This is a late found mason jar application at our house. We use a lot of honey, so we buy in bulk at a box store. After years, literally, of trying to resolve the crystalized-honey-in-the-plastic-jug problem by microwaving the jug on low or running it under hot tap water, we found that transferring the honey to mason jars at the onset is a profoundly more sensible solution. Then, if and when the honey crystalizes, it's already in a tempered glass container and can be put safely into hot -- even boiling -- water to regain it's liquid status. Since honey never spoils, it can live in a mason jar in sugar form for a very long time and still be brought back to its highly preferable liquid state.
Garbage Into Gold: Great Ways to Recycle Old Containers
Photo: Adactio
In these days of planetary consciousness and squeezing every nickel, any new idea helps. Here’s an “extreme green” list of ways to put previously discarded items to new use.
Empty Chianti Bottles.
In addition to great long term candle holders, they are also great for olive oil dispensers, particularly if you buy your in a large bulk can. You can either add a pourable spout, or stick with the cork from the original bottle. It’s a much easier size to manage on your counter or back of the stove.
Wine Bottles in General.
They really are fabulous creative fodder for any number of things. For example, the carafe – shaped bottles from Almaden can be used for just that, a carafe. They can also be used for urban chic flower vases or sangria pitchers. Got a cool looking narrower bottle in cobalt blue or some other color? Consider using it as a dish soap dispenser or a container for DIY herbed vinegars.
Gallon Jars and Jugs.
Whether it’s the plastic mayonnaise ones re-used for storing bulk brownie or white sauce mix, or giant glass containers from pepper rings or sandwich stackers to use for your own large batches of pickled eggs, these come in handy. Particularly if you only need a few and don’t want to dish out for the designer store bought version.
Smaller Glass Jars with Screw on Lids.
These are great for under the shelf storage of nails and other hardware items, beads, buttons and more. Attach the top to the bottom of the undershelf and screw the clear jars on and off as you need them. Great for garages, shops, art studious, craft and sewing rooms, or anywhere you need transparent storage and a polished coordinated look isn’t quite so important. Also, I’ve always liked the look for a relaxed garden party of those hanging tree candles with small glass jars, tea lights and coat hanger wire. Depending on your theme, this will either fit in with what you want or it won’t.
The Sixteen Ounce Grated Cheese Shakers.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT
The smaller eight ounce ones are fine too, but I prefer to save these slightly larger ones when possible. If you’re going to buy the grated Parmesan anyway, then this is worth trying. I use them by removing the labels and filling them with things like homemade spice blends, dry BBQ rubs, and even salt or baking soda to keep by kitchen and bathroom sinks. The ridges are large enough to host a P-Touch label, they’re clear for see-through organization, and the tops have both a spoon-out and shaker side as any great powdered product dispenser should.
Candle Jars.
Great for cotton balls and other home spa items, as well as bought in bulk spices, beans and more.
Folgers Coffee Jugs.
Red or green, both are great. They have a built-in wide grip handle, snap on lid and a wide mouth opening for easy filling. Great for composting crocks, holding vegetable ends or chicken bones to save up for making homemade stocks, and more. Only worth it if you are planning on buying some anyway, but if you are, save the containers. They’re really worth hanging on to.
Canning Jars.
Add a pump dispenser, deliver leftovers to a shut-in, and more. There are loads of things you can do with these things. And I just found this hot old tip made new again: Use a mason jar on your blender to grind or blend things right in the jar! Then, just remove and add the cap that came with it. This link shows pictures to illustrate how to do it. Apparently, the older blenders used to come with a mason jar included and everybody did this. Who knew? Also, why I didn’t run across this before is beyond me . . . check out this hanging light project using mason jars. Very urban chic, in my opinion. Great for decorating your loft.
These are my top picks, but if I’ve learned anything from writing for Wise Bread, it’s that we have some of the most informed and creative readers on the internet. Got a great garbage into gold idea for old containers? Sound off below!
Best of Wise Bread
That's a great one! Infinitely better than dealing with crystals at the bottom of a very large honey jug. Thanks!
Ah, the old is new again! Great suggestions. My Dad used old baby food jars, with their lids nailed to the underside of shelves, to stash his huge collection of oddball nails, etc.
If the lids on previously used glass jars are funky, you can often substitute regular mason jar lids, or even buy plastic ones (Vermont Country Store carries these) to replace them. We use the large mason jars to store all our dry goods, and find them not only practical but aesthetically pleasing. Reuse liter soda bottles for "drip" irrigation: punch a few holes in them, cut off the top, partially bury, fill with water--or any other variation on the theme. The old standby: cut off spout and use bleach bottles as a scoop. I finally switched to vinegar as a fabric softener, so used the last bottle [of softener] to hold the vinegar. Yogurt and other plastic tubs make great paint containers for small jobs.
