Most magazines are pushing the “get organized” message in their January issues. And why not? Lots of people make a New Year’s resolution to go out with the old (clutter) and bring in the new (neatness).

I’ve seen a couple of magazines suggesting that one area of your home that probably needs decluttering is your bathroom, where you’ve likely amassed bottles of prescription medications past and present–some expired, some empty and never thrown away.

But before you get rid of those meds or toss those containers in the trash, keep this important information in mind:

1. Don’t flush unused or expired medications down the toilet. This water eventually ends up in our waterways, where trace amounts of your medicine can cause contamination.
2. Do figure out ahead of time if you can recycle your prescription bottles with your regular trash. Most of the “brown” prescription bottles are #5 plastic, which is polypropylene. The clear prescription bottles, like the kind you get from Target, are #1 plastic or PETE. This is the same stuff that soda bottles are made from. While many recyclers now accept plastic #1 through #7, not all do. So double-check that you can recycle the bottles with the rest of your household containers before assuming you can and tossing them in the bin.
3. Don’t trash prescription bottles if you can’t recycle them–reuse them instead. There are plenty of reuses for prescription bottles–after you give them a good washing, of course. I’ve heard of scouts who put matches in these bottles as a way of keeping them dry. I know crafts people who used them as mini containers that hold like items, such as push pins, beads or needles. You can even use them to make your own TSA-approved, travel-sized containers for shampoo, conditioner and lotion–though I would only do so after soaking off the prescription label first so you don’t raise any smuggling red flags at security. (Note my disclaimer here!)

Any other suggestions for recycling and reusing prescription bottles?