Re-Purposing Candle Jars

At Shadow Moon Creations we are all about making the most of our resources. And it is with that in mind that we thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of tips on how to re-purpose our beautiful glass candle jars. Once your candle has come to its end and all the wax has solidified again, break the remaining wax into chunks (e.g., with a knife). You can use any remaining wax as tart melts. Any other last bits of wax (and the wick with its sticky bit underneath), can be removed by pouring hot water into the jar (NOTE! Don't pour boiling water into the jar - the sudden change in temperature might crack the glass). Most of the wax should come out and you might just need a bit of soap and hot water to rinse the jar out cleanly.

Important: If you are using a jar for food purposes make sure the jar is clean and sterilized before using it.

1. Get a candle refill

If you live in Melbourne, or visit the markets we frequent, get in touch with us for a soy candle refill. Refills are a lot cheaper than the full priced candle, you can still pick your choice of fragrances, and you will  be doing your bit for the environment by re-using the same jar.

2. Use your jar to hold tea-light candles

Beautiful on a hot summer night outside, or as table decorations inside, this nifty idea gives you the continued feel of a candle. We’ve place small rocks at the bottom of our jar (or you could use sand/pebbles) and topped it with a tea-light candle. These create a lovely atmosphere!

3. Jars as vases

Very cute as little centrepieces, these small bouquets or posies will brighten your day. They will work well where you want a touch of flowers, but don’t want the flowers to dominate. They could also work very well for events such as weddings.

4. Lolly Jars

This will make a lovely gift. Fill your used candle jar (cleaned and sterilised of course!) with jelly beans, M&M’s, toffees, fudge or other lollies. Top with a bow and gift tag and you have yourself a unique gift, which has the added advantage that the receiver can use the glass jar for another purpose again.

5. Mini Cookie Jar

A variation on the lolly jar, we thought that mini biscuits also make an adorable gift. We've filled our jar with Tiny Teddies. Topped with a ribbon these are gorgeous as a gift!  These are so cute, you might just want to keep one in the cupboard just for you! :-)

6. Bathroom container storage

These beautiful glass jars make the perfect storage place for cotton wool, make-up remover pads or cotton buds. They will also work very well for storing bath salts (another great gift idea which doesn't feel store bought, but still looks very elegant).

7. Money Jar

Lots of coins lying around? Pop them all in one of your used candle jars. Not only does it look great, but the clear glass means you can see your money accumulating. For extra luck in the money department, put a couple of citrine crystals in your jar, they will help you attract abundance!

8. Food storage

Your candle containers might not be large, but they can still work very well for storing smaller food items. As shown in our picture, they would make great collection of containers to store teabags, coffee and sugar. Powders (e.g., cornflour, almond meal) and spices would also work great as most of the lids on the candle jars seal quite tightly. Other ideas that spring to mind include using the jars to contain homemade jams and chutneys as gifts. There are lots of great labelling ideas around, but one of our current favourites are the Martha Stewart chalkboard labels. Not only do the chalkboard labels give a rustic edge, but they can also be wiped down and used for another purpose. 

Again, as with all food storage items, make sure that you clean and sterilise the jars before use. Also check that the lids seal tightly to prevent spoiling.

9. Jars as stationery containers

Are you like us in that you can never find a pen when you are looking for one? One solution might be to house them all together in a jar! We’ve filled our jar with bits and bobs lying around. Of course you can be quite creative and paint your jar to match your decor, or decorate it with washi tape or string. 

10. Cutlery tidy

This is a great idea if your kitchen drawers are bit of a mess. Pop all your cutlery in an old candle jar! It also works well if you are casually entertaining (e.g., BBQ). Put a jar of cutlery on the table outside, and everyone can just help themselves.

We hope this has given you a number of ideas on how to re-purpose your candle jars. Feel free to share some more of your creative ideas with us and others.

What other ideas for re-using old candle jars do you have?

Cheers,

Karin & Damo

www.shadowmooncreations.com

xox