The Single Best Way to Reuse Empty Wine Bottles

Raise your hand if you’ve been drinking more wine at home than usual? (Hey, no judgments! I get it.) Raise your hand if you’re also still less-than-willing to run out to a store to buy non-essential items? (Yeah, me too.) With these two question in mind, I have a tip for you — a tip that can put some emptied and cleaned wine bottles to good use, and save you a shopping trip.

Before I tell you the tip, let me ask you one more question: What are you not wearing as much this fall versus last fall? Did you say boots?

As your boots sit idle in your closet, they aren’t being regularly stretched and conformed to your legs the way they normally would. This is where boot shapers come in. Technically, you should be using these all the time, but if you haven’t been, now is as good a time as ever. Boot shapers, you see, make sure your unworn boots aren’t flopping and folding every which way. So they don’t get creased or damaged.

And instead of boot shapers (which would require either a trip to the store or add to the stress of delivery services), I’m suggesting empty wine bottles (which would put something you already have to good use). Wine bottles are the perfect size and shape for slipping into your boots so that they keep their shape and are as beautiful as ever when you finally do get to wear them. Just make sure, in case it isn’t obvious, that the bottles have been washed and thoroughly dried. Then put them in their new home in the closet.

I can’t think of a more unexpected but pandemic-perfect example of putting your waste to good use — wine bottles that need a place to be (other than the recycling bin) and boots that need some love. 

What do you do with your empty wine bottles? Tell us in the comments below.