This is a guide covering 25 things you can do with old candle jars.
Are you someone who obsessively buys candles and now has a bunch of old candle jars lying around? If the answer is yes, you are in the right place!
We’ve got a fascinating list of ways you can reuse your old candle jars and not have to let them go!
Table of Contents
What Can I Do with Leftover Candle Jars?
Remember the saying that goes, “the world is your oyster”? Well, we will tweak it a bit and say “candle jars are your oyster”! Meaning, your candle jar(s) is yours for the taking.
You can do anything with it- whatever your heart desires!
Whether it be turning your candle jar into a decorative item or something functional, which you can use everyday, such as a stationary holder.
The choice is all yours!
The only rule is to make sure that you unleash your creativity!
25 Things You Can Do with Old Candle Jars
We’ve curated a list of ideas below. You can gain inspiration from them and then alter them according to your own taste. If you feel like the idea is good in itself, feel free to use it as it is!
1. DIY Body Scrub Jars
You can make your own body scrub and put it in your old candle jars!
Body scrubs are actually extremely simple to make.
A major pro of making them yourselves is that they will be completely natural with no artificial chemicals that may be harmful for your skin.
Here’s one of the many ways you can make your own body scrub. All you need is:
- Some granulated sugar
- An oil of your choice, preferable coconut oil
- A few drops of essential oil, whichever one you prefer, to add a good scent to the scrub.
Now all you gotta do is mix 1 part granulated sugar with 2 parts coconut oil. Once you have mixed these two ingredients, add a few drops of essential oil.
Lavender is a popular choice for many, given its amazing scent and immense health benefits.
Tadaa! You’re done. Now you can add this mixture in your old candle jar!
2. Make a New Candle From Old Wax
This could be a great choice for those of you who have a number of candles with very little wax left in them.
This video is an excellent tutorial on how to remove candle wax from candle jars.
3. Jar Candle Holder
You can use an old candle jar to place a relatively smaller candle in.
You can use various ways to decorate the candle jar.
It could be in a funky or elegant manner depending on where you want to place your new decorative item.
4. Add a Tea Light
This idea is quite similar to the last one.
The difference being that instead of adding a relatively smaller candle, you can add a tea light.
You can do this for candle jars that are already quite small.
5. Liquor Glasses
Candle Jars do have a resemblance to glasses.
So, what better way to use them than as liquor glasses at a party?
It will bring an interesting twist to your party!
6. Tea or Coffee Holders
Since candle jars have a resemblance to glasses this means they can be used to drink a variety of beverages.
You can also use these jars to store brewed coffee or tea.
If the jar is transparent, it will also be visually appealing when you add milk to your coffee and tea.
It could also make an interesting idea for your Instagram and/or snapchat stories.
7. Stationary Holder
Stationary freaks know that no amount of stationary is enough.
There’s always a need to buy more pens and pencils! This does present a very real problem of storage.
This is where candle jars enter the picture and save the day!
Once you have emptied and cleaned your candle jars, you can decorate them in any way you want to use them as your stationary holders!
8. Desk Organizer
Sometimes you need a little more than a stationary holder to clear the mess out on your table.
Especially with the increasing culture of ‘work from home’ you need to make sure that your desk is organised in order to be productive!
And what better way to do that than with desk organizers? Here’s how you can make one using candle jars.
You will need:
- Piece of Cardboard
- Around 4 candle jars
- Glue
All you have to do is stick the candle jars onto the cardboard. You can use different sized candle jars.
The smaller ones can be used for paper clips and the bigger ones can be used for scissors and staplers.
9. Makeup Storage
Just as you can keep your stationary in old candle jars, you can also keep your makeup items.
Especially makeup brushes!
10. Container for Bobby Pins
Bobby Pins have a way of getting lost so easily! And then they start turning up from all corners of the house.
In order to avoid this situation altogether, you can use old candle jars to keep your bobby pins in place.
It really is a remarkable life hack!
11. Store Spices
Kitchen cabinets are also always in need of organisation!
If you are using candle jars to store spices, just make sure they have lids!
You don’t want the aroma of spices to always be in the air.
