10 Ideas for How to Reuse Glass Jars

Spaghetti night doesn’t last forever, but your empty glass sauce jar might! Glass is not biodegradable, meaning it can last up to thousands of years. Even though glass can be recycled infinitely, repurposing glass is also a great way to keep it out of landfills.

When looking at how to reuse glass jars, we found that glass's non-toxic and versatile properties make it great for many uses! Whether you're reusing glass baby food jars, pickle jars or peanut butter jars, the possibilities are endless. Here are our 10 favorite ways to repurpose glass jars.

Before you try any new uses for glass jars, make sure to wash your jar first! Use rubbing alcohol, heat, or other methods to remove any labels from the glass.

You can disinfect your emptied jars by boiling them in hot water or running them through the dishwasher. Additionally, you can use dish soap or vinegar to thoroughly clean your jar. Dry before use.

Please note that if you used your glass jar for laundry pods, cleaning agents, nail polish remover, or paint, it is not safe for food or drinks.

One creative reuse for glass jars is transforming them into liquid soap dispensers. You will need to make a hole in the jar's lid for a dispensing pump closure. You can use one from an old single-use soap container.

To safely puncture your jar’s lid, place the lid on a wood board and use a hammer and nail or drill to make the hole. Please exercise caution. Insert the pump’s dip tube through the hole and secure it in place with adhesive. You may need to cut your dip tube length.

This DIY craft looks great, helps reduce single-use plastic soap containers and save money. You can also use this pump and jar combo for other applications, such as sauces or lotion.

When we explored how to reuse glass jars, we were on a mission to find practical applications. These glass jar tissue holders did not disappoint! Glass jar tissue holders are more durable than tissue cartons.

You can use glass jar tissue holders without lids or with the following DIY lid style. Cut a circle into a piece of felt or other sturdy material. The circle should be slightly larger than the jar’s mouth, enough to fold over the lip. Create a plus sign-shaped slit (+) in the center of the material and fasten it to your jar’s mouth.

If you can separate your jar’s lids into a lid and band, you can use the band to hold the material in place. Otherwise, you can use an adhesive or elastic. Fill your jar with tissues and pull the top tissues through the slit for organized dispensing.

Lights, lanterns and candle holders are an excellent way to repurpose glass jars. You can fill an empty glass jar with an LED tea light, candle, or string lights for a beautiful lantern.

You can cover the glass jar with leaves, glass beads, and other craft materials or try jar tinting! These lanterns can also hold citronella candles, making them a stylish way to keep insects away.

Learning how to reuse glass jars becomes easier when we understand their qualities, such as temperature-resistance. While glass usually resists heat, it’s important to check if your glass jar can handle high temperatures.

A terrarium is a small enclosure for raising plants or other small living organisms. Glass jar terrariums allow owners to replicate a small-scale biome and observe it through the jar’s clear walls. There are several critical layers to include.

1. Pebbles - This is the drainage layer, preventing rot.
2. Moss - This layer prevents odor and toxin buildup.
3. Soil - Your soil should be damp and fertile, about three times as thick as the pebble layer.
4. Ornaments - Decorate your terrarium with rocks, wood, twigs, and alike.
5. Plants - Start by arranging your tallest plants first, then fill in the smaller ones, and finally cover any gaps with moss.

Open-lid terrariums are best for succulents and dry plants. Enclosed terrariums work better for plants that like humidity. If you chose an airtight seal for your terrarium, be on the watch for mold. To avoid mold, screw on your lid loosely or hammer holes into the lid using a nail.

Another creative way to repurpose glass jars is to transform them into plant holders, or vases! You can suspend plant holders using macrame or beaded hangers. They can be decorative, used to grow fresh herbs, or serve as propagation stations.

Propagating involves growing a new plant from a cutting or part of a parent plant. If you are propagating a plant, you can observe the root growth in the clear jars. This way, you can easily determine when the roots are long enough to pot the plant.

Still wondering what to do with glass jars? Share the gift of flavor with these easy recipes in a jar! This craft involves gathering most of a recipe’s dry ingredients in a glass jar.

Common recipes in a jar include:

• Mini bar in jar. These cocktail, mocktail and drink recipes consist of craft cocktail infusions for mules, sangria, and other favorites.
• Desserts. Popular jar desserts are cookies, brownies, hot chocolate, and s’mores.
• Potpourri and stove top simmers. While not edible, these fragrant dried fruits, spices, and herbs are great gifts.

As we share tips on how to reuse glass jars, let’s not lose sight of simplicity! Large jars are excellent bulk storage containers for your own personal blend of spices.

You can also fashion small glass jars into spice shakers. Simply poke holes in the jar’s lid using a hammer and clean nail, or purchase spice caps with the same neck finish as your jar.

Our list of ideas for how to reuse glass jars just got sweeter! Use wide mouth glass jars for easy candy access. Glass also preserves your candy's shelf-life.

A jar’s flat lid is the perfect base for adhering small bulbs, knobs, holiday figurines, and even plastic animals. You can then paint the entire lid in a single color for an elevated look.

You can easily repurpose glass jars around your home by using them as beverage mugs! Most glass jars can hold both hot and iced beverages, from coffee to smoothies and everything in between.

To add a straw, you will need to safely puncture your jar’s lid. Please exercise caution. Thread your straw through the hole. You can use a rubber grommet to stabilize the straw by inserting it on the underside of the lid.

As we wrap up sharing our favorite ways to reuse glass jars, we return to the basics: supply organizers. Use jars to store common household items for a high-end and luxurious appeal.

Common applications are:

• Toiletries: cotton swabs, cotton balls, floss picks, toothbrushes
• Cosmetics: hair ties, hair brushes & combs, makeup brushes, cosmetic products
• Desk and art supplies: pencils, paint brushes, paper clips, beads, sewing materials
• Other: loose change, toys, piping tips, cupcake liners