Suggestions pour in after veterinary assistant asks for creative ideas to reuse old pill bottles: 'There must be something I could do with them'

What do you do with your old pill bottles? Many people recycle or donate them after scratching or peeling off any identifying information and rinsing them thoroughly.
However, one veterinary assistant on Reddit went looking for more creative, fun ways to reuse the pill bottles that pet patients' medications come in.
The scoop
The innovative veterinary assistant, realizing the wastefulness of just discarding the bottles in which animals' medication is supplied, took to Reddit to crowdsource alternative uses for the containers.
"Does anyone have suggestions for reusing empty pill bottles?" the OP wrote above a photo of the bottles in question. "I hate seeing them go in the bin, I know they get recycled but I'm sure I should be able to find some use for them. I just can't think of anything useful."
Photo Credit: Reddit
"There must be something I could do with them. … Could be an art project, storage, anything really. In clinic or for at home stuff, either is fine. Thanks for any ideas!"
How it's helping
Repurposing something like an old pill bottle — whether it be to store liquids while traveling, organize loose items in your junk drawer, or even curl a wig — is a great way to save a little money. The cost of specialty organizers and tools can add up, but people have shown it's clear that these cute and useful ideas can be economical, too.
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?
Aside from pill bottles, there are ways to donate or recycle other items that can even make you money. Many organizations offer store credit for donated used items, or you can try selling them on online marketplaces. This is super easy to do with things like clothes and electronics.
On top of that, every item kept out of the garbage is one less piece of trash in a landfill — where it would contribute to the production of heat-trapping pollution that exacerbates the Earth's overheating. This also prevents trash from reaching our oceans and threatening wildlife.
What everyone's saying
Commenters did not disappoint and were full of ideas for the OP's pill bottles.
Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
Giving me money back
Letting me trade for new stuff
Making it as easy as possible
Keeping my stuff out of landfills
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
"My local plant group loves using them for seeds and propagating," said one.
"They might be useful for organizing sewing or craft supplies like buttons, rhinestones, etc." suggested another.
"I used to work at a pharmacy and every Christmas, [we'd] hang the vial lights, just pill bottles with the lids drilled and a bulb stuck into each, customers loved them," shared one more.
The OP was thrilled with the responses, deeming them "great," "super," and "lovely!"
In the end, there were so many ideas that they said they "just need to get collecting bottles now!"
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Suggestions pour in after veterinary assistant asks for creative ideas to reuse old pill bottles: 'There must be something I could do with them' first appeared on The Cool Down.
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