Darcy Miller’s Tips for Turning Trash Into Treasure

We’ve all heard that we should reduce, reuse, and recycle. But my favorite way to be sustainable is to reimagine—getting a little creative about turning trash into treasure.

The first step is to think before you throw. Ask yourself, can I reuse this object in another way, instead of bringing it to the recycling room or trash bin? Here are some clever ways to give common items a second life:

• Ceramic yogurt jars that come in appealing colors; you can just wash them, remove the label, and turn them into bud vases, Q-tip holders, pencil cups, toothpaste holders, or ring dishes. The glass versions can live on as votive candle holders, which are great to have at a party (the candlelight shows through the clear glass).
  
• Glass-stoppered wine bottles make perfect carafes for water.
• Tequila bottles can be so ornate and colorful that they make great vases, decanters, or water carafes once the tequila inside has been enjoyed.
  
• Paint a shipping box and use it to hold files or keep papers out of sight. Boxes also make great forts or playspaces if you have little ones—or pets—at home.
  
• Paint a washed tomato can and you’ll have a vase or pencil holder, depending on its size.
• Cereal boxes, when painted and cut into shapes, get new life as mobiles or greeting cards.
• One of my favorite things to upcycle is a wine bottle. You can just rinse it out and use it as a vase. Or, turn it into a candle holder using my tips below.
  

How to Turn a Wine Bottle Into a Candleholder

I love the romantic look of wax-covered bottles holding drippy candles; it reminds me of an old-school Italian restaurant. You can easily recreate that look at home with an empty wine bottle you saved from the recycling room, and a drippy candle (or two).

You can also have fun and paint the bottle first, write on it with a gold paint pen, or cover it in glitter before adding the candle. It’s a fun way to decorate for dinner, and then you have the "candleholder" as a souvenir of the evening. And don’t forget to reuse it! Once the candle melts, you can replace it with another one, and pull it out every time you have a special dinner.

Feeling creative? Here’s how to light up the night with your trash-turned-into-treasure candlestick. And if you want to add our Italian-inspired banner, you can download it here.

What You'll Need

• An empty wine bottle
• Drippy candles
• Optional: Spray paint, glitter, craft glue
  

Instructions

Step 1: If you’re decorating your bottle, do that first. You might spray paint it, write on it with a gold paint pen, cover it in spray adhesive, or use craft glue thinned with water and painted on with a brush, then dip it in glitter. If you’re keeping it simpler and letting the drips be the décor, skip to step two.

Step 2: Melt the bottom of your candle until it’s soft enough to wedge into the bottle, then light it so it starts dripping down the sides. When it has dripped to your liking, blow out the candle so it doesn’t melt all the way; you can relight it at dinner. (Note: If you couldn’t find drippy candles, you may have to melt a few candles to get good drips, then relight another one to use as the actual candle.)

Step 3: Bask in the glow of the candlelight—and your beautiful old wine bottle-turned-candleholder!