How to Reuse Candle Jars

Written by April Jordan | Edited by Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Did you know that candle jars can be reused and recycled to make something entirely new? Once you clean out a candle jar, the possibilities are endless! We’ve got the best ways you can reuse a candle jar. From the bathroom to the kitchen, repurposed candle jars can make your life easier in any space—so keep reading to learn more.

This article is based on an interview with our sustainability specialist, April Jordan, founder of The Ethical Edit. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Spruce up your room by repurposing your candle jar as a pot for a small plant, a vase for flowers, or a table centerpiece filled with marbles and seashells.
Organize your home by reusing your candle jar to store kitchen utensils, cosmetics, or bulk food items.
Light up your space by adding fairy lights to the candle jar or by making a new candle.

1

Repot a plant

Succulents, herbs, and small plants will love calling a candle jar home. Rather than buy a teeny tiny glass pot at the store, make one yourself. All you have to do is clean the jar, fill it with soil, and place your plant in the pot—it’s as simple as that!
- Use candle jars of all sizes to plant herbs and create a miniature garden on your windowsill or table.^{[1]
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2

Display flower bouquets

Put your favorite flowers in a candle jar as a makeshift vase. Once the jar is empty and clean, fill it with water. Then, arrange your flowers by creating a bouquet that matches the height of your jar—using tall stemmed flowers for a high-lipped jar, and shorter flowers for a stout jar. Change the water in the vase every 2 days or so, and your flowers will be happy and healthy.
- Add ribbons and bows to your candle jar vase to make it even prettier.
- Place a series of candle jar flower vases around each other on the center of a table to create a beautiful, live, and cheap centerpiece.

3

Organize stationery and craft supplies

Place pencils, markers, or paintbrushes in the jar. If your desk space is cluttered, use an empty candle jar to clean it up. Set empty candle jars on the edge of your desk. Then, drop in some pencils and markers tip side down or paintbrushes brush side up. The wider the jar, the more craft supplies it can hold!
- Decorate your jar to add a bit of personality and flair to your office.

4

Declutter bathroom counters and shelves

Easily store cotton balls and floss sticks in a candle jar. Opt for a recyclable way to tidy up your bathroom before you buy a plastic organizer. Simply divide all your bathroom products into separate jars (preferably ones with lids). Then, arrange them on the counter's edge or a shelf for a neat, organized display.^{[2]
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- Use clear glass jars so you can easily see what’s inside each jar.

5

Store dry bulk food items

Pour rice, flour, pasta, and beans in candle jars with lids. Try storing a whole bag of rice in a large jar or a single serving of dried beans in a smaller jar. Then, line the filled jars up neatly in your pantry. Not only does this step help you reuse, reduce, and recycle, but it also makes your pantry look more organized!
- Store bagged and loose teas in lidded candle jars to help them stay fresh longer.^{[3]
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- Add labels to the outside of the jars for an extra cute and practical touch.

6

Hold cosmetics

Organize makeup brushes, eyebrow pencils, and lipsticks in candle jars. Why go to the store and buy a makeup holder when you can make your own? Place face brushes in a tall jar with the bristles sticking up, and keep liquid lipsticks and glosses in a stout jar.
- Make your DIY project look like it came straight from a magazine by painting your jar to match your room and vanity decor.

7

Catch change in the car

Keep your car free of loose change with an empty candle jar. Instead of tossing your coins in the glove box or side compartment to be lost later, set an empty candle jar in a cup holder (preferably near where you already toss your change). The next time you get change, dump it into the jar as a makeshift car piggy bank.^{[4]
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- Substitute the change for keys, lip balm, or jewelry. Basically, it can be the catch-all for your car.
- If you don’t have a cup holder, use a lidded candle jar so you can throw in your change, twist or pop on the lid, and set the jar in the back seat.

8

Hold kitchen utensils

Sit wooden spoons and metal tongs upright in a tall candle jar. Rather than keeping the kitchen utensils you use regularly in a drawer, display them where they’re easily in reach on the counter. Place a larger candle jar with a wide mouth next to the stovetop. Then, set your spoons, forks, tongs, and/or brushes inside.

9

Make a centerpiece

Pebble, seashells, and beads turn a candle jar from drab to fab. Spruce up your party or dinner space by adding a recycled centerpiece. Simply fill the jar with something that matches your decor—ribbon, rocks, flower petals, ornaments—and let your guests think you spent money on your gorgeous centerpiece.
- Tie a matching ribbon around the jar for an extra special touch.

10

Hold candy

Fill a candle jar with hard candies to add color and taste to any space. Try filling an empty candle jar with your favorite candy—M&Ms, Skittles, Jolly Ranchers, Dum Dums—for a makeshift candy dish. The candy can be individually wrapped or not—that’s totally up to you.^{[5]
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11

Use it as a glass

Empty candle jars make excellent water, juice, or wine glasses. If you have a small empty candle lying around, clean it out and put it with your other drinking glasses. Your reused candle jar will look so much like a regular glass that your guests won’t be the wiser!
- Try this trick with candles that have flat lids or no grooves in the lip.

12

Make Jell-O

Use a small candle jar to chill a tasty, jiggly treat. Looking for that perfect snack-size portion of Jell-O but don’t have a glass cup tiny enough? Small, clean candle jars can help you make Jell-O that much easier. Simply follow the instructions on the back of your Jell-O packet, and then pour the liquid into the jar to set.
- Try layering multiple Jell-O flavors on top of each other to make a striped design.

13

Store pet treats

Keep biscuits and kibble out of your pet’s reach with a candle jar. Does your furry friend like pawing and chewing at the treat bag until they can get their little nose inside? Beat them at their own game by dumping the treats from the easily rippable bag into a lidded candle jar.^{[6]
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- Keep your new treat dish out of your pet’s reach. Even if the treats are safely inside the jar, they could still knock it off a high place.

14

Fill with baked goods and regift

Gift hot chocolate, cakes, and soups in a jar. If you’re not sure what to buy for a friend or family member, try putting their favorite food inside a lidded candle jar. Fill the jar with dried hot chocolate mix and mini marshmallows, dried boxed cake mix and sprinkles, or dried soup mix and noodles. Then, tie on a sparkly bow and a label with baking/cooking instructions around the jar to complete the gift.

15

Display fairy lights

The sparkle of fairy lights looks like fireflies inside a candle jar. Squeeze battery-operated fairy lights into an empty candle jar to use as a nightlight or holiday decor. Toss in some paper butterflies or miniature ornaments for some extra magic.^{[7]
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- Keep the battery pack on the inside or outside of the jar; just make sure you can easily turn the lights on and off.
- Try this hack with a lidded jar for that “captured fireflies” look.

16

Make a miniature terrarium

Build your own ecosystem inside a candle jar. Fill an empty tall lidded candle jar with pebbles, sand, and soil, creating a layer for each sediment. Then, use tweezers or your fingers to plant your favorite plant inside. Water the plant, put on the lid, and enjoy watching your little ecosystem.^{[8]
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- If live plants aren’t your thing, make a terrarium with fake plants or build a scene using miniature figurines.

17

Make a new candle

Use the leftover candle wax in your jar to create a new candle. Rather than cleaning out your candle jar to reuse as something else, remove the wax to make a new candle. Making candles is a fun and easy DIY project, and if you have multiple candles at the end of their wax, it’s even simpler! All you have to do is remove the wax from the jar, clean the jar, insert a wick, and then pour the wax back into the jar.^{[9]
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- Use leftover wax from multiple candles to create a layered, striped look with multiple scents.