A woman discovered an innovative way to create a simple container for safety products while recycling a common household item.
The scoop
TikToker LoveBy3 (@love_by_3) shared her genius method for putting together a safety kit using empty medication bottles in a 47-second video. She dispelled the notion that safety kits must be "ginormous" by showing how much can fit in the small bottle, adding matches, cotton swabs, safety pins, a small candle, bandaids, aspirin, and ibuprofen tablets.
@love_by_3 #diy #safety #emergencykit #lifesaving #pillbottle #fyp ♬ Golden Hour: Piano Version - Andy Morris
Not only does it give a second life to something that otherwise would've ended up in the trash, but it also creates a travel-size safety kit that is convenient for anyone to carry.
"You don't need to make it this big thing where it has to be a lot of things all at once," she said in the video. "If you have something that's very handy and quick in your purse or in your little pouch, you never know — it could save you for a day."
How it's working
Repurposing empty plastic prescription bottles can be both fun and incredibly useful, especially considering that many towns and municipalities do not allow them to be recycled curbside. So, if you're looking for ways to repurpose these bottles around the house, there are plenty of creative hacks.
For example, one woman transformed her empty pill bottles into a seed organizer, which saved her money and kept the bottles out of the landfill. Another managed to turn her empty medicine bottles into handy ice packs, which she found to be perfect for kids' boo-boos or keeping small items cold in lunch boxes. There are also charitable alternatives, as these bottles can be donated to nonprofits such as churches, homeless organizations, and animal shelters.
These hacks exemplify smarter recycling options that are beneficial to the environment. Many plastic products take quite some time to break down, causing these items to build up in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency determined that polypropylene, the plastic most commonly used in pill bottles, can take anywhere from 20 to 30 years to fully degrade.
By giving these bottles new life, you can help reduce plastic waste while giving yourself practical storage solutions that can help with decluttering.
What people are saying
Commenters on the TikToker's video were impressed with her technique for repurposing her empty medication bottles and also shared their own ideas.
"Great Idea thanks for sharing," one user wrote.
Another suggested that a mini BIC lighter "would make a good addition and still fit with the other stuff," which the original poster found helpful.
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