Grab An Empty Plastic Bottle For A Smarter Way To Store Your Umbrellas

Splashing through the rain is all fun and games until it's time to store that wet umbrella. Dripping water inside your car, or a hardwood floor, can create a moist environment that leads to mildew or damage the floor, and leaving it outside on a porch or breezeway risks it getting blown away. Try this upcycle DIY project using an old bottle and string to store your umbrella and keep your car or home dry. 

This umbrella holder is as simple as it is functional. The umbrella is folded and stored upside down, and the water stays in the bottle. Attach a string, and keep one in the car to store your umbrella on the go. Hang another one on a hook inside your entry way, or loop it over the door handle on the back door to prevent drips onto the floor. It can be kept clean and clear, or you can decorate the exterior with fabric or paint. Some plastic bottles can be spray painted, like this plastic laundry detergent bottle painted to look like a faux stone, or you can cover your bottle with another paint or decoupage it.

This craft is a smart way to reuse water bottles, but you can use a soft drink bottle, too. All you need is a plastic bottle with a cap, something to cut the plastic, and string. That's the bare minimum. YouTuber ABC Upcycling used a drill to make holes for the string, but the same can be done with a knife or scissors. Wash the label off of your bottle with dish soap, steam, or a glue remover, and you're ready to go.

Start by turning your plastic bottle upside down and cutting the bottom off. This is where the umbrella slides in, and water naturally drips down to gather in the neck of the bottle. After cutting the bottom off, make two holes on either side of the new opening. These are for your string. Cut two equal-length pieces of string. Consider where you will hang it before cutting, and measure the string accordingly. Slide the string through each hole and knot it on either side of the bottle. Then, tie the two pieces together at the top to form a loop so you can hang it up. 

Now it's time to decorate. For plastic DIYs, thick twine or rustic cord can hot glued and used to create decorative plastic bottle storage, much like this DIY toilet paper holder project. Simply wrap the cord around the rim of bottle and glue as you go. Just remember to avoid glue on the bottle cap and opening; that's where the collected water will drain out of the bottle, and needs to remain easy to open.

After you're done decorating, let your craft dry completely before using it. If you're haven't painted it, go ahead and hang it up. When you use your new DIY umbrella holder, make sure you open the bottle after each use and dump the excess water. Don't leave a wet umbrella in the bottle for long, as mildew could ruin both your new project and umbrella. Instead, open your umbrella indoors to allow it to dry, then store it closed until the next rainy day.