This DIY Turns An Empty Laundry Detergent Container Into Adorable Spring Decor

The best way to welcome the upcoming season is to fill a home and landscape with springtime decor. Pair a creative DIY project with colorful spring wreath ideas to create the perfect seasonal centerpiece or tabletop display. What's the DIY in question? An adorable gnome that's made from a surprisingly mundane household essential: an empty laundry detergent container.

The next time you use the last of your Tide Pods, hold onto their round plastic receptacle. These empty containers from America's top-selling laundry brand are the perfect base for handmade gnome figurines. Although one of the specific DIYs we focus on uses Tide Pod containers specifically, this idea can also be applied to any jug-shaped detergent. This is a clever way to reuse a laundry detergent bottle in a home or garden, and keep it out of the landfill. It accentuates a space with a personal touch, while embracing an eco-friendly approach.

Although gnomes are an eccentric design choice, they've been prominent in gardens and landscaping throughout history. They're a popular choice for kitschy interior designs. The beauty of gnomes is that it only takes a little creativity to customize them into adorable decor for seasonal holidays like Easter and St. Patrick's Day. A little color goes a long way, and if you know how to paint gnomes, you can even design store-bought items into a niche design. Consider building a collection beyond springtime, so there's a repertoire of gnomes to rotate throughout the year. This creates more visual interest inside a home, adding personality and a charming touch to indoor spaces.

All DIY projects begin with gathering the necessary tools, supplies, and accessories. Start a spring gnome gathering the empty laundry container that will serve as the base. The gnome's outfit is doable in two primary and easy ways. Either pick up two fat quarters of cloth in springtime colors or patterns, or repurpose two winter-style caps or beanies that can pass as spring fabrics. This idea also requires Tree House Studio Long Pile Faux Fur to serve as the beard. Pick white for a more traditional gnome look, or opt for the unicorn color, which features a striped pattern of soft pastels. Depending on the size of the detergent bottle, use either a Woodpile Fun! Wood Ball Knob or a Tree House Studio Round Wood Bead for the gnome's nose.

If using the winter cap method, put the beanies on either side of the detergent bottle and hot-glue them in place. Glue the beard directly beneath the topmost cap, and cut a small hole for the wooden nose. Trim the beard as needed.

The second method takes a bit more work but has a more festive, spring-like vibe. Instead of tugging two hats over the detergent bottle, cut and glue fabric over the top half of the bottle. YouTuber Q's Kitchen Guide came up with a unique idea. They roll excess pieces of fabric into bunny ears for their laundry detergent gnome. They roll the fabric into a bunny ear shape, use pipe cleaners to retain their form, and hot glue them atop the gnome-in-progress. Instead of gluing another fabric around the bottom half of the detergent container, this YouTuber wraps the faux fur around the remaining plastic. This creates a near-identical look to the aforementioned method.