These 14 Genius Ideas For Reusing Wine Corks Will Stop You From Ever Tossing Them Out Again

There's something simply magical about hosting a dinner party or cocktail hour where everyone is having a good time, gathered around for some yummy food and a good bottle of wine, laughing and telling each other stories. It's the stuff of core memories, but the more you host, the more you realize it can be incredibly wasteful with leftover food, perhaps lots of single-use serving ware, and of course those empty bottles of wine and accompanying corks. And, while there are many hosting hack DIYs out there to minimize your footprint and reuse old party supplies — like DIYing a dining room table from pallets or attracting hummingbirds to your garden with leftover fruit from your shindig — some re-purposing ideas are not as obvious.

This is the case when it comes to empty wine bottles, and even more so with old, leftover wine corks. While bottles can be easily recycled or logically re-imagined as vases or candles, repurposing your old corks takes a little bit more creativity. Corks are crafted from the bark of cork oak trees, and they aren't readily recyclable like the glass of wine bottles (unless they are synthetic, in which case, into the recycle bin they go!). While natural corks are compostable, if you find you have a whole lot of corks on your hands, it may be smart to re-use them in a home project, rather than have them clog your compost (as they take a long time to decompose). With a little re-imagining and some effort, these genius ideas for reusing wine corks will stop you from ever tossing them out — and you'll have a unique set of magnets, a smart pot holder trick, or fun seasonal decor to show off from it!

Starting off our list with an incredibly useful hosting DIY, transform your wine corks into a usable trivet for your next dinner party. Cut a series of corks so that each piece is roughly the same height, then plan out the size and shape of your trivet on a flat surface. Once you're satisfied with how it'll look, begin gluing the corks together in that shape. Finish off the trivet by wrapping the edges with either ribbon or twine to hide any cuts, and be sure to pick away any unseemly glue trails.

You can get creative with cork wall art, whether it be an oversized piece that hangs in your living room or smaller ornaments for windows or doors. For larger cork creations, consider using an old serving tray as your canvas, and affix the corks in whatever pattern or shape you'd like. This way you have a natural frame around your piece, making it all the easier to hang, or you can even continue to use it as a tray for hosting. As for smaller pieces of art, creative cork art makes for fun holiday ornaments or funky coasters.

Cork message boards are a common means of household communication, so why not make a wine cork messaging board out of left over corks? For this repurposing idea, all you'll need is an old dish or tray with a lip that can contain the corks, some rope, and paint (if you'd like). Paint the tray and some corks to suit your aesthetic, and when dry, begin gluing the corks into the tray one by one. Fill the tray, and let the glue dry. Add the rope to hang the board to complete your cork message board.

Bring on the holiday cheer with this re-use idea! Like we mentioned before, you can definitely turn individual corks into cute ornaments, but you if you have lots of old corks laying around, you can make an even bigger holiday statement with a wine cork wreath. Using a floral wreath as a crafting base, simply attach your corks with some sewing needles. Intersperse other bits of holiday cheer, like holly berries or pine boughs, between the corks, and your end result will be a festive wreath perfect for any wine lover's home.

If you're looking for more utilitarian re-use ideas for your corks, consider keeping a few of them in your kitchen when you need an extra pot holder. If your handle is too hot, and traditional pot holders feel a little unwieldy, then tuck a wine cork under the handle, and wedge it in so it doesn't easily move. Grasp either side of the cork and lift your pot lid — easy as that! Once the lid cools, you can remove the cork, but be careful of any burns on the cork itself.

You can craft your own little magnetic garden using hollowed out wine corks and a little imagination. Start by carving out about three quarters of the cork carefully using a Dremel or awl, paying attention that you don't hit the bottom. Then, glue a small magnet to the side of the cork, before filling the cork with soil. Push the dirt down lightly, then place a small succulent stem, or other hardy plant in the soil. Pack it down, then pop it on your fridge door for a creative, unique magnet! Make several for a hanging indoor succulent garden.

Don't have the time or energy to craft an opulent centerpiece for your next hosting gig? Then simply grab some oversized glass or plastic containers from the Dollar Tree or even from the thrift store (they don't need to be the same), and fill them up with those old wine corks. The added color at the ends of the corks where the wine stained them will add a little extra dimension to this easy DIY, so don't worry about hiding any sort of discoloration.

This cork project may look intimidating, but in reality, constructing a birdhouse out of your old wine corks isn't as difficult as you may think. With a sturdy glue gun and some ribbon, you can make your own, fun backyard guesthouse. First, build a base by gluing together some corks, making it as large as you'd like. Once you're satisfied, build up some walls perpendicular to the base. Continue with the front and back of the house, making space for an entrance, and finish everything off with the roof. Glue everything down as you go.

If you have many wine corks left over from parties then it's likely that you host often, so why not put those leftover corks to good use for your next event? Turn them into place card holders by shaving off one of the edges of the cork so it lays flat, then cut a slit into the opposite side. Place the card in the cork for an instant holder. Combine them with these wax seal place cards for an elegant touch. This upcycling trick also works as a picture holder. Pop a photo in place of the card, and you have a new photo display! 

Protect your softwood floors by transforming corks into small furniture pads. To do this, cut the cork into a series of small slices. Depending on how thick you make each slice, you can get almost half a dozen small furniture pads out of a single wine cork. This trick is best suited for thin legs, like some desk legs or chair legs, but you can try gluing several small slices together to form a larger furniture pad, using a similar method to the trivet DIY.

This craft is perfect to repurpose your wine corks if you'll be hosting a large party soon and need to keep track of everyone's glasses. With a little creativity, you can make whimsical wine glass charms to tell your guests' glasses apart. Cut the corks down to size, and decorate them with drawn letters or various colors to differentiate the charms from one another. You can even add some fun bits and baubles, like glitter or beads, to the charms to make them unique. Affix some wire or ribbon to the top of your charms so they can attach to the glasses.

To make these fun wine cork garden markers, all you need to do is carve out a small hole at the base of the wine cork, then hot glue a wooden dowel inside the hole. Grab a Sharpie, and label the cork with the names of the herbs or veggies you're growing out in the garden. When the planting is done, stake your garden marker where it needs to go! Pair this craft with the upcycled wine-rack-turned-DIY herb garden hack, and you'll have the perfect little garden borne from your love of wine.

Since corks are crafted from the bark of a cork oak tree, they make pretty good kindling for your next bonfire or campfire adventures, so bringing a bottle of wine with you on your next RV trip isn't just a good idea, it's a practical one too! Shave off pieces of the cork to create the optimal material to start a bonfire, or toss them in whole once you get a flame started. Gentle remember though, you can only use this trick though if the cork is made from natural materials, not synthetic ones.