6 Genius Ways to Reuse Old Candle Jars Around the House

Looking for creative ways to up-cycle old candle jars? These days, candles are often outfitted in jars that are every bit as beautiful as the scents themselves, making it hard to pitch the empty jar into the trash after the candle wax has been burned down to the wick.

Giving new life to an old candle jar isn’t just sustainable—it’s also a great way to transform a candle that was a sentimental gift (or a luxury splurge) into a forever decor piece.

To help get you inspired on how to best put old candle jars back to work, we asked a handful of organizing pros to share their favorite reinventions. From makeup brush holders to coffee spoon crocks, these are the best ways to give your old candle jars new life.

Meet the Experts

• Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer are co-founders of the NEAT Method.

• Louisa Roberts is an organization expert at NEAT Method NYC.

• Becky Rapinchuk is an organization expert at Clean Mama.

Bathroom Storage

From cotton balls to band-aids, small odds and ends abound in the bathroom; which is why old candle jars—with their ability to corral and organize—can be easily fashioned into bathroom heroes. 

“My favorite place to repurpose candle jars is in a bathroom drawer, medicine cabinet, or on a countertop tray,” Louisa Roberts, an organization expert at NEAT Method NYC, says. “They're often the perfect size to huddle smaller toiletry items like lip gloss, cotton swabs, or makeup brushes.”

If you don’t have enclosed cabinet storage in your bathroom, try grouping candle jars on a tray with a few other items such as perfume bottles or fresh or faux flowers. A frilled-out tray will give your candle jars more presence, making them look more like intentional decor on your vanity top.

Coffee and Tea Storage

As any coffee connoisseur knows, coffee making requires a multitude of different tools, including spoons for measuring your beans and grounds.

“When drawers are lacking in your kitchen, you can complete your home's coffee station by placing an old candle jar of small spoons next to your coffee maker,” Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer, co-founders of the NEAT Method, say.

They recommend opting for a taller and narrower jar for this purpose.

More tempted by tea than coffee? Stash a few sachets in lidded candle jars to create convenient grab-and-go caddies.

Office Supply Storage

Even if you work primarily online, a home office still requires a few basics to run smoothly, including pens, chargers, and cords. Becky Rapinchuk, an organizing expert at Clean Mama, likes using candle jars to round up these items, adding organization as well as visual order to a desk or office bookshelf.

“Keep the lid on or off,” Becky says, noting that candle jars with lids will add more polish, while lidless ones can provide easier access to your tools. “Bonus if you have multiples of the same brand of candle and they match,” she says.

Don't have matching jars? Slipping a band of colored paper in your jar can create uniformity, if needed.

Craft Supply Storage

Whether you have a dedicated craft room or you’ve converted a small linen closet, organization is paramount when it comes to crafting items.

Murphy and Hagmeyer suggest storing crayons, colored pencils, or washi tape into jars to help keep them tidy. “Store them together within a caddy for easy transporting between where they are stored and where they'll be used," they say.

Vase or Bulb Forcer

While a candle jar won’t accommodate a 24-stem rose bouquet, they are the perfect size for displaying a few foraged blooms on a nightstand or vanity top.

Candle jars also make great vessels for forcing bulbs. Use old holiday candles to force specimens like paper whites or amaryllis during the Christmas season. Housed in a pretty candle jar, these bulbs also make fabulous hostess gifts

Herb and Spice Storage

Even if you're only an occasional cook, having a few spices on hand is a must. However, store-bought spice bottles—with their tall, cylindrical shape — can be difficult to store in standard cabinets, however. To the rescue? Candle jars.

Reserve spice storage for small candle jars with lids. (About 3 ounces is the perfect size.) Clear jars will also allow you to visually see your spices, which can be helpful when trying to gauge when it's time for a refill.

You might also consider investing in a labeling maker— washi tape works wonders here—to make it easier to differentiate one spice from another.

Read Next: 6 Genius Ways to Reuse Wire Hangers

Read the original article on The Spruce.