How To: Repurpose Our Jars
We applaud your efforts to living a low waste lifestyle!
As you are working to save items from the landfill, your stash of empty jars waiting to be filled is saving energy and resources to produce more.
Below we will give you tips on how to sterilize your jar and some ideas for reuse.
Have you found other uses? Add them in the comments!
to start: Sterilize and Mark
Our labels are designed to be easily removed. If some of the adhesive sticks to the jar you can simply scrub the outside with warm water and soap.
To sterilize simply rinse thoroughly by hand, run it through a dishwasher cycle and then place in boiling water for a minute or so. Then voilà it’s ready for reuse!
Once you’ve repurposed the jar, use a Sharpie to note its new contents. Misspelled or need a do-over? Use a wet cloth or alcohol pad and it’s gone!
TSA High Fives (2 oz)
Planning a trip and avoiding a checked bag at all costs? Finished our 2oz 3 pack, or nearly there? Get stoked because we’ve got you covered! Use our 2oz jar for your Shampoo, Face Wash, Toothpaste and Sunscreen (don’t mixup the last 2). Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Super Easy Face Mask (2 oz)
I make these for my travels and leave out the liquids (water, honey, EO) until I’m at my destination. It is also a great gift for a lady’s night, birthday or wedding/baby shower.
My sister and her friends are the most health conscious people and I know and I added one of these to everyone’s gift baskets for her 4oth Birthday weekend. It was PERFECT!
1 tsp bentonite clay
1 tsp activated charcoal powder or chorella powder
2 tsp water
½ tsp raw honey
1 drop each tea tree and/or lavender essential oil (optional)
Apply to face in a circular motion until face is covered. Let dry and use a warm, wet washcloth to remove.
Note: You can skip the additional ingredients below and simply use some bentonite clay or kaolin clay and add enough water to make a paste.
Sugar Scrub (2/5 oz)
This warming scrub boosts circulation, improves skin tone, and smells amazing! Not to mention raw honey can be used for both wound healing and skin health. It is naturally antimicrobial and antioxidant as well as packed with polyphenols and flavonoids.
1 TBSP raw honey
1 TBSP coconut oil
1 TBSP almond oil (or grapeseed oil)
1 TBSP castile soap
½ cup cane sugar (finely ground)
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Store in a lidded container and avoid getting water in the container to prevent it from spoiling. Use liberally all over the body. The heavy coconut oil may irritate delicate facial skin. Test patch if you’re unsure!
Best Darned Spice Mixer (2/5 oz)
We have excellent bulk food stores in Colorado and to avoid wasting all the spice jars, and if Savory Spice doesn’t have the blend I’m looking for, I will mix my own from the spices I can find in bulk. You can use the 2oz or 5oz jar for mixing a few spices for a party favor, house warming gift or just your go-to home mixture.
My favorite blend is a Jerk Seasoning: 3 tablespoons dried minced onion | 1 tbs thyme | 1 tbs allspice | 1 tbs black pepper | 1 tsp cinnamon | 1 tsp cayenne pepper | 1/2 tsp sea salt | 1 tsp garlic powder
My next goal (hold me to this) is to actually start drying and storing my own homegrown spices. I’ll write a blog about it if I actually do it!
The Perfect Shot-Ski (2 oz)
If you are wanting to take life to the next level and you’re like one of our Colorado friend who get new skis frequently, check out this brilliant idea we’ve concocted.Now, I’m more of a stay-at-the-base-and-enjoy-a-hot-cocoa-by-the-fire kind of gal, so this is the only thing I’d be doing with skis.
Divide your ski into four (or more) equal lengths, and mark the center of the ski’s width at each division with a permanent marker. Ideally, you want about 18 inches between the glasses. More is fine, but less will cause crowding.
Find a ventilated area (preferably outdoors) and wear glasses and a mask of some type. You’ll likely be drilling through fiberglass, which will irritate your lungs if inhaled and can cause injury to the eyes. Using the Forstner bit, drill holes through the topsheet at the marks, just deep enough to expose the wood core. A Forstner bit is like a cross between a hole saw and a spade bit; it cuts a smooth, flat hole, excavating the material from inside the hole as it cuts. 2-1/8in (or around there).
Affix the shot glasses to the ski using strong glue. Loctite Stik’N Seal Outdoor is recommended because it dries crystal clear, (Don’t over-glue, and don’t use Gorilla Glue—it dries yellow and expands outward as it cures, resulting in a mess.)
Wait 24 hours for it to dry…then have some friends over! Note: A shot is 1.5oz and if you fill to the top notch before the lid threads, you’re there.
teach the color wheel (2 oz)
We have a 3 year old at home and she loves painting. We have been teaching her how colors can be mixed to make other colors and we like to use these jars as a demonstration by mixing the paints. The bonus is you can buy larger containers of primary color paints then mix and seal the paints in smaller jars.
Now, I’ll let you determine which colors you’d like to combine. Have fun!
We’re so glad you’re interested in reusing materials and hope this is helpful! We will keep adding to this list and if you’ve done something else, we’d love to see and hear about it. Post photos and tag us on Instagram or let us know what you’ve done in the comments section below!
Thank You