A good idea is to always think HOW can I reuse this, at least one time, before tossing it into the garbage or recycling crate. Not only will you save money, your might get by with a smaller garbage bin!
GREAT post! Looking forward to others' ideas.
Great ideas in your post!
I have been using the plastic Folger's cans to store leftover paint. Empty what's left of a gallon into a clean coffee can, saran wrap the top and put the lid back on. Take a magic marker and label the brand and type of paint and what room you used it on. So far, my paint doesn't dry out like it often does in the original container and it's easier to pour into the tray or a smaller coffee can since the big can has built in handles. You can put an extra seal on with duct tape if you are storing the paint for awhile.
Plastic mustard or tarter sauce containers are great for touch-ups as they have the pop up lid so you can dab in a small brush. Alternately, you can pour out a small amount of paint into those little one ounce plastic containers that restaurants use for condiments.
we use ours to feed grains to the sheep and chickens....we also use them to collect eggs waiting for egg cartons and the other convenience is that they are all the same uniform shape and water proof
Good one.
On a side note, I came home last night and tried out the mason jar upside down on the blender hack linked to above. It worked GREAT!!!
This has really changed how frustrating blender projects are in my kitchen. I can't believe I'd never seen the idea before, with all the time I spend researching kitchen ideas. I'll be implementing it frequently from now on.
A great resource for reusing everything is a Yahoo email group called Waste Nothing. It was there I got the idea to save plastic Coffeemate creamer bottles, remove the label, prime & paint them cool colors, turn upside down and "plant" them along walkways and flowerbeds. One crafty reader took the same bottle and made a Santa Claus centerpiece. (Too much work for me, but worth Googling if you're into that sort of thing.)
I save the giant pump creamer bottles and use them for things like shampoo, fabric softener, etc.
Never heard of using them for garden stuff . . .
Olive oil & vinegar bottles. I have tons of olive oil bottles, some with the plastic cork wired to them. The store brand vinegars from Hyvee come in either round or square glass bottles. I saw the same square glass bottles at World Market with a pour spout stuck in them for $5 each. I also noticed that Lorina sparkling lemonade with the glass bottle with the plastic cork is cheaper than the same style empty bottle.
I reused a bunch of old clear glass wine bottles for olive oil & canola oil with the pour spouts. I have a square vinegar bottle I use the same way for dish soap. If your looking for pour spouts do not buy the Onida branded ones at Target, they plug up easily. Kmart was selling Martha Stewart branded ones that pour better and have a flexible gasket that seals to just about any bottle.
I reused on of the Lorina bottles to put cheap bubble bath in. Looks way nicer than the plastic jug it came in.
That sounds awesome, Lucille! Thanks for the price savings breakdown. I can picture the different types of oil displayed on a counter. Way to class it up!
And good tip on the Kmart source for the pourable spouts.
Old plastic jars and containers can go a long way to entertaining the kids. While you don't want to give them glass without proper supervision, old yogurt cups and cardboard oatmeal/corn meal containers make great buckets for sand or dirt, not to mention noise makers.
With the concern over plastics, mason jars make great containers for juice or lemonade, not to mention making iced tea.
And let's not forget about catching bugs. It's amazing how your kids can force you to be creative with your waste.
Thanks for the info, Myscha.
The buckets that soy sauce comes in for restaurants are great for wastepaper baskets (especially outside) and any other way you use a bucket! They have lids and tops and are very useful. I also recycled a plastic part of what seemed to be a broken vacuum to use as a container to put my cleaning supplies in in the bathroom (the grey color matches the grey of our narrow formerly CD tower shelves). The plastic covers that writable CDs come in can be turned upside down to hold markers and so on. (And use the spindle for a towel or toilet tissue holder.) I also save little clear plastic containers to put bobby pins in (put the top on the bottom to strengthen the container). Recycle spray bottles for water bottles and to put homemade wrinkle spray in. Of course, wine bottles are traditional candle holders and can be easily turned into lamp bases with a kit from the hardware store!
I like to save Folger containers (we have both a large and a smaller one) because it makes it easier to fill plastic bags with food since it helps it to stand up better. Especially since when I'm usually cooking for the freezer I'm using my measuring cups that I would usually use otherwise. For my gallon size bags I can fold over the edges and fill the bag and usually not have to worry about having to wipe the edges before sealing.
Nothing earthshattering but I've been saving the containers that I buy laundry soap in (Kirkland brand from Costco) and we use them for a lot of things:
hubby keeps sand in one during the winter and just keeps it in the back of his truck as weight and if he ever gets stuck
we keep one on the porch with salt to sprinkle on the steps when it gets icy
I keep one in the laundry room with clean rags and another one to throw my kitchen towels in to be cleaned (and can soak if need be)
I grow plants in them (Poke holes in the bottom)
Keep potting soil in one
Carry them around when weeding to throw the weeds in (and rocks)
Hi JJ.
Those really are great for many things, I agree. They are sturdy, a great size and last forever.
