What To Do With Glass Candle Jars When Done?

Glass candle jars have become increasingly popular home decor items and gifts in recent years. As a result, many people end up with a collection of empty, leftover glass jars when the candles are finished burning. While some may be tempted to just throw the used jars away, they can actually be repurposed in a variety of creative ways. This article will provide tips and inspiration for giving new life to old glass candle jars.

With the growth in popularity of glass jar candles from brands like Yankee Candle, Bath & Body Works and Villagio Candles, many homes today have an assortment of emptied glass jars collecting dust. But don’t be too quick to toss those used containers in the recycling bin. The empty glass jars can be put to good use with a little imagination.

Repurpose for Storage

Glass candle jars are great for storing small items like office supplies, jewelry, and more once you’ve used the candle. The clear glass allows you to easily see the contents of the jar, making them handy storage containers. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, allowing you to find the perfect jars to suit your particular storage needs.

Repurposed candle jars work well for decorative storage solutions around the home or office. Their transparent glass shows off the items inside while adding some visual interest. You can create cohesive looks by using matching jars. The jars’ attractive designs also enable you to store necessities while maintaining your decor scheme.

Compared to opaque storage boxes or containers, glass candle jars allow you to identify exactly what’s inside without having to open them. It’s quick and easy to grab what you need. Their visibility ensures you don’t lose track of small items or office supplies. So put those used candle jars to work holding your household and work essentials.

Make New Candles

One of the best ways to reuse glass candle jars is to make new candles. This allows you to get creative and make custom candles from the leftover wax in old jars.

Start by remelting any remaining wax and cleaning out the jar thoroughly. Choose wicks, dyes, and scents to customize your new candle. You can mix colors to make ombré or marble effects. Essential oils, fragrance oils, or dried flowers can provide fresh aromas. Play around with different wick sizes and materials to get the perfect melt pool when lit.

You can also decorate the outside of the jar using paint, fabric, twine, dried flowers, or other embellishments. Upcycle scrap fabric or paper into beautiful patterns to collage the jar. Or keep it simple with just a coat of spray paint in a modern color.

Making new candles is a great way to extend the life of glass candle jars. It takes something that would normally be tossed out and transforms it into a one-of-a-kind, homemade candle. Plus, you can customize the scent and look to match your decor. With a bit of creativity, old candle jars get a fresh new purpose.

Use as Decor

Glass candle jars can be easily repurposed into beautiful decorative pieces for your home. You can transform the jars into lovely vases, lamps, or decorative containers with just a little creativity.

Try filling the jars with fairy lights, flowers, seashells, colored sand or stones, artificial botanicals, or other small decor items to create pretty accents for shelves, side tables, mantels, or other surfaces. The transparency of glass jars allows the contents to be visible while adding color and interest to any space.

For different decorative looks, spray paint the outside of the jars or decoupage them with scrapbook paper, fabric, lace, or other materials. Spray painting mason jars in bold colors like navy, gold, or bright white gives them a sophisticated, cohesive look. Decoupage using collage materials lets you create any pattern or color palette.

Group multiples of painted or decoupaged jars together for more visual impact. Try gathering jars of varying sizes on a tray or clustering them on shelves. The repetition of shapes, patterns, and colors makes for an eye-catching display.

With simple crafting techniques and a little creativity, those used candle jars can be transformed into beautiful and unique home accents.

Create Vases

One creative way to repurpose your used glass candle jars is to turn them into beautiful vases. Before getting started, be sure to clean the jar thoroughly with hot soapy water to remove any remaining wax or residue. Really work to scrub off all wax remnants to allow the true clarity and brilliance of the glass to shine through.

Once cleaned, you can begin crafting your vase however you’d like. Consider placing a small bouquet of fresh flowers in water inside the jar for a simple yet elegant vase. For extra visual interest, add additional elements like stones, marbles or pebbles at the bottom under the water and flowers. You can also place twigs, small branches or other natural items in the vase alongside or in place of flowers. Feel free to get creative with colors, textures and materials inside.

To give your repurposed glass vase even more flair, tie ribbons around the outside in your favorite colors. The ribbons will add a pop of color and a touch of creativity. You can tie a single ribbon around the middle, do multiple ribbons in a criss-cross pattern, or just tie a bow for a finishing accent. The jar’s transparency will allow the ribbon details to shine through the glass.

