6 sustainability-friendly ways to reuse candle jars around your house

If you are a fan of scented candles, you will be familiar with empty candle jars building up your home and in your recycling bin. They're often made of quality materials, look pretty and it can seem such a waste to send them off to landfill or for recycling after just one use.

Breathing new life into old containers is one of the best ways to mitigate waste, especially if you are tired of them collecting dust in your cabinets or feel a guilty throwing so much away.

Here, home influencers and sustainability pros share their six favorite ways to reuse candle jars around the house to help you put these sturdy storage containers to better use and help you be more sustainable at home.

How to reuse candle jars around the house

Knowing what to do with a candle when it’s burnt out not only helps you organize your home without spending any money but limits your waste too.

Tram Nguyen of Living Good Candle, says ‘Re-purposing candle jars is not only a creative way to reduce waste but also an essential step toward a cleaner environment. With over 25 million candle jars ending up in landfills annually, finding ways to give these jars a second life can significantly impact our planet.

'Recycling glass jars is often expensive and energy-intensive, which can increase our carbon footprint. By re-purposing our candle jars for home candle refills or creative uses, we can make a meaningful difference – every small effort counts.’

With that in mind, here is how to re-purpose these old jars to help serve your home.

1. Keep small clutter contained

One of the most obvious uses for old candle jars is incorporating them into our home storage ideas to keep smaller items and collections contained.

Tram Nguyen of Living Good Candle, suggests ‘converting them into holders for pens, makeup brushes, or other small items around the house. This method is not only functional but also adds a decorative touch to your home, all while reducing waste.’

Head of solved, Punteha van Terheyden uses them inside drawers and her study. She says. 'I use old candle jars to hold my nail files and other manicure items in my dedicated nail drawer, and in my office, use it to hold pens rather than have them rolling around a drawer.'

2. Make new candles

Making candles might sound difficult, but it can be quite a therapeutic hobby – not to mention that it allows you to fully customize your home’s signature scent.

MacKenzie Ervin, home decor influencer and founder of Kenzi Marie Home, working with Shop Goodwill, says, ‘Of course, my favorite way to upcycle a candle jar is to replace it with a new candle. I occasionally melt down wax on the stove and add my own scents and top with pressed flowers, or for an even easier way, I use the pearl candle sand, available at Amazon, which just pours into the jar and you add the wicks in. The candle sand is a great conversation piece and is so versatile.’

Adding your favorite essential oil to your mix can help you create a custom scent you love, or perhaps even a seasonal fragrance to make your home small like fall.

All prices correct at time of publication.

3. Use them for bathroom storage

Organizing a bathroom vanity can feel like a juggling act, especially when we have so many smaller odd bits such as cotton balls, swabs, and hair ties littered over the counter.

MacKenzie Ervin, a home decor influencer, suggests, ‘Another way is to clean out the candle jar and use it in your bathroom to hold Q-tips or cotton balls. Canisters from the store are so expensive, but typically candle jars are very aesthetic and free. If your jar isn’t very pretty, you can always paint the outside or decoupage it.’

You can also use them when organizing your medicine cabinet.

4. Use them for plant propagation

If you have a green thumb, old candle jars can be the perfect vessel for starting off small plants indoors without the need for countless plastic trays, says Christine Starchild, home fragrance expert and owner of Everything Chriss. ‘They are perfect for use as plant propagation containers, letting the plants get roots before planting,’ she says.

Larger jars are also great for use as rustic vases, helping you achieve the cottagecore look for less.

5. Store your matches

MacKenzie Ervin, a home decor influencer, shares, ‘I love to re-purpose small candle jars by adding matches and a strike sticker on the bottom of the jar. That way you can set it next to a new candle, and you have matches with the strike stickers right next to it. Aesthetic, functional home organization, and a great way to re-purpose.’

Using matches over a lighter might seem archaic, but matches are generally considered to be more eco-friendly than gas-based plastic lighters. Not to mention you can see when you are running out, rather than the sudden nuisance of a lighter that won't ignite.

Strike stickers are widely and cheaply available, such as this handy mix of round and rectangular set of strike stickers on Amazon.

6. Use lidded jars for pantry goods

If you candle jar came with a lid, especially one with a rubber seal that makes it airtight, you can use it as a nifty storage idea to reduce food waste, suggests Preston Black, founder and owner of Planet Junk.

‘Clean them thoroughly, and you can use them to extend the shelf life of your spices, loose-leaf teas, and even your cat's catnip,’ he suggests. ‘Candle jar lids with tight seals help protect these items from light, heat, moisture, and air. Plus, it's a great method to save money because you can buy these items in larger quantities since you can now store them safely.’

Of course, to reuse a candle jar, you need to know how to get candle wax out of jars properly to avoid contamination. Tram Nguyen of Living Good Candle, says ‘One of the safest and quickest methods to remove wax from the jar is the double-boiling technique. Fill a pot or saucepan with water (no more than three-quarters full), place your candle jar inside, and bring the water to a boil. It usually takes about five to 10 minutes for the wax to melt.'

You can then carefully use heat-resistant gloves to remove the jar from the water, and dispose of the melted wax in the trash. ‘Once the wax is removed, be sure to clean the jar thoroughly with soap and water to ensure it is spotless,' Tram concludes.