EXCELLENT ideas! i LOVE reusing things. Its such a waste to throw something away that can be used for something else.
Wine bottles make excellent Taper holders. You can get tapers that are made to drip different colored wax down the side and the wax will run all down the bottle and make unique one of a kind decorations. You can also take your old candles, melt them down, and pour the liquid wax into your old jars and then put a wick in it to make a new candle! If thats too much work for you www.keystonecandle.com does it for you! This company reuses just about everything, and will fill any container (as long as it can be filled with wax, and (for legal reasons) doesn't have another company's name on it)
I would think this would be a great way to save wine bottles as mementos from special evenings and events.
Anyone have a good use for altoid tins? I've got a bunch, and know that they've got to come in handy somehow.
I make a small first ade kit and keep it in my purse and I also made a small sewing kit and keep that in the purse also.
A friend of mine who is a scout leader uses them to make small first aid kits- bandaids-individual antiseptic wipe
etc. and the scouts donate them to the red cross. They also make little sewing kits, and donate those too.
Well, a couple of travel uses I've seen over the years is to keep a supply of matches dry and also to carry an emergency sewing kit and a few broth cubes. Oh, and I just remembered something else . . . when traveling long term, many people like to carry a supply of business cards. You never know who you'll meet. Anyway, I've seen more than one person carry them in tins about that size. Not sure if they were Altoid, but I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work. I've never done a precise size comparison though, so it wouldn't hurt to check that.
I especially like how compact that strategy is, making it a good one to take on the road for both travelers and regular city commuters.
We are getting ready to finally move into a new place after the transition and I just ran across your suggestion for using cool bottles with a pour spout for bubble bath. Can't wait to use it!!!
Often I use Ice Cream Tubs (half gallon size or 1 litre size) to put into anything I want to freeze and use later, or for storing veggies in the fridge. I usually store reuse ziploc bags as well to sort my food into one portion sizes for easy usage.
Also, I've used cereal boxes, cut them up, and used them to sort cutlery drawer in the kitchen.
Oh, and those round tin cookie boxes? I use the lid and the body for make-shift lazy susan in the cupboards for storage in the corners!
Often we have a lot of glass jars from sauces, so I usually use them to store daily usage size pantry goods and other dried goods.
Good job on the site with all the tips!
Wow, An. Way to take this idea to next level. Those are some really great "extreme thrift" tips. I'm sure others will appreciate them too.
I use wet wipes boxes to store pencils, markers, rubber bands, batteries, and for game pieces when the game box starts falling apart, just label it and keep it with the game board. I write on the outside with a permanent marker so its labeled. They stack up very neatly on a shelf, and help keep me organized.
I also use the small plastic boxes that baby food comes in now. They are rectangular, with a nice snap on lid. They are great for buttons, beads, glitter etc in our art box. I had so many I took them into my kids school and I had no trouble giving them away. One woman used them for dried herbs from her herb garden. Another used them to bring the salad dressing in her lunch everyday.
I use laundry detergent bottles as watering cans. I have my husband drill numerous holes in the lid, and one hole in the top of the handle (lets the air flow so it pours better) We also take these to the beach and the kids love to fill them up and pour the water on the sand. We save extra lids so they can use those as digging tools.
One item, the blue wine bottle/ water bottle, or other colors. I have always wanted to do this. Years ago, at Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio, there is the bottle house/shop. It is a georgeously ingeneous way to use up what you drink. The bottles were placed throughout the (concrete/plaster?) walls so that there is a really neat navy/white wall which is as thick as the length of the bottle and light drifts through the glass, allowing natural light with a stained glass effect. For a small space living, or for an artist's shed, this would be perfect. I would suppose that the bottles would need to be tested for lead, and one would have to research things a bit, but I think this could make great half/walls for a back yard enclosure, great compost/trash barriers, for a bit of beauty around the odors, a great computer office, or work/out room, or a wonderful place to be alone, and meditate. Some day, I will try it. Oh, and we still use the hundred year old canning jars for nails!
Reuse laundry soap containers for a scooop for just about anything!!!
http://theuncouturegardener.blogspot.com/2011/01/turn-lanudry-soap-bottl...
I use old Tylenol bottles for bobby pins and hair ties for my purse. Wet wipe boxes are great for soo many things; nail polish, tampons, cotton balls, makeup, buttons, markers, crayons, or other crafty supplies. I always find a use for my old body butter containers too because they're really solid and have a nice twisty lid. When traveling I'll usually use one for a bar of soap. I always have one filled with coconut oil to keep in the bathroom instead of the big jar I buy. Also beads. Altoid tins are good for bandaids, or a little manicure kit. The square plastic baby food containers are perfect for condiments for a packed lunch or picnic, as well as baby carrots or another small snack. Also I've filled them with dry beans, rice, or pasta and glued them shut for a little noise maker for the baby I watch. I love reusing!
