Reusing Candle Jars

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Many of us have candles scattered around the home to give a feeling of warmth and elegance and to emit a beautiful scent in the room. If you’re a candle addict like myself, every room will have a candle sitting somewhere, and by reusing candle jars, we can create another solution for these items.

Most of us are guilty of throwing the jars away to be recycled after the candle has burned, but what can we do instead to reuse the empty jars and save our environment?

 

Save your candle jars for use around the home

Candles are popular and come in all varieties, shapes, and sizes. While some are in simple containers, many on the market today are too beautiful to throw away. We are very much into upcycling nowadays, and it is not just restricted to furniture or clothing.

Many of us are mindful of throwing away items and damaging our environment, so this is a great way to do our bit for the world. Recreating something else from a candle jar will keep the home tidy and make finding things much more accessible than in drawers.

If you like purchasing luxury candles, they will often come in a more expensive container to reflect the price. It’s a shame and a waste to throw the jar away once the candle has burned and we’ve spent money, so remember to save them.

Cheaper candle containers can still be used for other items, and with candles’ popularity today, it makes more sense to reuse the jars. Let’s consider some ideas for reusing candle jars around the home, workplace and school.

 

Reusing candle jars

Pen/pencil pot

We all have countless pens lying around the house, and you can guarantee that whenever you need to find one to make a note whilst on the phone, for example, there is never one to be seen. As long as your candle jar is deep enough to hold an average-sized pen, you’re good to go with this beautiful idea of keeping pens in an accessible place.

Pen pots are also widely used in schools, and if you have tinned containers, these are perfect for sitting in the classroom. They also reduce the need to purchase so much plastic.

Plant pot
I love this idea. It’s so important to have plants in the home. Certain plants can improve indoor air quality, helping us breathe better and increasing oxygen levels.

Adding some soil and plant seeds will enable you to grow your plant. Another idea would be to re-pot an existing plant into a more elegant container. Plants in the home bring the greenery of the outside nature inside.

Centrepiece for a table

A decorative candle jar will bring your home to life, whether it’s a Christmas centrepiece or to add elegance to the middle of your dining room table when entertaining. It adds an inviting touch to the table at dinner time. You could also purchase floating candles and pop them inside a decorative jar.

Fairy lights

Adding fairy lights to an empty candle jar is a beautiful idea, and I have used it myself around my home.

Small sets of LED battery-operated lights can be purchased from most stores and online shops, such as eBay.

You can also use empty wine bottles for a similar effect. They make a wonderful centrepiece and give the home a welcoming and warm environment.

It’s incredible how they can create an effect in the home on a cold winter evening, and it’s so simple and cost-effective.

Homes always feel warmer when candles are burning, or fairy lights are switched on, so this is one to try.

Kitchen utensils

Have small utensils such as a mini whisk, meat thermometer, pasting brush or wooden spoons that are easy to access when cooking and prevent the cutlery drawer from becoming too full.

Cosmetic brushes

My cosmetics brushes are inside a ceramic candle holder that I have kept and washed. Similar to the pen holder, make sure your jar is deep enough to hold the length of different-size brushes, and they will always be on hand when you apply makeup.

It also helps to keep them clean for longer when they are not mixed up in a cosmetics bag. You can also add lip liner or eyeliner pencils so they are easily accessible.

Cotton buds/pads

Have you ever bought cotton buds and found the pot unsuitable?

They’re so packed in tight that when you do want to take one out, several buds fall out of the container at once, and you end up poking the rest back into any space you can find for next time. Make them easy to get to by adding them to a candle container instead.

For those who use a cosmetics remover product instead of a makeup remover towel, make the cotton balls/pads accessible in their container and ditch the plastic bag they are sold in.

Sweet/biscuit jar

When my children were much more minor, I used to keep small sweets in a jar, and they were allowed one sweet per day.

These are perfect for use if you have purchased a candle with a lid, such as the Yankee candle. They will hold a few small sweets, and biscuits can be stored for easy access.

Loose change

Most of us use cards or phones to pay for items and see fewer small changes. If we have any spares, a candle jar is perfect for keeping loose coins in one place. Shallow candle holders are ideal where depth is not needed. If you collect copper coins, use a large bottle with a wide rim and save them. When the bottle is full, bag the coins and bank them.

Arts and crafts

Those with young children and perhaps have an arts and crafts cupboard will know how valuable containers and pots are for items such as crayons, beads, ice pop sticks, glitter, and scissors. Candle jars with lids are ideal for the smaller items. Sewing cotton is great to store in clear jars as the vibrant colours pop through.

Buttons

My late mum had a vast collection of spare buttons she had collected over the years, which she kept in a tin. As an avid sewer, I always had a spare button to sew onto a cardigan, skirt, or pair of trousers when my siblings and I were minors. I now occasionally look through those buttons to find a suitable one for any missing clothing items or my children’s.

Nail polish

If you have a drawer with every nail polish colour under the sun, I recommend a shallow candle jar instead. Nail polish is best kept upright to prevent spillages and keep it away from direct sunlight and heat. A candle tin can be an excellent idea for keeping those bottles upright and tidy if you have a few favourite colours you access regularly.

Beverages

More and more people reach for herbal teas. A great way to store herbal tea bags is in a jar instead of having the box on the kitchen work surface. If you have three matching candle jars, you can add coffee in one and sugar in another to jazz up the kitchen.

Tea light candle

Reuse a candle jar with a candle. Simple but effective. Any size candle container can be used for this. Pop your scented or unscented tea light candle inside, and you have instantly created your very own tea light holder.

Bath salts

Those who still have a bathtub in their home and enjoy a long soak at the end of a busy day will benefit from the beautiful colours bath salts are made with. A collection of colours in clear candle jars can brighten up any bathroom and make it feel homely and relaxing.

Batteries

Loose batteries rolling around in a drawer and being unable to find one can be a pain! Save your candle jar so that it can be easily accessed when the kitchen clock battery decides to die.

Charging leads

With technology being all around us nowadays and everyone in the home having phones, laptops or iPads, the leads are endless. They all look the same and are, more often than not, tangled up.

As a hairdresser, my kitchen has these types of leads and the ones I use for charging cordless clippers. Unless you have every lead positioned in a socket so that they are to hand, they can become a tangled mess if they’re sitting inside the kitchen drawer.

Gather them separately, wrap an elastic band around them, and pop them inside a deep candle tin or jar. Now you have all your leads neat and untangled.

Preparing your used jar

Removing the old wax

If wax residue remains in the base or edges of your candle holder, there is a simple way to remove it. Add boiling water to the jar and leave it to stand for a few minutes.

The boiled water will help to lift the wax out in one piece. Remove any leftover wax around the sides. Labels can be removed with hot, soapy water. Wash the jar or container thoroughly and dry.

Once the leftover wax and any labels are removed, you can be very creative by adding your design to the jar and making it more decorative and personalised with items such as stickers, glitter or even dry flowers.

There are some beautiful ideas on Pinterest.

Recycle your jar for a friend’s or family member’s birthday or a Christmas present, and pop a tea light candle inside for the perfect gift.

It is a great way to give something unique without spending a fortune.

Conclusion

Please make use of any used candle containers around your home, whether they are jars or tins. The list of what they can be used for is endless, and they are a great way to save money in other ways.

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