How to prepare glass jars for reuse

How to prepare glass jars for reuse
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Don’t let sticky labels and stubborn food remnants deter you from reusing glass jars.

Put them in a bowl of boiling water and let them soak for a few hours or even overnight.

Once done soaking, labels will be easy to remove and any remaining gunk should be easily sorted with a quick wash.

If you want to use glass jars to store food items, sterilise them after cleaning.

Now without further ado, here is our list of 28 handy ways you can reuse a glass jar.

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Store herbs and spices

Store herbs and spices
Handyman Magazine

Glass jars are perfect for storing herbs and spices as they seal tightly, helping keep seasonings fresh.

Glass jars are also easy to organise, especially if you use a number in the same size.

One idea is to store glass jars filled with herbs and spices inside a kitchen drawer.

Label the lid of the jar so items can be quickly identified.

You can also build a custom spice shelf.

Find out how to build a floating spice shelf.

Make DIY lanterns

Make DIY lanterns
Handyman Magazine

Create a DIY lantern using leftover glass jars.

Simply insert a tealight or pillar candle inside a glass jar, light it and voila!

You have a lantern.

Take things up a notch by adding sand or tiny rocks to the bottom of the jar and tie twine or ribbon around the outside.

Carry soup with no spills

Carry soup with no spills
Handyman Magazine

Forget Tupperware.

Glass jars are the best containers to use for carrying runny foods like soup and stew.

Use them to carry soup or stew to work, or to store said foods in the freezer.

Keep buttons organised

Keep buttons organised
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Buttons are notorious for popping up, solo, all over the home.

Keep them in one place by storing them in glass jars.

Protect fruit trees from birds

Protect fruit trees from birds
Handyman Magazine

To protect fruit trees, you can cover them with bird netting, available from hardware stores.

To support the bird netting, drive four stakes into the ground around the perimeter of the tree.

Put a glass jar on top of each stake to prevent the stake from poking through the holes in the netting, then drape the netting over the stakes so it rests on the top of the glass jars.

Watch a video of former Handyman Editor Daniel Butkovich installing the netting.

Access makeup brushes easily

Access makeup brushes easily
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Make it easier access makeup brushes at home by storing them in glass jars.

Grabbing the right brush will be as easy as reaching over and plucking it out of the jar.

Prepare and store salad dressing

Prepare and store salad dressing
Handyman Magazine

Nothing tastes better than salad dressing made from scratch and nothing is easier than using a glass jar to make salad dressing.

The key to a great dressing is adequate mixing, so all the flavours are blended into a delicious final product.

When you use a glass jar to make dressing, mixing is made easy.

All you need to do is secure the lid and shake vigorously.

No need to decant leftovers since the jar also serves as a storage container.

Thrifty toothbrush and toothpaste holder

Thrifty toothbrush and toothpaste holder
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Glass toothbrush holders can cost as much as $50.

Glass jars may not be as eye catching or as fancy, but they do the job just as well and are a great budget-friendly option.

Store hand tools in the workshop

Store hand tools in the workshop
Handyman Magazine

Keep the workshop organised by using glass jars to store hand tools.

They will be easier to access than if they were jumbled up in a drawer.