Upcycle Old Detergent Bottles Into The Cutest Storage Baskets With A DIY

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If you've been around the DIY-o-sphere for a while now, you know that empty laundry soap containers languishing in your trash don't have to end up in a landfill. It's possible to upcycle old detergent bottles and other related items into all kinds of useful and attractive things instead. To turn your empty laundry bottles into a cute picnic basket, all you have to do is cut it in half and cover it with burlap fabric, jute cord, and decorative embellishments. Then, you can use a stick from the yard to create a handle, as shown on the Elçin's Diy Crafts! YouTube channel. 

In addition to an empty bottle, burlap, jute chord, and embellishments, you will need a ruler, permanent marker, lighter, hot glue gun, soldering iron, and pair of scissors to complete this DIY project. Since the basket's underlying structure comes from the laundry bottle, be sure to choose one that aligns with the size you want your basket to be. This will also help you determine how much burlap fabric and jute cord you'll need, as you should have enough to completely cover the bottom half of the container.

To begin, mark where you want to cut the bottle with your marker. You'll orient the pen mark horizontally, parallel to the bottom of the container. Once you make a line all the way around the bottle, draw two flaps, slightly above the line on opposite sides of the bottle — this is where the handle goes. Cut the bottle with the utility knife, and use the soldering iron to punch holes in the flaps.

Next, cut a piece of burlap that's long enough to cover the empty laundry detergent bottle. There should be enough burlap to cover the main body of the bottle and some specially cut flaps to cover the plastic flaps on the container. Glue the fabric on, then make slits all the way around the bottom of the fabric to create tabs. Glue those to the bottom of the container. Cover the base of the bottle with another piece of burlap. Then, wrap pieces of jute cord around the top and the bottom of the bottle and create a swirled design out of the rope. The rope on the bottom half should start on the underside of the bottle and work its way up the side of the container.

Now, work with the flaps in the plastic and the fabric. The plastic ones should already have holes punched in them. At this juncture, the flaps on the burlap aren't yet glued down nor do they have holes in them. Cut holes in the fabric flaps, making them align with the holes in the plastic flaps. Glue the fabric flaps to the plastic ones. Push the stick handle into the holes. Finally, lightly burn the jute cord all around the bottle to give it an aged look.

The original design of this craft leaves the inside of the bottle as-is. You may want to glue more burlap or coiled jute rope to the inside of the bottle to cover the bare container. To change the aesthetic, create a piece that would fit French country decor by swapping out the rougher materials inside the basket for something like patchwork fabric in blue or green, or line the bottle with a red cowboy's bandana for a more rustic, Western look.

The YouTuber's original craft included a decorative patch on one side of the basket, which she glued on with a glue gun. To give yours a vibe that matches your own sensibilities, try fancying it up with bracelet charms, like some Celestial Sun Charms. You could also paint or decoupage designs on some wooden craft gift tags for this purpose. 

Finally, you might want to consider trading the stick handle for a leather one. Cut a strip from a Ringsun Inch-Wide Flat Leather Strap and fasten it to the DIY basket with Alloygold Bronze Chicago Screws for Leather. This is a fun option if you use the basket to store your knitting or sewing supplies. With the leather strap, it becomes a purse that you can carry from home to your knitting or sewing group. When you're not socializing with other crafters, the repurposed detergent bottle resumes its identity as a storage basket on your craft table.