Our curbside recycling program does not accept glass at this time. So I often find myself pausing at the trash can, trying to think of a new purpose for these glass bottles.
I have started holding onto them, waiting for inspiration to strike. I figure that if I can’t find a use for them, I can deliver them to a recycling center myself.
The straight walled, wide mouthed peanut butter jars, in particular, have really been on my mind lately.
For one thing, the peanut butter is pretty pricey! I’m a penny pincher so I know I could get Skippy or JIF for less, especially using coupons. A LOT less. But the Adams ingredient label appeals to my efforts to feed my family healthier foods so I pay a little more for it. We go through a jar every three weeks or so. I’m accumulating a good collection of them.
Because of their size, I thought they might make good canisters for the pantry. And finding a useful purpose for them might take a bit of the sting from the price of the peanut butter away.
After a little spray paint and some old dresser drawer knobs, I’m pretty happy to replace my 30 year old Tupperware canisters with these.
I’ll recycle the Tupperware of course! Or repurpose it somewhere.
I wonder what a set of vintage pea green Tupperware canisters is going for on Ebay?
Where was I?
Oh yes, my new canisters!
I even made some for the craft room. I just printed the labels using a free clip art website and applied them with some contact paper. If you own a vinyl cutter you could make them even fancier.
I’ve been holding on to that giant pickle jar in the top picture for a while now. Today I decided to give it a new life as a Pottery Barn inspired vase.
I just wrapped it with jute, using hot glue to adhere it to the bottle. I had the jute and hot glue on hand so it cost me nothing. But even those things would only be a couple of dollars if you had to buy them.
I think I’ll do the same with the large wine bottle.
As soon as my glue gun finger heals up.
These are certainly not my original ideas. Just things I’ve seen other people do. But they serve a useful purpose in my home and keep some glass out of the landfill.
Buying glass canisters similar in size to the ones I made today would have cost anywhere from $3 to $15 each. Which means I saved myself some money too.
As I was searching for other ideas for reusing glass I was amazed and inspired by all the great things you can do.
With a small investment in a glass cutting tool you can even turn empty bottles into drinking glasses, light fixtures, garden ornaments, etc.
Just today I read about using inverted glass bottles as mini greenhouses to start plants in your garden.
The next time you have a glass bottle that is ready for the trash, pause for a moment and try to imagine it with a new purpose. Especially if that new purpose will save you money.
There’s no harm in helping your wallet while you help the planet.
Bridget
Darling ideas! I am going to go look in my pantry and fridge right now to see what jars I have coming up! What template did you use for your labels. I could always try to design my own but yours are exactly my style!
Meghan
I am so glad you posted this! I used to live in countries that were heavily onto recycling. I can’t bring myself to throw out those glass jars. I now have inspiration!! Yay!!!!
lisa
this is a great idea but i also know that glass jars can be used as terrariums for plants,change banks,wish/dream/genie bottles for the things that you want to attract into your life,ect. the possibilities are endless and only limited by your imagination and creativity.