7 Easy DIY Crafts to Upcycle Empty Wine Bottles

If you’re a wine connoisseur or the occasional wine drinker, then you probably have a couple of empty wine bottles lying around the house.

While recycling seems like the easiest way to get rid of them, it’s not always the best option.

According to the EPA, Americans dispose of 10 million metric tons of glass annually, yet only about one-third get recycled.

The rest ends up in landfills where it takes 4000 years or more to break down. to break down. So, what else can you do with your old wine bottles? You can tap into your creative genius and embrace the art of upcycling!

What is upcycling?

Upcycling is a useful and creative way to reduce your waste by converting it into something better. It has become a massive trend and is seen as a great way to lead a sustainable lifestyle.

What’s the difference between recycling and upcycling?

Recycling breaks down waste materials and converts them into new products, while upcycling transforms unwanted products into higher-value items. When it comes to glass, upcycling is better than recycling. It has a ton of benefits for you and the environment.

5 Reasons to Upcycle Your Empty Glass Bottles

Saves resources: Upcycling uses previously unloved items and gives them a new lease of life.This saves precious natural resources and reduces energy, pollution, and even greenhouse gas emissions associated with making or recycling new products.
Saves landfill space: Our landfills are already stretched to the limit due to the astronomical rate at which we’re producing waste. Upcycling cuts down the amount of waste that is sent to landfill which ultimately helps the planet.
Saves money: Who doesn’t like to save money? We sure do! Instead of spending $20-30 on a home décor item, you can save your coins and make something of your own by pulling out the spray paint and getting creative with those old bottles.
It’s fun: There are no rules when it comes to upcycling - you have ultimate control over what you want to do! It allows you to fire up your inner creativity to make funky, sentimental, and functional pieces that reflect your personality.What’s more, upcycling is a fantastic way to keep the kids entertained and teach them to care for the environment.
It’s a conversation starter: Your upcycling projects will not only impress your guests, they’ll spark interesting conversations about sustainability and the creative ways you reused your bottles. Plus it will hopefully inspire others to have a go themselves!

How to Upcycle Empty Bottles? 7 DIY Wine Bottle Crafts

These wine bottle projects are a great place to start if you need some inspiration! These simple ideas will help you realize just how beautiful bottles can be and make great gifts for any wine lover.

We’ve put together 7 clever and simple upcycling ideas to help you put those old wine bottles to use.

Create Unique Accent Lighting

Fairy or twinkle lights create a cozy, festive atmosphere in any space but you can take it up a notch by putting them in your old wine bottles.

What you’ll need:

Battery operated wine cork with fairy string lights

To make your own illumining wine bottles, thread string lights through the mouth of the bottle and close it up with the battery operated wine cork.

You can then place the battery pack behind the bottle if it won’t fit inside or if you’re feeling ambitious use a glass cutter to cut the bottom and place the battery pack inside with the lights. You can use different colors to make your room even more magical.

Upcycle Wine Bottles for Food Storage

Who needs mason jars when you can store all your kitchen staples in cute wine bottles? They’re an excellent alternative to plastic and they’ll look good on your shelf.

Give your bottles a second life by simply filling them with food and popping the cork or a wine stopper on top. Perfect for dried goods like rice, lentils, oats and M&Ms.

What you’ll need:

Clear wine bottles
Labels

Fill your wine bottle with your favorite foods and keep your pantry in order!

Make a Oil & Vinegar Dispensers

Love those fancy oil dispensers but can’t justify spending the money? You can steal the look with old wine bottles!

What you’ll need:

Pouring spouts
Labels

Pourers come in different shapes, sizes, and designs so make sure you find the right fit for your wine bottles.

White or apple vinegar can be stored in transparent white wine bottles, but oils and balsamic vinegars should be kept in darker wine bottles to protect them from sunlight. You could also use this as a wine bottle soap dispenser.

I bought my pouring spout at Michael’s craft store. Depending on the stock near you, they often carry multiple spout sizes and you should be able to find one that fits your bottle! Most wine bottles have similar mouth sizes, anyways.

Decoupage for a Unique Center Piece

Gather your fun wrapping paper, magazine cut-outs and print-outs to make fun home accent pieces for your home.

What you’ll need:

Paper
Paint brush
Scissors
White glue

Cut up all your paper and use a brush to apply the glue onto a section of the bottle. Using the same paint brush, pick up a piece of paper and place it onto the glass. Smooth out the creases by applying another layer of glue over the top.

Repeat this process until the bottle is completely covered, then leave it to dry for 1-2 hours. To create a striking center piece, decorate a set of three wine bottles. The finished product will be a great addition to your next dinner party!

The Simple Solution: Create a Flower Vase

This is an easy way to keep your glass bottles out of the recycling bin! Simply leave the bottle as is, paint it, or add some stickers and put some flowers inside. This makes a great vase and is a quick DIY project as there is no bottle cutter or crazy equipment required.

I used an empty bottle to make a quick “thinking of you” gift for a neighbor. All I had to do was add a flower from an existing bouquet in my home, and voila! It made her day and took me seconds. You could totally also make one with faux flowers!

Create Rustic Twine-wrapped décor pieces

If you’d like to add a rustic, nautical charm to your home, twine wrapped bottles can help you achieve that aesthetic.

What you’ll need:

Twine
Adhesive spray
Tweezers

First, tie a knot on the lip of the wine bottle. Spray adhesive in a small section and start wrapping the twine around the bottle. Use tweezers to push up the twine to ensure there are no gaps between the rows.

When you reach the bottom, leave a few millimeters and tie a knot to stop the twine from slipping off. Add some pizzazz to your twine wrapped bottles with some rosettes, block letters or whatever gorgeous blooms you’d like!

Craft Unique Photo frames

If you are looking for thoughtful gift ideas for your family and friends, these DIY photo frames will make lasting memories.

What you’ll need:

Small to medium sized photos
Sand
Sea shells

Pour sand into an empty clear wine bottle to create the base then sprinkle some shells on top. Roll and slide the photo into the bottle and use a pencil to fix it in a firm position.

You can decorate the bottles with eye-catching stickers, ornaments and any other special mementos.

Tips for Upcycling Your Wine Bottles

How to prepare your old wine bottles for upcycling projects : Removing wine labels straight up from the bottle can be a challenging task, but it can be done easily with two tried and tested methods.
Hot water method: Submerge the wine bottle into a bucket of warm water and dish soap for 20-30 minutes. Some bits might remain after you peel off the label, but you can scrub them off with a scouring pad.
Label Lift Method : This method is ideal if you’d like to keep your wine labels as souvenirs.Apply a label lift and rub it with a spoon to make sure it's completely bonded. If you leave it on for a few days, the label should pull right up with the lifter.
Look for videos: You can find some great step by step tutorial videos on YouTube if you're more of a visual learner.
Depending on how messy your project might be...consider choosing an outdoor area for your crafting.

Hopefully this guide has given you a fun way to make good use out of your empty bottles. So, what are you waiting for? Bring out those old wine bottles and turn them into works of art! Happy crafting!

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