Woman reveals clever hack to repurpose old medication bottles: 'That's a great idea'

Seamstress Lydia (@lydiasewsthings) had a great tip about disposing of needles that she was keen to share with her TikTok followers. 

The scoop

"Keep an empty pill bottle container to throw away your used or bent needles," she wrote in the video caption. 

@lydiasewsthings Keep an emty pill bottle container to throw away your used or bent needles. #sewing #tips #sewingtiktok #sewingtips #diy ♬ original sound - Lydia Niebla

Other clever sewers have made pincushions from pill bottles and even turned them into full-fledged emergency sewing kits. 

Outside of sewing, pill bottles are also fully repurposed through avenues like Matthew 25: Ministries, which gets cleaned pill bottles back into the hands of pharmacists and doctors to distribute medication.  

How it's helping

In general, sewing is a great way to keep old clothes in good shape. This not only saves you money when it comes to buying new clothes. It also stops used clothing from going to landfill, where they release methane as they break down, which exacerbates destructive weather patterns. 

Not only does Lydia's method of needle management keep your fingers safe while taking out the trash, but it also gives plastic containers a second life. 

Plastic waste poses a big problem on a few fronts. When left to landfill, wildlife routinely end up eating plastic items, disrupting their natural diets and lowering their odds of survival. Over time, plastic items shed particles that end up in our food supplies. Once ingested, these microplastics can introduce a whole range of health risks. 

By finding creative uses for the plastic containers in your life, it's possible to help avoid these negative long-term consequences while also meeting the needs of today. Of course, avoiding the use of plastic where possible can stop the issue at the source. 

What everyone's saying

Lydia's TikTok followers were excited to try using pill bottles to store and dispose of used sewing needles and pins. 

"That's a great idea!" wrote one community member. 

"Love this! I have so many pill bottles!" replied another.

What do you currently do with your old pill and vitamin containers? Throw them away 🗑️ Recycle them ♻️ Use them for something new 🧠 Donate them to charity 🙏 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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