Don't Throw Out Empty Pasta Sauce Jars Without Trying This Clever Upcycling Hack First

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Have you tried going zero-waste in your home? It's not easy, to be honest, especially with how many products come in hard-to-recycle containers. What's even better than recycling, for both the planet and your wallet, is reusing. There are amazing ways to upcycle glass jars from pasta sauce, pickles, jam, salsa, or anything else you might find. They might not be very attractive as-is with a peeling arrabbiata sauce label, but they are practical for reuse in many ways. Just scrape that sticker off and add some paint, and you have an attractive storage jar for nearly anything you need.

With a few easy steps, turn one or more glass jars into shabby-chic storage for bathrooms, countertops, or pantries. A nice opaque coating of white paint and some strategic sanding give you a country-fresh base for adding a stencil or a label that advertises what's to be found within. Or, let the paint itself be the star of the show. Treat the lid to a new coat of color and a decorative knob, or swap it out for wooden lids that immediately class up your glass like these Yomarket Wooden Wide Mouth Lids.

Choose a clean jar that fits your vision for how you'll use it and turn it into a charming home-style storage container. Gather supplies such as white and black chalk paint, a stencil like this Bee Stencil Template from Amazon, a small wooden or glass knob, and twine. You'll also need a glue gun, paintbrush, stenciling sponge, light-grit sandpaper, and E6000 adhesive.

Once you've selected a jar for reuse, try one of these 13 household ingredients that can remove stickers from glass jars to take off the label. Give it a wash with soap and water, and wipe it down with white vinegar; this is a secret weapon when it comes to painting glass because it removes extra grease and grime. Paint the exterior of the jar and the lid with two coats of white chalk paint. You can speed up the process by drying the paint with a hair dryer on a cool setting. Once the jar is fully dry, lightly sand the edges and a few spots on both the jar and the lid to give it a naturally weathered look.

It's challenging to stencil on a curved surface like a jar, so a product like iCraft Pixie Spray Stencil Adhesive can hold your stencil in place without damaging the base layers of paint. Spray a bit on the back of the stencil, and smooth it over the spot you'd like to paint. Dab black paint over the stencil evenly, and peel it off before the paint dries. If you want the knob on your jar lid to match the stencil, paint it black now.

Let the paint dry completely, then use E6000 to glue the knob to the center of the lid. Note that the knob is purely decorative and probably won't hold up to lots of manipulation. Coil a few loops of twine around the neck of the jar, securing it with hot glue as you go. Tie a bow, and your upcycled jar is ready for show!