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[Did you know?] [Overview] [Materials you will need] [Step 1] [Step 2] [Step 3] [Step 4] [Step 5] [Tips] [With Vibes Products]
Who wouldn’t love cute bottle signs that help you avoid the repetitive question of, “What is this dish/drink?” all night! As a host, setting your food & drink table vibe with elements that are aesthetically pleasing, functional, and fresh is essential and this DIY Glass Bottle Reuse handles all three!
With just a few materials, you can turn your old bundle of bottles into much-needed cuteness on your buffets and happy hour tables.
did you know…
According to the EPA, only 3.1 million tons of the 12.3 million tons of the glass produced in 2018 was recycled (That’s only 31.3%!). This leaves a remainder of 62% of the glass produced that year or about 28 billion glass bottles and jars to decompose over 4,000 to 1 million years.
Now, this is just a snippet of the facts, and it is very easy to fall down a rabbit hole about the recycling discrepancies in this country and even in your city. But if you are like me, you are looking for ways to help and these suggestions should make you feel better about where your glass bottles are going:
Do the glass bottle DIY described in this post! Repurposing the bottle in your home will probably take fewer resources and energy than it would to drop it off at a facility.
Look for a recycling program in your city! In 2020, Philadelphia almost doubled its fee to the taxpayer for Waste Management. With this increase, the city is implementing measures for fewer recyclables to go to the incubator.
Look for local organizations that repurpose glass! I ran across Remark Glass in Philadelphia who is a zero-waste certified organization that accepts glass donations for their creations.
overview…
This Glass Bottle Food & Drink Table Signs DIY is so easy and takes so little materials that you will want to repurpose bottles often! Part 1 of this DIY series allows you to customize your bottles to fit your vibe and your table with little effort.
materials you will need…
Reusable Chalkboard Labels: I used these! Feel free to grab the size you want!
Chalkboard Pens: I grabbed these to have a variety in color.
Decorative Stickers (optional): These are from Michaels!
A bin large enough for your bottles: This one is from Target.
Wool Pad: I used the wool side of this sponge.
Baking Soda
Boiling Water
Butter Knife
Cloth for drying
Bottle embellishments:
Candle Sticks
Fresh/Faux Flowers
Pampas grass
Long Matches/ Incense
Etc.
step 1…
Prep your materials! Boil enough water to submerge the label in the bin (don’t pour the water yet!). Place your bin in a sink or tub then sprinkle the baking soda in it. I used about a cup to a cup and a half of baking soda for 2 bottles. Carefully pour your hot water into the bin.
step 2…
Carefully place your glass bottles into the bin and let them soak for 10 minutes. If your bottles have labels on multiple sides, carefully turn the bottle to submerge the other label and let soak an additional 10 minutes.
step 3…
While your bottles are soaking, prepare your chalkboard labels by inking them with your chalkboard pens. This is your opportunity to let your vibe shine! Add cute and creative names of your dishes and drinks being careful not to smudge!
step 4 (for wine bottles)…
At this point, your bottle may have a chalky appearance and that’s fine! Start to peel back the label and it should come off fairly easy. For any remaining bits and pieces, use the wool pad in a circular motion to clean your bottles under warm water. Dry them with a clean cloth. Allow your bottles to cool before moving on to the next step!
step 4 (liquor bottles)…
Now you’ve pulled the label back on your liquor bottle but some (or all) of the glue from the label remains. Use the non-serrated side of a butter knife to remove the excess glue. Then follow up with the wool pad, scrubbing the bottle in a circular motion. Dry them with a clean cloth. Allow your bottles to cool before moving on to the next step!
step 5…
Apply your dried chalkboard labels and stickers! Then set them up with your embellishments and enjoy!
tips…
Arranging your bottle selection could really set the style. For example, if I want a softer aesthetic, I may choose bottles that have a round profile. Another example is when I try to put less emphasis on the bottles in the set-up I go with clear bottles as opposed to green or amber. It’s all about the vibe you want to set.
If you can plug your sink to hold the hot water instead of using a bin, go for it!
Take your time when making your labels! If you are a perfectionist like me, this step may come with some frustration (lol), but thank goodness for reusable labels. You can wipe them clean with a clean damp cloth and start over if you need to. Also, watch your wrist for smudging!
If your wine/liquor bottles are full and you would like to change the label, simply swap out the boiling hot water for room temperature water and soak the bottles for 30 minutes.
These bottles do an amazing job of adding cuteness to food/drink tables, bookcases, kitchen islands, etc.!
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