I have seen several people ask about uses for pill bottles and decided to give my assorted uses for them.
By Linda from Bloomington, IL from Bloomington, IL
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Keep straight pins in a prescription medication bottle. This keeps them out of children's hands.
Instead of buying travel sized bottles of shampoo and other things, at our house we used old prescription medicine bottles. They ones with the kid proof lid from Walgreen's can hold liquids without leaking.
For quite some time, I've been using old vitamin bottles, pill bottles, etc., to store the lancets, blood test strips, etc., I use to check my glucose levels, until they can be disposed of.
Fill empty prescription bottles with the labels removed two thirds full of water and freeze for a quick little ice pack for children's "owies". This would also be a nice portable thing to take on a picnic or hike for the same use.
When I create a "custom" color with acrylic paint, I'll pour the "leftovers" into an empty, clean prescription bottle.
I have had some rather large pill bottles that would hold a lot of coins, so I decided to sort them and label each bottle by quarter, dime and so on. I was amazed how much money you can save in those pill bottles.
This little craft makes a plain pill bottle into a pretty storage container, by using the picture from a greeting card. I used mine for my sewing needles.
I found the labels were really easy to get off my med bottles, so I am going to use them for this year's and last years seeds. I may also use them for craft stuff. So now whenever I finish a medication I clean the bottle and remove the label.
I am on several different medications and every month I would throw the bottles away, because I did not know of any use for them, other than beading. The other night, I thought maybe they can be used in the bottom of plant jars, along with rocks.
When putting away seasonal things that contain loose screws, bolts, etc., take an empty safety capped pill bottle to store them in. Label and then select a drawer or empty tool box/container to keep them in.
I save pill and film containers to put quarters in - for laundry, toll booths, snack vending machines, car wash, vacuum coin slots, or anything else I need quarters for in a hurry. They fit easily in my purse or in my car cup holder and they don't take up too much room.
When you are all done with a prescription bottle, save it to discard old craft needles or small knives in. Throw out the entire container. Wide containers also will hold a rotary cutter blade to dispose of.
Use old clean medicine containers to store change, buttons, or anything small. Just make sure you wash it carefully.
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Are there any uses other than tossing?
YES! You never throw them away!! I empty, boil, remove label & keep some for bead storage & I am currently making them into pill storage for my purse! Pill boxes are too expensive so I'm creating them myself.
Where can you sell empty prescription bottles?
By Brenda from Fairhaven, MA
You may be able to recycle them, but you won't be able to sell them. They can't be re-used for other medications. Pills tend to leave a bit of themselves in the bottle and combining that drug with another could be dangerous.
I am looking for suggestions for baby shower favors using empty prescription bottles.
Paint them pink and blue and fill with mints.
First, just be sure to sterilize the bottles with hot water. Some pills leave residue and you would not want any guests to get sick from the bottle (sorry--I am just a safety first gal).
There are so many cute ideas for pill bottles.
There are lots of label templates online where you could have clever "prescriptions" for the bottles (which could be filled with nuts or candy for favors. The labels I have seen are all over the place from cute (take two candies and call the new mommy in the morning) to simple...thanks for coming to "Jane's" baby shower and the date.
Even cuter, you can drill a small hole in them and use them as shades for white twinkle lights that you string around the room. They cast a pretty orange glow that makes a nice gender neutral background if you are going that route just add some green and yellow accents and you have a lovely gender neutral palate.
You could use them as part of a game--like hot potato--fill the bottles with candy and have people pass them off as fast as they can and every time the host says stop, the people holding the bottle are out. The last people standing win door prizes.
Pinterest can be your friend! They have dozens of cute ideas for using old pill bottles in clever ways!
