Upcycle An Old Laundry Detergent Bottle Into Decorative Countertop Decor

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Unless you invest in refillable detergent for your dirty laundry, chances are you trash the empty bottles. After all, why would you keep them after you've scraped out every last bit? But here's the thing: you aren't just paying for the detergent in a bottle. You're paying for the container, too. So, to get a decent return on your invested capital, don't throw out an empty laundry detergent bottle without trying this genius DIY. Upcycle the container into a decorative vase for your flowers using some nautical rope and hot glue.

This project won't just help you reduce waste but also give you a stylish countertop decor without much expense. Plus, you'll get a fancy-looking boho vase for your pretty florals. To craft a rustic DIY vase, grab your hot glue gun and about 4 feet of nautical rope — the exact length will depend on whether your bottle has handles and how big it is. In case you don't have the latter, lightweight coir is a perfectly acceptable substitute. In case you don't have either, one or two colorful rolls of twine work, too, if you're set against spending a lot of money on this craft. When you have the essentials, give the empty container a good rinse under running water. You want to get rid of residual soap and other debris clinging to it. After you're done, let it air dry completely.

Begin by deciding the shape of your vase. Are you happy with the bottle's mouth or would you rather widen it? Even if it's not too narrow, you can give it a slanted cut for a fancy finish. Use a marker to draw the area you want to remove before bringing out your X-Acto knife. Next, get your rope and hot glue gun. Add a small bit of adhesive to the bottle before looping the rope. Continue doing this until the entire bottle (with handles if it has one) is covered. Be patient and don't apply glue on a large area in one go, or it'll dry up before you can set the rope in place.

Now, it's time to put finishing touches on your vase. You can glue decorative beads or beautiful ribbons to embellish the simple-looking vase. Alternatively, take a two- or three-ply napkin, remove the white backing, and cut out fancy designs from the printed side. Then, glue them over the rope. Either way, conduct a few dry-runs before finalizing a design since a pretty container is also a trick to make your artificial flowers look real. When your countertop decor is ready for display, start arranging the florals in the vase. Lay down a foam block, like the SupKing Floral Foam Round, to give the stems a soft yet sturdy base. This will also give your arrangement some much-needed height. Finally, insert the flowers, fillers, and other greenery. Don't forget to switch out the arrangement every so often to keep your countertop decor seasonal.