Recycled Plastic Containers: Make Your Life Easier with These Awesome Hacks

Do you want to do something with recycled plastic containers? I have several tips, tricks, and hacks that will make your life easier! Plus, you’re being eco-friendly by reusing and repurposing plastic products. Eliminate plastic waste and use your recycle bin, if you can’t find ways to repurpose something. If your neighborhood doesn’t have a recycling bin, this is another way to create your own sort of recycling program.

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Recycled Plastic Containers materials

Recycled Plastic Containers videos

Recycled Plastic Containers Instructions

1. Wash the recycled Plastic containers

After using the container, I washed the container and lid out thoroughly and let them dry.

2. Remove the label from the plastic bottle

I used scissors to remove the label from my cheese container. You could use a knife or razor blade, and make sure to be careful not to puncture the plastic.

3. Start reusing your recycled plastic containers

I like to leave my plastic clear so that I can see what is inside the container. You could also decorate the plastic and here are some ideas on how:

Contact Paper
Wrapping Paper
Newspaper
Stickers

Recycled Plastic Containers Hacks

1. Glass or Travel Drink Cup

Remove the lid of the plastic container and you can use these as a drink cup. These are great for outside with no glass to break. Put the lid back on and add a straw and you have a travel cup that is great on the go for adults and kids. You can even keep the lid closed to help prevent spills.

2. Carry Snacks in the container

I put Cheerios in these when my kids were little to have snacks on the go. You can also place other snack items inside like popcorn, trail mix, granola bars, goldfish, or other crackers.

3. Use the containers as pantry storage

I like to put chocolate chips in my containers as the bag is terrible for storage space. I can pour the chocolate chips out into a measuring cup for baking, or use the other side and sprinkle them out for pancakes and other items. You can store other items like:

rice
quinoa
pasta
granola
baking soda
flour
sugar
baking powder

4. Create a Coffee station

I poured sugar into one of the containers. I can use the open side for baking, and the smaller side for pouring into coffee or tea.

In addition to the sugar, you can also store coffee grounds, hot chocolate, tea, marshmallows, and more to create an awesome coffee and snack station for your home.

5. Store your seasonings

I make my own season salt and this is a great way to store my own seasonings. Makes it easy to measure and sprinkle.

6. Store Plastic Bags

We generally use recycled bags at our stores now, but sometimes we end up with some plastic bags and I like to reuse them as trash bags, lunch bags, for crafts, and more.

I wadded up the bags and stuffed them into the plastic container. I was able to fit quite a few inside the jar.

Put the lid on and you can pull out the bags as needed. You could also store your regular trash bags or storage bags this way.

Put the lid on and you can pull out the bags as needed. You could also store your regular trash bags, storage bags, and plastic wrap this way.

7. Store plastic Utensils in the jar

This is great for picnics and road trips. I put plastic utensils, napkins, and condiments that I have leftover from restaurants into one of these containers and take them to go with us.

8. Store school supplies in a jar

I like to put our crayons, or markers in one of these containers for road trips or travel. Keeps everything together and packs nicely. One note about crayons, if you’re car will be getting hot the crayons will melt. You can use this concept at home and store other school and office supplies like:

paper clips
thumbtacks
binder clips
erasers
pencils

10. Use for travel supplies or Bathroom Storage

9. Use for travel supplies or Bathroom Storage

These are great for different travel supplies and bathroom storage. You can keep things like:

cotton balls
q-tips
hair ties and clips
hair products
first aid kit or supplies

11. Fine Motor skills or activities for kids

10. Fine Motor skills or activities for kids

I liked to use these for fine motor skills when my kids were little. They could fit things on both sides like cotton balls, q-tips, toothpicks, snacks, etc.

In addition to that, I have used a container like this to store small activities or things to do while we’re waiting at the doctor or dentist’s office, at a restaurant, etc. I have put on small toy cars, dice, card games, and other trinkets.

11. Add Baking Soda to the Container

I like to add baking soda to create a few different things:

Use it to clean – I sprinkle baking soda into my sink or bathtub to clean naturally
Create an odor eater – leave a container of baking soda with the lid open in a bathroom for a natural odor eater
Create a room freshener – leave a container of baking soda with a few drops of essential oil mixed in with the lid open to create a natural room freshener.

12. Paint Brush cleaner and holder

I put a little water in the bottom of a plastic container, put the lid on, and slide the paintbrushes through the holes on the top. This slows down the mess if the kids accidentally tip it over, gives you time to clean your brushes when you’re done with a project, and is great to have in general when painting and rinsing brushes.

14. Add Epsom salts to a reusable container

13. Add Epsom salts to a reusable container

I add Epsom salts to a container for quick uses. I can add it to my bath quickly, I can make my Epsom salt scrub recipe, I can add it to a foot soak, use it in my garden, etc.

Ideas 14-17 that you can use recycled plastic containers

Use it as a vase and put flowers in it
Store garden supplies like flower seeds, fertilizer, grass seed, etc
Place your deicer salt in it and sprinkle easily on steps and sidewalks
Place pet treats in them

18 Reuse the lid

These lids are universal inside so they fit great onto recycled jars.

They also fit fantastic onto mason jars.

Do you want to recycle plastic containers? I have several tips, tricks, and hacks that are super easy and will make your life easier!

Is there a way you use recycled jars like these? If so please share in the comments below!

What plastic containers are reusable?

milk jugs
plastic water bottles
shampoo bottles
yogurt cups, yogurt containers
plastic beverage bottles
glass bottles
soda bottles
plastic food storage containers
takeout containers
soft drink bottles
laundry detergent containers
lotion bottle
butter tub
plastic jars
sour cream and other plastic containers
beverage containers
body wash
pet bottles
detergent bottles
juice bottles
peanut butter containers

Some of our old plastic isn’t safe for use to be using or eating out of. Some of these plastic items are made out of hazardous materials. New plastic and new bottles are made differently and safer for us to use. They can be brought to your local recycling centers if you don’t have curbside recycling near you. The type of plastic you might not want to reuse and just go ahead and recycle are the plastics that contain chemicals like motor oil, household cleaners, etc

How else can you help? Decorate trash cans in your home to become a plastic recycling center. I just updated mine with a recycling symbol on it. Our plastic bottle caps from our milk delivery can be turned into the schools to earn money from our local dairy. If you want to learn even more sometimes your local recycle center has tours where you can learn and see the recycling process and learn about the environmental impact. You can try to avoid plastic packaging and bring in mesh laundry bags for produce, and recycled bags instead of using plastic bags.