{"id":18797,"date":"2015-07-30T11:37:55","date_gmt":"2015-07-30T15:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=18797"},"modified":"2015-07-30T11:37:55","modified_gmt":"2015-07-30T15:37:55","slug":"easy-upcycling-turn-a-plastic-bottle-into-a-cellphone-charging-cradle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/easy-upcycling-turn-a-plastic-bottle-into-a-cellphone-charging-cradle\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Upcycling: Turn A Plastic Bottle Into A Cellphone Charging Cradle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"turn<\/a><\/p>\n

By Jennifer Tuohy<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am something of a recycling hoarder. I have a big yellow bin next to my recycling receptacle for putting \u201cchoice\u201d items\u2014recyclables that are just too nice to throw away, such as glass bottles<\/a>, jars<\/a> and good quality plastic containers. Every now and then, I sort through the yellow bin and find new uses for as many items as possible, before being forced by spousal disapproval to ditch the rest.<\/p>\n

\"choice<\/a><\/p>\n

Far and away, the best use I find for many of them is as aids in my eternal quest to organize my home. Jam jars, pasta sauce pots and toiletry bottles can all be easily re-purposed simply by cleaning them and putting them to good use. I have a row of Bonne Maman jam jars on my vanity table holding cotton balls and makeup brushes. My hall cupboard has two jars labeled \u201cSpare Change\u201d and \u201cSmall Stuff,\u201d for my husband to empty his pockets into when he walks in the door (thereby saving me having to dig them out of the washing machine).<\/p>\n

Glass jars, whatever shape and size, are very useful. However, I have always struggled to find a good use for old lotion bottles (the kind with sturdy plastic and a pump top).<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know about your household, but this picture is a common, terror-inducing sight around my home: a $600 iPhone balancing precariously on a table (or worse, sitting in the floor!) in pursuit of a fully charged battery.<\/p>\n

\"the<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a cracked screen just waiting to happen, especially in a house with two kids, two dogs and a lot of activity. After a good rummage through the yellow bin, I found the perfect plastic bottle to upcycle into a smartphone charging station. I have an iPhone 6 Plus, so it was a bit of a challenge finding one big enough. I ended up (after some trial and error) with a Tom\u2019s of Maine children\u2019s mouthwash bottle, but if you have a regular sized phone, pretty much any plastic bottle with a flat back will work (just make sure to measure the width of your phone against the bottle first).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a step-by-step guide to how I made a charging cradle from a plastic bottle:<\/strong><\/p>\n

STEP 1:<\/strong> Clean the bottle and remove any labels.<\/p>\n

\"cut<\/a><\/p>\n

STEP 2:<\/strong> Using sturdy scissors, cut off the top of the bottle (a bit of sandpaper will help smooth any rough edges).<\/p>\n

\"cut<\/a><\/p>\n

STEP 3:<\/strong> Cut around the bottle about two-thirds of the way up, leaving a handle at the back.<\/p>\n

\"cut<\/a><\/p>\n

STEP 4:<\/strong> Cut a square hole in the \u201chandle\u201d that your plug will fit snugly through.<\/p>\n

\"spray<\/a><\/p>\n

\"finished<\/a><\/p>\n

STEP 5:<\/strong> Use your cradle, or spruce it up with a can of spray paint and\/or some stencils and acrylic paint.<\/p>\n

\"charging<\/a><\/p>\n

STEP 6: <\/strong>Pop the plug and cradle in the wall and connect your phone. There you have it\u2014a safe and secure way to charge your smartphone.<\/p>\n

This little phone storage hack has turned out to be a key ally in my quest for organizational nirvana. I\u2019ve actually made three of them\u2014one for the kitchen, living room and bathroom\u2014 places where I want to have access to my phone, but that I view as \u201cdanger zones\u201d for a fragile phone. Plus, with an iPhone that\u2019s plugged in, you can activate Siri, Apple\u2019s personal assistant, hands-free by just saying, \u201cHey Siri.\u201d When my hands are covered in flour and I need to know how many cups are in a recipe, or if I\u2019m stepping out of the shower dripping wet and need to respond to an urgent text message, I can just ask Siri to do it for me. Another successful and easy upcycle project!<\/p>\n

Do you have any great organizational and storage uses for recyclables? I\u2019d love to hear about them!<\/p>\n

Jennifer Tuohy<\/a>\u00a0is an innovative\u00a0upcycler\u00a0and tech gadget\u00a0aficionado\u00a0who lives in\u00a0Charleston, S.C.\u00a0Jennifer\u00a0writes about her\u00a0DIY\u00a0projects for The Home Depot.\u00a0Her\u00a0recycled-plastic-bottle-into-cell-phone-holder is one of many storage solutions she’s created of late.\u00a0For a wide selection of\u00a0Home Depot home storage ideas<\/a>,\u00a0you can visit the company’s website.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Got a plastic bottle in the recycling bin? Than you’ve got the main thing you need for this DIY cellphone charging cradle – check out our tutorial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":18798,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[8395,8396,8397,4,2943,8299,5621,1382],"yoast_head":"\nThe Cellphone Charging Cradle From A Plastic Bottle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Got a plastic bottle in the recycling bin? 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