As a compulsive candle buyer, the end of the candle seems to be the scariest part. What am I going to do with the billions of left over jars that I have lying about the house? How am I going to clean this thing and make it worth while? I can never bring myself to just throw away the jar, it feels like such a waste to let such valuable glass (and left over wax) be tossed in the bin. There are plenty of ways this waste can be avoided and the candle jars can be up-cycled into beautiful home-grown creations with endless possibilities! See this previous blog post to see how to clean wax from your candle jar, I find the freezer method the best!
#1 Plant Pots, Terrariums & Vases
Bringing flora and fauna into the home is a great way to spruce up boring rooms and clean the house without lifting a finger. Combining a clean Yankee Candle jar, a bunch of flowers and some water makes a wonderful vase that will suit any room in the home. Smaller, wider candle jars make for amazing plant pots and terrariums. Plant your favourite choice of flower and watch it bloom! Or for those who want a challenge, create a terrarium by layering pebbles, potting soil, moss and your chosen flower or cacti in the centre. Add your own finishing touches such as fern leaves or intricate stones to really polish it off. It’s a lovely way to make your own upcycled ecosystem that boosts the greenery in the home.
#2 Around The Home
Clean candle jars can, unsurprisingly, be excellent vessels for around the home and especially for utilities. With the lid included, they’re great storage for dry goods such as rice, pasta and grains. They make convenient and stylish features for the home. Instead of the pantry, why not use them for the bathroom? Reuse your candle jar as a container for cotton buds, a toothbrush holder or even a make up brush holder. Whether it’s for the bedroom or bathroom, an old candle jar is an interesting way to update the home and find a stunning way to display those pesky bits and bobs.
#3 Fairy Lights
A wonderful smelling candle can be turned into a beautiful centrepiece with a bit of ingenuity. Perhaps the most popular way to recycle an old candle jar, and also definitely the easiest! All you need is your clean jar and some of your favourite fairy lights. Arrange your fairy lights inside the jar in any way you like. Then you can either leave the battery pack on the outside, or you could glue it to the lid and make it a proper little statement piece–perfect for any room! And if you really want to go the extra mile, add some glitter or paint to really make it sparkle!
#4 Entertainment – For Kids and Secretly For Adults…
Once emptied and clean, candle jars can be a great source of creative entertainment. An old candle jar is a blank canvas for you to be able to paint, draw and glue to your hearts content. Lay down some newspaper, get in the craft supplies and let the kids’ imaginations run wild! Using some green and blue paint, and some googly eyes, they could make a monster good for holding all their pens and crayons. Using some pink and gold paint, they could make a beautiful stylish vase perfect for holding Mum’s flowers. Using some glue and sticks or lace they could create a special tealight holder…or a mess? Either way there are endless possibilities for fun using these jars, and with the right artistic minds they could turn into something amazing!
There are millions of different ways you can upcycle your old candle jar, but it’s never the same as a good old candle! Shop all our Yankee Candle Large Jars here to pick up your favourite scent.