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If you take a moment to look at your recycling bin, you’ll probably find some old glass jars. Rather than throwing those little guys away, why not repurpose them to serve a useful purpose for you in your home. There are so many ways to accomplish this, but the basic idea is universal: remove old labels, remove sticky residue and paint/decorate the lid.

You can then use the pretty new jars to store so many different things: spices, flour, sugar, dry goods, etc. in the kitchen. You can use the jars to store small things in your office, like push pins, staples, paper clips, flags, etc. You can use the jars to store hair clips and hair bows. They are even great for displaying a small grouping of flowers or candles!

Here is what I started with:

And here is how I transformed them!

Repurposing old glass jars

First, I soaked them in a small trashcan in water overnight. In order to make sure they don’t float to the surface, I just filled them with water.

Next, I removed the labels. Most of the labels came off very cleanly. For the ones that didn’t, I used a dab of Goo-Gone on the glass jar. That took care of all the remaining residue and stickiness. I’ve heard that some vegetable oil (and salt) will do the trick too, if you’re opposed to using chemicals.

I also spray painted just the exterior of the lids. I placed them all on a scrap piece of cardboard in the garage, and did 2 (thin) coats of matte black paint.

And here is what these lil babies look like once I was done with them!

Don’t they look like they’re just begging for me to put them to good use?! I love a nice, clean glass jar! So many possibilities, like for example, this DIY terrarium!

An easy and satisfying little plant project. I have a few more projects like that up my sleeve. Stay tuned to learn more! Now, go find some old glass jars! 🙂

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