Skip to Content

Recycle Pill Bottles into Useful Organizers

If you have a giant purse, I have a solution to losing things in the black hole – recycle pill bottles into organizers! So easy to make.

Skills Required: Beginner. You don’t need prior crafting skills to make this project! This is great for beginning Mod Podgers.

Cute recycled pill container DIY

I have four kids which means the bag I carry around is HUGE. This also means that I can never find anything when I need it.

I am constantly digging through my giant bag as kids tug at my shirt in the grocery store while I’m frantically trying to find what they need. Maybe someday I can go back to a normal person’s purse, but for now, giant bags are my reality.

So, I came up with a pretty stinkin’ cute way to organize some of those necessary things that a child will inevitably need while we are out. And? A child could make them! This is a great craft for teens, tweens, or adults.

The best part is that this project will recycle pill bottles you may already have on hand. You know that plastic bag full of them that you have been waiting for an idea?

You can easily turn your old prescription bottles into sweet little organizers for your purse, desk or anywhere else you need a spot to stash loose odds and ends. There’s no end to what you can store in these!

I love to use one for bandages and chapstick for my purse and another one for coins. I love Aldi and always need a quarter for those carts, so I store them in these containers as well. You can make this simple craft idea from home. It’s really easy.

Here’s what you will need to recycle pill bottles!

  • Mod Podge (Matte or Gloss)
  • Craft paper
  • Sponge brush
  • Spray paint
  • Scissors
  • Pill bottles
Scissors, empty pill bottles, Mod Podge, and paper

I didn’t want the orange bottle showing through so I decided to give my pill containers a coat of white spray paint.

I did one lid white and the other two lids gold to make them even more fancy! Then, you will need to cut a strip of paper to fit around the bottle.

Empty medicine container, scissors, and paper

Next, apply a layer of Mod Podge. Then apply the paper and another coat of the Mod Podge, smoothing out any wrinkles as you go.

Mod Podge the outside of a pill container

Once it’s fully dry, go ahead and fill up those cute little bottles with whatever you want!

painted pill bottles

It’s so easy to recycle pill bottles that once you start, you won’t be able to stop.

You can use them for coins, loose earrings, an “emergency kit”, bobby pins, paper clips, and the list goes on and on!

Recycle Pill Bottles into Useful Organizers

These recycled pill containers would make a cute little gift as well. You could fill one with cash and give it for a teen’s birthday gift!

what to do with old pill bottles

Are you ready to recycle pill bottles? I love anything that makes organizing easy, cute and is super inexpensive to do (I totally gave my hallway closet a total Dollar Tree organization makeover!) Come say hello over on my blog.

Yield: 3 bottles

Cute Pill Organizers

If you have a giant purse, I have a solution to losing things in the black hole - recycle pill containers into organizers! These are so easy to make.

Recycle pill bottles using Mod Podge and scrapbook paper! This is the perfect way to get inexpensive and cute storage for smaller items.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Active Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $0

Materials

  • Mod Podge (Matte or Gloss)
  • Craft Paper
  • Spray Paint
  • Pill Bottles

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Sponge Brush

Instructions

  1. Spray the pill bottles with a coat of white spray paint and let dry. This is especially important if there are labels on the bottles so they don't show through the paper.
  2. At the same time, spray paint the lids and let dry.
  3. Cut a strip of paper to fit around the bottles. IF you find the paper is too big, trim further to fit.
  4. Apply a layer of Mod Podge. Then apply the paper and another coat of the Mod Podge, smoothing out any wrinkles.
  5. Allow to dry fully before using.

Did You Make This Project?

Please leave a rating or share a photo on Pinterest!


And if you like recycled craft ideas, why don’t you check out these other projects on the blog?

Claire Champagne

Friday 7th of April 2023

I love these ideas! I have tons of pull bottles and am a bit of a hoarder with things I know I can reuse, such as multiple pill bottles I have from my prescriptions. I eat a lot of soup and use minced garlic on pretty much everything I eat so I have lots of cans and glass containers I hold onto if I can, so has given me more motivation to start decorating and organizing my craft stuff and MUCH more. I have a giant bag I need to sew pockets and such but I love the pill bottle ideas(with my many hobbies paired with my clumsines), the bandaid container is perfect! And lip balms, gloss, lipsticks, and so on are awesome! Thank you! You have too many ads on your website, it's distracting and makes reading this difficult!

Tata

Wednesday 3rd of February 2021

Thanks!

Catherine Stewart

Thursday 16th of March 2017

When you finally can switch to a smaller purse, don't toss it -- it won't be long before grandchildren come along!

Since I appreciate your tips so much, I thought I'd pass one along to you!

laurabun

Saturday 28th of January 2017

I use pill bottles for lots of tiny storage, but never thought to decorate them!! An easy way to make them presentable for open shelving.

Jody

Friday 27th of January 2017

What would we do without you? Ideas galore and usable ones. I love your emails.

Skip to Instructions