12. Swear Jar
If you’re a parent and your kid has recently picked up a swearing habit, a swear jar will provide the best use to your candle jar!
So make sure to not dispose of your candle jars.
13. Candy Jar
Adults also need candies! So regardless of whether you’re a parent or not, you could use your candle jars to store all kinds of yummy candies.
If you have multiple candle jars, you can store different kinds of candies in different jars!
14. Pet Treats
This one’s for all the pet parents! Dogs and cats are always in need of treats.
You can sort these treats between different jars.
It will be a more organized and aesthetic way of storing your pet’s treats.
15. Spare Change Holder
Be kind to your wallet and use a candle jar instead to hold your spare change.
With the spread of the credit card culture there isn’t much chance you’ll need spare change at malls.
By keeping a spare change holder at home you can use the cash to give to your children as pocket money.
Or you could simply take out some of the spare change to keep in your wallet. This way your wallet will stay more organized!
16. Napkin Storage
Candle jars seem to be perfect for storage purposes.
Hence, napkins can be another item you can use to store in candle jars.
Preferably, a larger candle jar so all napkins can fit in easily!
17. Toothbrush and Toothpaste Holder
Taller jars are not just excellent holders for stationary but they’re also excellent holders for toothbrushes and toothpastes!
18. Mini Flowerpot
Looking to add a little twist and liveliness to your window sills or desks? Mini flowerpots are the perfect answer!
Clean out your candle jar(s) properly and then add a little soil into the jar. Buy seeds of your choice and sow them in the jar.
Congratulations, you’re now a plant parent!
19. Vase for Flowers
Another way to add a touch of liveliness in your house are flowers!
Instead of using the candle jars as flower pots, you can simply use them as vases.
20. Freeze Food
Candle jars can be used in the kitchen for a lot more than storing spices.
If you need a glass container to store some food, you don’t need to buy a new container.
Make use of the spare candle jars you have at home.
21. Breakfast Jar
Again, instead of buying new jars for storing your chia seed puddings or overnight oats, make use of spare candle jars!
22. Snow Globe
Who doesn’t like a good snow globe? Reminders of a white December can lift up anyone’s mood!
If you have old candle jars and are looking to spend quality time with a loved one, that is the universe’s way of telling you to make a snow globe using an old candle jar!
So how do you do it?
You will need:
- An old candle jar (duh!)
- Hot glue gun
- Glitter of your choice
- Glycerine
- An ornament
- Water
Steps:
- Start by filling your jar with water.
- Make sure not to fill it all the way to the top.
- Add a spoonful of glycerine to the water.
- Take the lid of the candle jar and using hot glue, stick the ornament to the lid.
- Finally, close the lid of the jar.
There you go! You have your very own snow globe!
23. Lava Lamps
This is another way to be extremely creative with old candle jars. If making a snow globe is too bland for your taste, lava lamps can be your resort.
You will need:
- Vegetable Oil
- Water
- Food colouring- colour of your choice
- Alka-Seltzer tablet
Steps:
- Fill your jar halfway with vegetable oil and fill the rest with water.
- Add two to three drops of the food colouring.
- Lastly add the alka-seltzer tablet.
- Finally, glue the lid onto the jar to prevent any leakage.
24. DIY Bath Bombs
Making your own bath bombs is all fun and games until you have to store them.
Although you have nothing to get worked up about, if you have spare candle jars.
They make the best storage item for bath bombs!
25. Give Gifts
If you’re a creative fellow who also happens to delay buying christmas presents until it’s too late, old candle jars will be your saviour.
You can decorate them by painting, using fancy tapes and stickers.
Then add a few little items, such as candies, chocolates and tiny stationary inside the jar.
You won’t be disposing of your candle jars, and you will have made a somewhat personalised gift. It is a win-win situation!
Final Remarks
We hope that you now know exactly what to do with your old candle jars!
Feel free to share any other ideas you may have on ways to reuse candle jars!
My name is Candice and I have always loved candles since I was a kid. I continue to buy candles and try out new candle brands to this day! I started this blog to share my love of candles so I’m glad you’re here and hope that my content helps you out in some way!