6 Ways to Repurpose Old Jars (Instead of Tossing Them)

Flower Vases

Old jars make fantastic flower vases. “Skip the standard vase and opt for something with history,” Williams says. “A cluster of jars on a windowsill with fresh flowers adds instant charm to any room.”

Don’t forget to style them. “Bonus points if you group [the jars] by size or color for a curated, intentional look,” Williams adds. “Whether it’s a single stem in a small jelly jar or a wild bouquet in a large mason jar, old jars bring warmth to your floral displays. Get creative and hot glue gun some pretty ribbon around the neck of the jar and gift a bouquet to your neighbor.”

Button Holder

All of those tiny little buttons and beads can be a challenge to find the right spot for, but keeping them around can be a game changer when you need to fix a garment or finish a craft project. “Buttons, beads, and all those little notions that tend to scatter across drawers—keep them visible and contained with clear glass jars,” Williams says. “Not only does this method bring order to your sewing or craft space, it also turns functional storage into a decorative feature.”

Art Supply Storage

Whether you’re in your creative era or you have young children at home, art supplies can pile up and quickly become an unorganized mess. Williams says that tall jars can be perfect for storing craft and art supplies upright. “Best of all, the clear glass means no more rummaging through drawers to find your favorite pen,” she says. “Group them by color or type to add even more order and style.”

Office Supply Storage

Do you find that you have lots of miscellaneous office items stored loosely in your desk drawer (and maybe other random places throughout the house)? “Using [jars] to organize small items like paper clips, rubber bands, or pushpins is a great idea,” explains Maria Anderson, cleaning and organizing expert at Henfield Storage.

Homemade Cleaning Supply Storage

 “If you frequently make your own cleaning solutions, old jars can be used for storing them,” says Anderson. “You can repurpose smaller jars to store natural cleaning ingredients like baking soda or vinegar, which can even be labelled for easy access.”

Planters

Looking to decorate with those old jars? Anderson says that many people use old jars for gardening purposes. “For those with a green thumb, jars can serve as stylish and compact planters,” she says.

Food Storage Containers

Did you run out of food storage containers? Don’t fret. There’s nothing easier than grabbing an old jar and using it to store leftovers or an on-the-go meal. This is also a far better choice than using plastic bags, which will need to be thrown out and have the potential to leak.

Makeup Brush Holder

Are your makeup brushes dirtying up your favorite makeup bag? Take them out of there and store them in an old jar on your vanity instead. It makes everything from your favorite foundation brush to your powder brush easy to find when you’re putting your makeup on for the day.