How can I reuse or recycle … tiny jam jars?
For my birthday last year, my friend Katherine bought me some little organic jams and chutneys in sample size jars. They were yummy. Even the cat agreed.
But now we’ve got the little jam jars left over. We’ve also got a couple of those hotel-breakfast-room ones lying around too.
The glass could be recycled in the usual way but I’d try to re-use them if possible. Any suggestions that could utilise their tiny proportions to full advantage? The range from being about 2cm (an inch) in height and diameter, to the hexagonal ones that Sili is sniffing (about 4cm tall by 2cm wide).
I don’t know if you’re a crafty person, but you could try making jar-candles. Just wash the labels of and you’ll have a cute collection of candles that you’ve made yourself. They also make great gifts. Here’s a useful link if you’ve never made candles before.
http://www.candletech.com/
I had some of these nd turned them into fairy pots.glue some dried leaves/plants in the bottom and stick a small model fairy(you could make them) a cute label on the lid. you have a gift.
You can make your own gel air fresners in them to if their pretty.
make your own scented candles in them.
if there big enough decorate them and use them as tealight holders.
growing seeds and cress in them.
taking small servings of dip or sauce on holidays or picnics.
Herbs and spices – this way you can buy them in bulk (or dry them from your garden), and the jars should be about the right size.
Also, if you make lip balm/moisturizer yourself these would make great containers.
You could use them to store things in them. Sewing supplies, little craft things (eg buttons), nuts and bolts if you work on mechanic things, etc.
These jars would be perfect to give out as gifts – fill with homemade jams or chutneys, tie up with ribbon and gift.
You could also make scented or flavored oils in them (a sprig of lavender with baby oil or some red peppers with olive oil, for example) so they can be displayed while they steep.
Since you have a collection, you can use the previous idea of putting tealights in them, and hang them up with wire outside or inside so that their facets will refract the light beautifully.
Herbs and spices
Anything else you have small amounts of to store, like drawing pins, safety pins, buttons, seeds etc.
Homemade cosmetics.
Also, with shop-bought moisturisers/shampoo etc, if you cut the tube open when it appears to be empty, you can get quite a bit more product off the inside with a spatula – these little jars would be perfect for storing that.
Glue the bases to the wall with strong glue to make tiny pigeonholes?
if the labels and jar is pretty, put tea lights in it, use them as candle holders.
make “sand art” in them. use some chalk and salt, pour some salt on a paper plate and rub the chalk on it, it will take on the color of the chalk.
We live near the banks of Plum Creek (from Little House fame) and I give little jars of sand from the banks as gifts for people who are into the Little House series.
I also use them to bring back sand as souveniers from trips to the ocean and places like that. They’re pretty filled with seashells, agates and other natural mementos that the kids and I collect on our trips.
I often glue a little square of fabric on top and then tie a ribbon around the neck to make it look special.
Attach a row of lids to the underside of a shelf in the garage or a broom closet and use to sort small fasteners, nails, screws, picture hangers, etc. Works for baby food jars too.
hello.. I would love to take these off your hands as I am always looking for tiny jars!
I live in Darlington co Durham and if you tell me the weight etc I would be happy to forward you the postage.
I also have use for face cream jars. I mix fooTcream and stuff for giving to anyone who would like one. but I run out of jars!
Dolly:)
Use the tiny one’s for bodylotion, moisturiser, hair products etc. to keep in your purse and take anlong to work or daytrips!
I use the jars for my hubbys packed lunch box, I put honey in to go with yoghurt or sometimes ketchup and mustard.
You should put like homemade jams in them and sell them. Yummy…
You could also put lavender or something in them and WHA LA! Nice smelling pretty thinamajiggs.
it’s Voila (from french ‘there it is’) not wha la.
It’s “voila!’ not ‘whala!’ and ‘thingamajig’ not thinamajiggs ,
I use little jars for crushed garlic… I buy a big bag of garlic bulbs, crush all the cloves in one sitting, then fill little jars. I keep one in the fridge to use, and put the rest in the freezer until I’m ready to use them.
They’re also good if you make curry paste, little jars make nice sizes to share a bit of spices you make yourself with friends.
I use them in my garage workshop to hold small amounts of tacks and tiny finish nails.
Spice jars – fill at your local food co-op. If you are inclined get a bit of blackboard paint and do a wide brushstroke across the front. Then you can label them and change as you fill with other things.
Pass on to someone who makes jam or such things. freecyle if you don’t know of anyone local.
I make small jars of jam and marmalade for our church to raise funds. If you let me know how much the postage is, I will gladly pay it. I find getting decent jam jars is really difficult. I live in Devon.
I am a music teacher, and I had a few of those little jelly jars, so I filled them half full with dried beans to make shakers for the kids. Instant maracas!
My dad used to use lidded jars in his workshop for nails, screws etc., he used to nail the lids onto the undersides of shelves and the jars + contents would just be ‘screwed’ up into the lids. The jars were always where he wanted them, and the shelves were empty for other things. Clever man, my dad!!
do you recycle your glass glass bottles ?
I am a music teacher, and I had a few of those little jelly jars, so I filled them half full with dried beans to make shakers for the kids. Instant maracas!
You can make a cool Magnetic Spice Rack similar to this: http://www.gizmodiva.com/home_improvement/soho_spices_magnetic_spice_rack.php by cutting a small circle out of plastic bottle (same diameter as the bottom of the jar, put a small magnet inside the jar, then cover it with this cirlce, put your spice in the jar, close the lid and voila – you have one spice jar! If you are feeling adventuros – you can cut a hole in the lid as well so that you can see what’s inside (and it would look more like the one in the link above) and put a plastic circle on the inside of the lid, so that the spice doesn’t fall out. you can then stick your jars to any metal surface (fridge, metal spalshboard, cooking extractor hood etc!
Decorating the little jars with glass paint and put a tealight candle inside each one, very pretty to look at ♡
all of these r such great ideas!! i make something i call fairy glitter–dried flowers such as roses, lavendar, daisies, actually any bloom that can be dried & crushed like what collects at the bottom of my dried flower crafts!! also i crush leaves & save unusual stems & separate these into the small jars in 3 colors, green, mixed (all blooms) & either pink, red or lavendar, even yellow or orange!! then combine 3 jars of fairy glitter w/a sheet of artisan, handmade or watercolor paper & u have a fairy art kit!! $5 at bazars & sales & theyve been great sellers!! the jars tend to accentuate the natural beauty of the fliwers & herbs & such & we have seen some really nice fairy flowers & scenes made from gluing the fairy glitter onto the paper!! lotsa fun!! way less messy than conventional glitter!!!! thanks for a great site!!!