How to Recycle and Reuse Glass

If you recycle glass, you are helping the environment by keeping it out of the landfill. But, why not take it a step further by putting that unwanted glass to good use in your home eliminating the need to recycle? Turn your trash it into a real treasure. It's amazing how beautiful reusing glass can be.

Creative Ways to Reuse Glass

Reuse an old glass canning jar as a terrarium. This is a terrific reuse for kids. All you need is items from nature, such as moss, twigs, flowers, feathers, or pine cones. There are many other ideas for reusing old glass containers on the Go-Elsewhere blog too, such as old coffee pots and bottles.

Reuse Glass Jars as Terrariums | Go-Elsewhere Blog

With some old baby food jars, spray paint, a hot glue gun and a string of Christmas lights, you can make this festive holiday tree. The multicolored tree is sure to be a conversation piece for visitors to your home. It would also be beautiful done in solid green.

Christmas Tree from Baby Food Jars

An outdoor centerpiece is a snap to create with these mason jars and floating candles. Fill the jars with water. Tie raffia to the top of the jar and viola, an outdoor candle holder.

Outdoor Candle Holder Centerpieces from Jars

Creative Ways to Reuse Glass

If you come across a uniquely shaped glass bottle, you can make it into something special by painting it. This tutorial available at Craftbits, show you how to prep the glass before adding your painted artwork.

Embellished Glass Bottle

Wash out that old mayonnaise jar and turn it into something useful... a place to store memories! You can make a collage jar by organizing some of your favorite photos and mementos into a reused jar. How about making a "best friend" collage jar, a "babies first birthday" jar, a jar from a special trip, or high school graduation?

Collage Jar Instructions

These glass jars were reused to make Valentine's day candy holders. The same principle can be used for any holiday, St. Patrick's day, Christmas, or Halloween are all great excuses to decorate a small glass jar and fill it with holiday goodies.

Instructions for Decorating and Candy Jar Containers

This tutorial is for a pin cushion and sewing storage from a canning jar. If you don't can food, ask some of your friends that do for their old rings and rims. The lids and rings can only be used once and then are usually thrown away. They often fit other jars and they can be reused to make this pin cushion and sewing organizer.

Sewing Storage and Pin Cushion from a Reused Canning Jar

Votive Candle Holder

This small glass jar was reused to create a candle holder. It is a beautiful idea for decorating the holiday table. It requires only glue, raffia, stickers and holiday paper. The same idea could be used to create a themed candle holder for any holiday. They make great gifts for a teacher, co-worker, family or friend.

Thanksgiving Candle Holder

Reuse Glass

Because I don't care much for plastic, I save glass containers and use them for storing left over food in the refrigerator. Many people do this with plastic containers, but there are dangers in reusing plastic to store food or drink.

If you are gifted at drawing, you may want to try these hand painted jars from All Free Crafts. The tutorial explains how the wheat sheaf is drawn.

Wheat Sheaf Painted Glass Jars

All Free Crafts has some lovely hanging candle jars. They used a wire to bend around the neck of the jar for hanging. Filled it with sand or stone and placed a tea light inside. They'd make beautiful outdoor decor and add light to an evening outdoors.

Hanging Candle Jar

Here are some handy ideas for reusing glass jars at home: Fermenting in jars, portioning out meals, mixing drinks or dressings by shaking at lunchtime, flower vases, premade mixes for cookies and baking mixes, already made cookies to keep them fresh in air-tight storage. as a water container.

This video has uses for old plastic containers and glass containers. Some of my favorites mentioned for the glass containers include: Potted plants, terrariums or snow globes, storing extra paint from home improvement projects, lotion and bath salts, salad containers or food storage, storage for small cords, clips and other items that are small, and finally candle holders.