11 Ways To Repurpose Thrift Store Vases In Your Home & Garden

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Picture frames, mirrors, mugs, and vases are common items that are readily available at the average thrift store. And while there is many a valuable vintage vase to hunt for at the thrift store, most of the thrifted vase finds aren't worth much. They're so common that you might skip over them completely — or, alternatively, find yourself bringing one home after almost every trip.

Even if you don't need them for flowers, you can repurpose vases into useful items around the house, from glowing garden orbs and waterers to bookends and potpourri holders. The glassware section of most thrift stores often reveals vases in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Clear glass vases are common, but you can also pick up ceramic or stoneware vases with a hefty feel. Choose vessels that will work well for the project you want to try, while also coordinating with the rest of the decor in your home. There are plenty of fun ways to repurpose vases around the house for storage, but these ideas take it a step further as DIYs that transform the vases into something new.

If you want more beautiful ways to decorate your home with candles, grab uniquely shaped vases to make custom holders. Choose a vase with a wide enough opening to insert a candle. A vase with a unique shape or texture can work as-is, or choose a plain, clear glass vase and decorate it with paint, crushed glass, fabric, or other embellishments around the outside. Adding tiny rocks, sand, or similar filler to the bottom keeps smaller candles from shifting. Battery-powered candles offer a flame-free option that won't overheat the glass vase and eliminates fire risks.

A cosmetics brush holder is one of many creative ways to use an old vase to declutter and organize your bathroom. Size is essential — a short vase that lets the brush tops stick out is best. To personalize the vase, paint designs on the outside, or decorate it with vinyl clings. Or, give the vase a dazzling look by applying Mod Podge to the outside, and pouring glitter over it. Repeat the process, and seal it with a final Mod Podge coat. Pouring glass beads in the bottom helps your brushes stand upright.

Turn a stunningly beautiful vase into a lamp to illuminate its design. A vase with a narrow top is best, so a topper, like this B&P Lamp Vase Cap, fits over the opening. This will support the socket that holds the light bulb. You'll also need something like this Emnooti Lamp Rewire Kit. To hide the wiring inside the vase, drill a hole near the bottom on the back using a diamond-tipped or glass drill bit. Finally, find a shade that fits the style and scale of the vase.

Fill a wide-topped vase with easy-to-care-for terrarium plants to create a mini garden. The base needs fine aquarium gravel or similar filler to store excess water. Add a charcoal layer to help filter out toxins, followed by sphagnum moss as a barrier. One common soil option is two parts coco coir, two parts orchid bark, one part black sand, and one part worm castings. To water the terrarium, use a dropper or mister bottle to avoid overwatering. Adding a lid helps hold moisture in the vase.

Help your garden or houseplants multiply by making a DIY propagation station, using small glass vases to hold the cuttings. The inspiration project uses strong magnets to attach the vases to a wooden board — this allows you to remove the vases easily when needed. You could also use strong adhesive or metal brackets to secure the vases to the wood, which you can stain or paint to fit your decor. Then, simply mount the station to the wall.

Pretty vases make an ideal vessel for potpourri. The open top of the vase lets the scent fill the room. You can decorate the vase with ribbons, paint, and other embellishments, or leave it as-is and let the potpourri show through the clear glass. Fill the vase with store-bought potpourri, or try an Epsom salt DIY that can help eliminate odors, combining it with essential oils and dried botanicals. Then, place the potpourri-filled vases around the house, wherever you want delicious scents.

Instead of buying expensive reed diffusers at the store, use a vase with a narrow top as a container for a DIY version. For a simple liquid scent, combine equal parts tap water and vodka, along with several drops of essential oils in your choice of scents. There are other mixes you can use as well, some incorporate oil and ethanol alcohol to help disperse the scent. You can dye the water if you want to add a little color, and then add reed diffuser sticks into the liquid. For a similar look to the above, you'll need something like these Sola Wood Flowers from Amazon.

Capture memories of a special day by creating a keepsake holder with a vase. A large vase with an opening big enough to fit keepsakes is ideal. If you want to create a shadowbox-style display, choose clear glass, so the objects show through. You can use sequins, gemstones, vinyl letters, or paint to add details on the outside of the jar. For a wedding keepsake, include the couple's names and the date, or for a vacation display, write the destination and year. Decoupage a photo or items like tickets and schedules on the outside.

There are several self-watering tools that will keep your plants hydrated at all times, but this one is inexpensive and simple. Fill a thrifted vase with water, and place a thick piece of string or rope into the water. Bury the other end in the soil of a potted plant. The rope wicks water from the vase and into the soil. To keep the damp rope from touching other surfaces, run it through a clear flexible hose — you can spray paint the hose to make it decorative. 

Two vases, either matching or each unique, become decorative bookends with a little weight added to them. Sand, marbles, shells, rocks, gemstones, etc., are some filler options to make the vases heavy enough to hold the books. Heftier stoneware vases might be weighty enough on their own — a minimum weight of 2 pounds should support your collection without the vases tipping over. To maintain the vase aesthetic, tuck silk flowers into the containers. Or, fill them with slim bookmarks. You can also paint or otherwise decorate the vases to update the look.

Turn round vases into sparkling garden orbs by gluing glass gemstones all over them — E6000 glue works well to hold the gemstones in place. Use all one color, or create patterns with different hues. To make the orbs glow, set them atop a solar light source, like these Peasur Solar Ground Lights, or fill them with outdoor battery-powered fairy lights. To create interest, use these orbs to line a walkway, or group several together, positioning them at different heights. They also work well to light your patio with a colorful glow. One note: If you opt for solar lights, daytime charging might be slightly impaired by the vase.