Don't Throw Out Old Wine Bottles: Turn Them Into Lowball Glass Cups Instead

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Dinner parties and festive family gatherings are undeniably great fun, but they also leave you with a ton of drink receptacles to trash or, better yet, upcycle into something useful. Yup, there are a plethora of smart ways to repurpose empty alcohol bottles in your home, from candle holders to lamps to self-watering planters. But one of our personal favorite ideas is turning them into glass tumblers — you save money because they're pricey to buy new, and the DIY process is surprisingly easy. Score the glass bottle and run it under water to snap it in half. Grind the sharp edges of the bottom half smooth using a power sander. That's it! You now have an endless supply of sturdy, trendy glasses for free.

Don't have a stash of used wine bottles on hand from, say, the party we mentioned earlier? Ask family, neighbors, or friends. You'll soon have a collection worthy of recycling into tumblers. One wine bottle makes one tumbler or glass, so you'll need at least two to make a set. You can also buy bottles relatively affordably online in various glass hues. For example, a case of six empty North Mountain Supply Cobalt Blue Bordeaux Wine Bottles costs less than $21. Other than that, you'll need a glass bottle cutter kit (like the Zoruiline Bottle Cutting DIY Machine for about $15), a kettle for boiling water, and some ice. A Goo Gone Sticker Lifter (the tool and solution combined) — or a similar adhesive removal product — will help you remove any stubborn winery labels from the bottles. And, of course, grab a pair of thick gloves and some goggles for safety.

To tackle this creative way to upcycle your empty wine bottles as decor, first remove the labels and glue thoroughly using your adhesive remover of choice. Any sticky residue left on the bottle will make it harder to get a straight, clean cut. Next, clean the bottles in warm, soapy water, and then rinse them in fresh water. Once dry, score the bottle all the way around one time using your bottle cutter tool. A classic lowball tumbler is about 3 ½ inches tall on average, while a highball glass is about 6 ⅗ inches tall. Make use of the measurements on the tool to ensure you get the height correct. 

If the bottles are relatively cold, you may be able to simply run the bottles under a stream of hot water from the tap to snap the base off. If not, prepare an ice bath and a large pot of very hot water. Hold the scored bottle by the neck and submerge it over the score line into the almost-boiling water, followed by a dunk in the ice. Each half should then separate. Wait up to an hour after cracking the bottles to smooth the dangerously sharp edges using your power sander or an electric Dremel tool. You could also use a 200-grit sandpaper. And finally, thoroughly wash the glasses again to remove any glass fragments. Got carried away and ended up with too many homemade tumblers? Repurpose the drinking glasses into vases, candle holders, Q-tip storage — you name it.