12 Clever Ways to Reuse Empty Pill Bottles Around the House
Empty pill bottles may seem like ordinary plastic containers that belong in the recycling bin, but their small size, sturdy construction, and secure lids can make them surprisingly useful for organizing little items around the home.
Before reusing one, however, it’s important to clean it thoroughly and remember that a bottle that previously held medication should not automatically be reused for food, drinks, or anything that could be consumed. Medication residue can remain inside, and some plastics are not intended for food storage.
For household organization and small non-food items, though, an empty bottle can have plenty of second-life uses.
Here are 12 practical ideas.
1. Store Small Screws and Nails
One of the easiest ways to reuse an empty pill bottle is as a tiny hardware container.
Instead of allowing small screws, nails, washers, or wall anchors to disappear into a drawer, place them in separate bottles.
You can keep different sizes in different containers and add a small label to the outside.
This is especially useful for:
Small screws
Nails
Washers
Wall anchors
Nuts
Small bolts
Picture-hanging hardware
The screw-top lid helps prevent everything from spilling into the toolbox.
2. Organize Buttons
If you have a sewing box, you probably have a collection of loose buttons.
Rather than keeping them all in one large container, use several small bottles to separate them by size, color, or type.
For example:
Bottle 1: White buttons Bottle 2: Black buttons Bottle 3: Colored buttons Bottle 4: Large buttons Bottle 5: Tiny buttons
The transparent or translucent plastic makes it relatively easy to see what’s inside.
3. Keep Beads and Craft Supplies Together
Small craft supplies have a remarkable ability to scatter everywhere.
Empty pill bottles can help organize:
Beads
Sequins
Small charms
Craft gems
Miniature decorations
Embroidery accessories
Jewelry-making components
Instead of opening a large craft box and searching through everything, you can keep each type in its own container.
4. Make a Small Emergency Sewing Kit
A pill bottle can become a compact sewing kit.
You can place a few essentials inside, such as:
Needles
A small amount of thread
Safety pins
Tiny buttons
Small scissors, if they fit safely
Needle threader
For safety, sharp objects should be secured so they don’t accidentally poke through the plastic or injure someone reaching into the container.
A tiny sewing kit can be useful in a desk drawer, suitcase, vehicle emergency kit, or travel bag.
5. Store Spare Keys Temporarily
A small container can be useful for keeping spare keys organized.
For example, you could place a spare key inside a clearly labeled bottle while storing it in a secure location.
However, don’t hide a bottle containing a house key somewhere obvious outside your home.
If someone finds it, the key could provide direct access to your property.
For outdoor key storage, a properly designed lockbox is much safer.
6. Organize Small Electronic Components
If you repair electronics or keep spare components around the house, pill bottles can be useful for organizing tiny pieces.
They can hold things such as:
Small screws
Jumpers
Wire connectors
Tiny clips
Spare fuses
Small switches
Cable adapters
Label each container so you don’t have to open several bottles to find one tiny component.
This can be particularly helpful when working on household electronics, computers, or small repair projects.
7. Create a Travel Organization Kit
Small containers are useful when traveling because they keep little items from getting lost.
You could use clean pill bottles for non-food items such as:
Earplugs
Small jewelry pieces
Hair ties
Bobby pins
Spare buttons
Small sewing supplies
Tiny accessories
Because the bottles have secure lids, they can help prevent small objects from disappearing into the bottom of a suitcase.
For anything that touches your body or eyes, however, use a container specifically intended for that purpose rather than an old medication bottle.
8. Store Small Office Supplies
Your desk probably contains dozens of tiny objects that constantly become scattered.
A few repurposed bottles can organize:
Paper clips
Pushpins
Rubber bands
Binder clips
Staples
Pencil erasers
Small clips
You can even create a small desk organizer by arranging several bottles together.
This is a simple way to turn what would otherwise be waste into useful storage.
9. Keep Spare Craft or Repair Parts
Sometimes you have a replacement part that is too small to justify putting into a large storage box.
An empty pill bottle can work well for things such as:
Small replacement screws
Tiny plastic pieces
Sewing-machine accessories
Appliance screws
Small clips
Replacement buttons
Model-building parts
Write the name of the item and the device it belongs to on a label.
That way, months later, you’ll know exactly why you saved it.
