Reduce, reuse, redecorate: How to make a coat hanger out of a plastic 2-liter bottle

You walk in. There's an empty space. A cheap table from Walmart is nestled in the corner, and a thin doormat rests under your feet. Yup, you have just entered your typical college apartment/dorm - one with mismatching decor, or no decor at all.

Although we all love decking everything out in orange and blue (ahem, freshmen), there are other ways to spice up your home, making it more lively and livable.

In this economy, it makes sense that no one wants to spend money on decorating his or her pad. There is beer to buy and clubs to attend - the important facets of college life. But I'm here to tell you that there are plenty of ways to add convenience and flavor to your place without dropping a single penny.

Today's artists are big in the "going green" scene, and you can easily become one, too, by taking simple items from around your apartment and making them into something crazy or even something useful. So let's get started.

This week's idea comes from an industrial designer named Pierre Lota. It's as simple as creating a coat hook out of a bottle.

Strange, right?

Step 1: Finish off that 2-liter bottle sitting in your mini fridge.

Step 2: Cut off the top of the bottle right where it starts curving upward toward the neck. You want the cylinder part to be the same diameter all the way up.

Step 3: Cut 1-inch strips down the cylinder, stopping about 3 inches from the bottom. Do this around the entire bottle.

Step 4: Bend back all the strips so that the bottle looks almost like a sun with the base in the middle, facing you and the strips spread out evenly all around.

Step 5: Place the bottle flat against the wall and nail into place.

Step 6: Take your favorite jacket, umbrella or towel of choice (the one currently thrown on your floor) and hang it right up.

Voila!

There you have it: a simple, easy way to recycle a bottle and have a trendy coat hook all at once. Pick whatever color bottle you want and feel free to get creative. You can burn the edges with a lighter, paint the outside or cut designs into the strips. In a matter of minutes, you just contributed to saving the earth and yourself of a few bucks. Now go buy more beer and grab your nicely placed, unwrinkled jacket on the way out.