Turn Empty Jelly Jars Into The Sweetest Home Storage With A Quick DIY Upcycle

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

You know that you should recycle, or at least repurpose old jelly jars. You just don't always know what to do with them. As for little items, like cotton balls, thumb tacks, paper clips, and the like, they don't need to be repurposed, but they do need a home. Fortunately, in the mind of the DIY crafter, jelly jars and the assorted trifles around the house belong together. You just need to remake the jars to hold stuff besides jelly. It's the best way to deal with pre-owned things, which can often be upcycled to become a part of your home storage.

Making that happen for this craft is a relatively straightforward process. You're going to gussy up the lids of the jelly jars with a little Chalky Chicks chalk paint in the hue of your choice. Chalk paint is a good option when you want a quick and easy craft because it requires no primer — you can just get straight to the craft. However, you can also use spray paint or other types of paint you already have. You might need to use primer or do a few extra coats depending on how well your paint sticks.

Adding cupboard knobs to the tops of the lids makes the repurposed jars look more like fancy containers and less like jelly jars. It also creates a little handle you can use to lift the lid once you unscrew it. Repurpose knobs you're no longer using, find a new set at the store, or check Habitat for Humanity ReStore for secondhand knobs. You'll need some washers, nuts, a drill, and a small drill bit. You may need a small hand saw or bolt cutter to trim the knobs' screws if they are too long.

Your repurposed jelly jar probably has a label that needs to be removed before you can proceed. A handy hack for this is to put the jars into a pot of water with some vinegar and dish washing soap and allow the concoction to boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn the stove off, and let the jars sit in the water for about 20 minutes. That should get rid of the sticky residue on the jars. You should also wash the lids before you paint them.

After the jars dry, paint the lids with chalk paint, and drill a hole in the top for the knobs (once the paint is no longer tacky). Put the end of the knob through the hole, put a washer on the bottom side of the lid, and screw a nut in place to hold it. You can use any kind of knob that matches your decor. Royal Kraft vintage-looking ceramic knobs are a fun and colorful option if you like bohemian decor. If the screws on the knobs are too long, trim them with bolt cutters or a small saw. 

There are plenty of ways to personalize the jars. Jelly jars work well for small items, but you can reuse any glass jar. Give your storage more personality by decorating the sides with stencils and glass paint or by decoupaging pretty designs on them. Add quotes or pictures that indicate what the jar should hold. Or come holiday time, tie holiday ribbon around the knobs, and fill the jars with homemade candies and other goodies to create gifts for friends and family. You can also shape your own knobs for the lids out of clay, paint them, and hot glue them in place.