Turn those used candle jars into dazzling vases your home decor will certainly benefit from. A bit of cleaning, some creative elements inside, and ribbons on the outside will give new life to what would otherwise be trash. Enjoy your handcrafted vases that cost nothing more than elbow grease and imagination.

Make Drinking Glasses

One creative way to reuse glass candle jars is to turn them into drinking glasses. This DIY project allows you to customize the glasses and make them uniquely yours.

Start by sanding down any sharp edges around the rims of the jars using medium grit sandpaper. You want to ensure the edges are smooth so the glasses will be comfortable to drink from. Wear gloves during sanding to protect your hands.

Next, etch fun designs, words, or patterns into the sides of the glasses. You can do this using glass etching cream or by applying vinyl decals. Get creative with shapes, names, or monograms!

Finally, consider adding some silicone sealant around the bottom rim of the glasses to create a non-slip grip. This will prevent sliding on surfaces and make the glasses more stable to hold.

Not only will you save money by repurposing used candle jars into drinking glasses, but you’ll also have custom, handmade glasses to enjoy for years to come!

Give as Gifts

Glass candle jars make wonderful gifts when decorated attractively. You can give them a homemade touch by tying fabric or twine around the rim and attaching a bow, or by etching a personalized design or message into the glass with an etching tool. Painting or adhering decorative labels onto the jars also adds a personal flair.

Fill the jars with homemade items to make a gift extra special. Bake cookies, candies or other treats and package them in the jar, sealing the lid with a circle of fabric and ribbon. Or reuse the jars by making new candles – melt old wax to create one large candle, or use fresh wax to makeindividual smaller candles in a variety of scents. Handmade candles and treats make any reused glass jar into a thoughtful, budget-friendly gift.

Craft Supply Storage

Glass candle jars make for great storage containers to hold small craft supplies like beads, sequins, buttons, and more. Their clear sides make it easy to see the contents inside. Here are some tips for using glass candle jars for craft supply storage:

Label the lids or sides of the jars clearly, noting what type of contents are inside (e.g. red beads, blue buttons, white sequins, etc.). Use a permanent marker or printable adhesive labels. This makes it easy to locate the exact supply you need without sorting through multiple jars.

Sort your craft supplies by color, type, or project. Keep all red and pink beads together, silver and gold sequins together, buttons for a specific project together, etc. The jars allow you to see the colors and contents easily.

The jars are great for small or lightweight supplies like beads, sequins, buttons, and some ribbons. Avoid storing heavy items that may break the glass. The lids keep the contents securely contained.

Clean and dry the jars thoroughly before transferring craft supplies into them for storage. For a unified look, paint the lids a coordinating color if desired.

Stack the labeled jars together to save space and keep supplies organized. Store on shelves, turntables, or in clear plastic drawer organizers for a visible storage solution.

Create Garden Lights

Used glass candle jars can be transformed into charming garden lights that add a magical glow to your outdoor space. Simply place a tea light or small battery-operated candle inside each jar. The glass will act as a lantern to cast a soft, flickering light. Make sure to use real candles or solar-powered lights for outdoor use.

Get creative with the exterior decor of the jars! Paint them in fun colors, modge podge pretty tissue paper or scrapbook paper on the outside, or use glue to attach shells, stones, mosaic tiles, or marbles. Sanding the jars to create a frosted look is also an easy way to give them a new decorative touch.

Groupings of upcycled glass candle jars make for brilliant accent lighting along garden pathways, lining staircases, resting on tables for backyard gatherings, or hanging from tree branches. Their warm glow creates an enchanting ambiance in any outdoor setting after the sun goes down.

Conclusion

Glass candle jars can be creatively reused in many ways instead of being thrown out. Repurposing them for storage, crafts, decor, or gardening is an excellent way to reduce waste and get the most use out of the jars. With a little imagination, they can be transformed into many useful and beautiful items.

By reusing glass candle jars, people can contribute to environmental sustainability and express their creativity through DIY projects. The ideas shared in this article, from making new candles or vases to creating garden lights, are just a few of the endless possibilities.

If you need further inspiration, check out websites and blogs focused on repurposing and upcycling. They offer step-by-step tutorials on turning glass jars into unique home accents, storage solutions, gifts, and more. With some clever thinking, used candle jars can be given an exciting new life instead of being discarded.