  15. you can use the taller ones to carry tampons in, roll up a pad in another, taller ones good for gum sticks too, any size for single round peppermints. its great for in the purse, so they dont get ruined by something.

    Reply

  16. I put my toothpicks in them. The toothpick boxes are always falling apart and make a mess in the kitchen drawer/cabinet, depending on where they are kept at the time. So I stick them in pill bottles. I can get a whole box of 250 into one of the short, fatter kind of pill bottle. Smaller bottles can also be kept in your purse, travel kits or car.

    Reply
    1. Jessica Lane says:

      That’s a great idea. We get the toothpicks that come in packets of 200 in little paper bags. The seams always tear and I end up with toothpicks all over the drawer. The real bummer is when they get caught along the drawer seams. I will have to start storing them in pill bottles instead.

      Reply

    2. The toothpick holder is also an excellent idea to store toothpicks in our camp trailer, my dad always kept sinkers, swivels and fishing hooks in old pill bottles for his fishing tackle box.. that way, if the box tipped over, the sinkers, swivels and fishing hooks didn’t go everywhere!

      Reply
    3. Anonymous says:

      That is a great idea and it seems like I always have misc items like that in my car

      Reply

  17. I have an obscene amount of empty pill bottles that I use for numerous things in my craft room, but there are a couple things they can be used for that I didn’t see mentioned. For one…when storing nails or bobby pins, glue a small magnet to the inside lid. They will adhere to it so you don’t have to dig your fingers into the bottle. Also I keep a medium sized one in my purse to put straw/candy wrappers, and other small trash in. Keeps your purse tidy!

    Reply
  18. Phillip Martin says:

    I use a empty pill bottle as a expedient sharps container for my diabetes testing supplies while camping/traveling. It works until I can get to a real drop off point or return home.

    Reply
  19. mama spins says:

    I have pill containers that are white, not amber or opaque. Are those containers acceptable to your project? I will be saving mine in the future.

    Thanks for saving the pill bottles from going into a landfill.

    Reply
    1. Jessica Lane says:

      Those ones work great as well.

      Reply
  20. Anonymous says:

    Love the post! I think you could use pill bottles for a crayon holder ( glue a couple bottles together an put crayons in it).

    Reply
  21. Charles B says:

    I used the pill bottles to store my loose drill bits, etc. I also use them to put nails or screws that I have left over from projects.

    Reply

    1. Baby food jars are perfect for this as well! U can even screw the top of the jar under a shelf then screw the jar in! U can see everything in the jars and u also make use of the bottom of the shelf!

      Reply

  22. Love your story! I use mine for all kinds of things, including holding plastic grocery bags. One will scrunch up in a pill bottle nicely for camping, glove box, etc. Learned this from GeoCachers!

    Reply
    1. Jessica Lane says:

      That’s a great idea. I love geocaching. I haven’t been in forever.

      Reply

  23. I’ve seen where people make a small fishing kit to include in their shoebox for Operation Christmas Child.

    Reply
  24. Patrick K says:

    I have found old pill bottle make excellent cases for those pesky headphones that are always somehow getting themselves all tangled when left to their own devices.

    Reply
    1. Anonymous says:

      I have dogs I attached one of the pill bottles to collar with medication and plastic bag in it

      Reply
  25. Rose Garcia-Howerton says:

    Those daubers are perfect for card making, art journaling and other paper crafts. Use them to apply inks and paint. They sell similar “finger” daubers for this. Thanks for the idea!

    Reply