3 Ways to Repurpose Empty Spice Jars
I know some people find the organizing craze of decanting your pantry goods and spices into new jars a bit silly, but I am definitely on team The Home Edit when it comes to that kind of thing because a matching labeled spice collection just looks so much nicer than a mismatch of different colored labels and jars — You can find a post on how I did this with my own spice collection here.
But I will agree that it does feel like a waste to move all your spice jars into new jars just to turn around and recycle all the empty ones. So I wanted to come up with a few cute ways that you can repurpose those jars besides the obvious ways of filling them with other household items like office supplies, sewing supplies, etc.
Repurposing is a wonderful way to help the environment, challenge your creativity, and you end up with a new useful product or decor piece. It’s a win-win-win!
HOW TO REPURPOSE EMPTY SPICE JARS
REMOVING JAR LABELS
To remove your spice labels, fill a bowl with warm water and dish soap and place your jars into the water to soak for a few hours. Once you remove the jars, begin scratching off the label and it should easily pull up from the glass.
Some labels just come off easier than others, depending on the type of glue they used or how old the jar is. For example, the Everything But the Bagel Seasoning label came off all in one piece, but the Ranch seasoning left this frosty residue over the whole jar. If there is still a leftover glue residue after pulling off the label, I would recommend going in with a rag and some Goo Gone and giving the surface a good scrub. Then another rinse in the warm water & dish soap.
And if there is any ink on your jar, like an expiration date, you can easily remove this with a cotton ball and some nail polish remover!
Now is the fun part! Here are some ideas on ways to reuse that empty glass jar. Enjoy :)
MINI BUD VASE
The size and shape of a spice jar makes for a super cute mini bud vase to decorate your home! It’s the perfect size to add to a shelf. Or if you’re hosting guests at your home, you could add a nice touch to your guest bathroom countertop.
All you need for this project are:
Flowers (I got this beautiful French lilac bouquet from Trader Joes!)
Sharp scissors or garden shears
An empty glass spice jar
Ribbon (optional)
Tie the ribbon around the mouth of the jar and stick in one or a few trimmed stems of florals. I love how this pop of purple turned out on my bathroom shelves :)
If you have a collection of empty spice jars, you could create a bunch of these cute mini bud vases and hand them out as party favors.
2. MATCHSTICK JAR
I have accumulated a bunch of random matchstick boxes of a variety of sizes over the years, so I thought it would be useful to create a jar to house them all that also looks like a cute piece of decor!
For this project, you will need:
An empty spice jar
Glue
Matches (3” or less in size) - I used a few boxes I had at home, but if you want to buy some these look cute!
A cork that fits your spice jar — if you are using the Trader Joe sized spice jars which are a fairly standard size & shape, you will need the #16 size cork to fit the mouth of the jar.
Match strike paper - you can use the strip on your matchbox or you can buy this separately here
First, cut out a strip of your match strike paper that fits the length of your spice jar. Use glue or a hot glue gun to attach the strike paper. Fill the jar with your matches (if they are too long you can always trim the wood end of the matchsticks with a sharp pair of scissors or wire cutters). Top the jar with your cork lid, and you’re all set!
This would also make a cute housewarming gift or party favor that you could give away with a fun candle!
3. MAGNETIC PEN CUP
I love to keep a to do list or grocery list attached to my fridge to easily be able to write down what I need as soon as I notice something has run out. So this project is a convenient way to keep a pen just in reach whenever you need it!
You will need:
Hot glue gun
An empty spice jar
Acrylic paint
Paint brush
Strong glue or craft adhesive
Magnets - you need very strong and durable magnets to be able to hold the glass jar to your magnetic surface. I needed at least 3 of this type of magnet, but its possible if you found a bigger size magnet you might not need to add as many
You will begin with decorating your glass jar. I loved the look of these hot glue dots that I added randomly around 3 sides of the jar (leaving the back empty). Let the glue dry for about 15 minutes and then go in with a paintbrush and acrylic paint and give the whole jar at least two coats of paint. Lastly, use a strong craft adhesive like E6000 or Gorilla Glue to attach your magnets to the back of the glass jar. And allow the glue to set overnight before attaching to your fridge!
There are countless ways to repurpose old containers, so hopefully this will inspire you to think outside of the box on how you can give an old product a new life! What other ways do you like to use old jars around the house?
xo Rachael
