Candles have become huge decorative novelty items for homes and offices alike. They come in a variety of fragrant scents, and they provide great visual appeal to any room setting. Candles come in a myriad of assorted containers that many people like to keep around even after the candle has melted. If you're a fellow lover of candle containers and think they're too attractive to discard, you most likely have dozens of jars, cups, tins, and other empty vessels just lying around. You've probably tried to think of creative ideas for using them, but sometimes nothing comes to mind.
That's what we're here for! Below are a few fun and creative ways you can reuse those old containers and continue to love them long after the original wax has melted.
Preparing Your Containers
The first thing to do with empty candle containers is to remove the old wax. This can easily be done by placing the container in the freezer, placing the container in some boiling water, or just removing as much wax as possible with a sharp knife before putting some soap and water into the container for washing. Once the containers are devoid of wax, you are ready to try out some of these amazing ideas for transforming them into something you'll love.
A New Life for Leftover Wax
If you don't want to get rid of the old wax, you can make new candles by adding all of the old wax to one container. After melting the wax from all your old containers, take your container of choice and mix all the wax together to make one interesting fragrance.
Another version of this is to add new wax to the old wax that is left in the container. Wax can be purchased at any craft store. Just melt it down and add it to the leftover wax in your favorite container. Put the wick in first before adding the wax, and you have a new candle for less than it would have cost you from a store.
An Exciting Lighting Upgrade
Create a novelty visual effect by putting a tea light into an empty candle jar. This can be used for outdoor or indoor decoration. You can get even more creative by painting the glass of a clear jar before placing the tea light into it, creating a more exciting lighting effect.
A Unique Set of Drinking Glasses
Jars made for candles are often made of beautiful thick glass that would hold liquor quite well. Collect a few small jars and you can have a unique set of liquor (or any beverage) glasses that may be the topic of discussion at your next dinner party or other gathering. No one will be the wiser if you don't bring up the subject of candle holders yourself.
A Gift for Sweet Teeth
Many candle jars make great candy dishes. Clean out the wax from the containers, making sure to use soap and water. Put in some of your favorite candy and set the jar on a table or counter for all the candy lovers who enter your home. This would also be a novel gift idea for anyone on your gift giving list.
A Home for Small Plants
There are a myriad of ideas for reusing old candle containers, even simply as a plant holder. They are wonderful for seedlings as well as small plants that will not grow too large such as succulents. Try out some of these ideas to find the perfect one for you, and let your imagination run wild!