Reuse Glass Jars for DIY Bathroom Storage

You can reuse old glass jars to create this easy but decorative DIY bathroom storage idea!

There are so many different ways to reuse glass food jars as storage and decoration around your home. One of my favorite ways to reuse them is by creating glass jar bathroom storage.

reuse glass jars as storage by attaching knobs to the top of the lids

It’s a simple DIY project; often the most difficult decision is picking out the decorative knobs to go on top! Plus, I love being able to reuse something that would otherwise have been recycled.

Steps to Use Glass Jars as Bathroom Storage

old glass jars reused as bathroom storage

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1. Clean glass jars and remove labels

First things first, we need to remove the labels and clean the glass jars so they don’t have lingering reminders of the food they used to hold.

My favorite method for How to Remove Labels from Glass Jars is detailed in the linked post. It involves a hot water bath, washing soda, and possibly even a bit of peanut butter. I haven’t met a label I wasn’t able to remove with this method!

After removing the labels, I put my jars in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning. If the lids still smell, I soak them in hot water with baking soda overnight and this usually removes smells.

2. Paint the lids

To paint the lids of glass jars, lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper. Because most lids are slick metal, I find the paint to stick (and stay) better with a light sanding. If needed, clean the lid with rubbing alcohol to remove any extra oils.

Then, spray paint the lids in a color of your choice. You can also use chalk paint or acrylic paint to paint the lids, just be sure to add a coat of clear coat to protect the paint.

3. Add decorative knob to the top

To attach a knob to the top of a glass jar, there are two different methods you can use, depending on the type of knob you have.

Knobs with removable bolts/screws

Some knobs have screws that screw into them to attach to a drawer or cabinet door. For these knobs, you can simply unscrew the bolt/screw and then glue the knob to the top of the lid with superglue (E6000 is my favorite heavy duty craft adhesive).

Knobs with bolts and nuts

For knobs with bolts that won’t unscrew from the knob (because they are glued in), you will need to drill a hole in the center of the lid. You may also want to cut the bolt shorter so it doesn’t hang visibly into the jar.

screw a hole in the top of glass jar lids to make decorative storage glass jars with knobs on top

To cut the bolt or screw, first thread the nut all the way up to the top of the knob. Then, use bolt cutters to cut the bolt down to the size you’d like.

If it’s difficult to cut the bolt/screw with hand strength, I’ve found that placing the bolt cutters on the ground and using a hammer or mallet to give the bolt cutters a few taps make it easier to cut through. (See the video in this post for more details.)

how to cut a screw on furniture knob or hardware using bolt cutters

Then, unscrew the nut (this should correct the thread that gets messed up when you cut it, making it easier to rethread the nut on). If you still have trouble threading the nut on after cutting the bolt, you can also use a pair of pliers which will give enough force to correct the damage to the thread.

4. Fill with small items

I love to use these jars to store q-tips, cotton balls, hair bands, and other small bathroom toiletries. Of course, you could also use these jars to store craft items, office supplies, and who knows what else!

use glass jars in the bathroom as DIY bathroom storage by attaching knobs to the tops of old food jars and storing qtips, hairbands, and cotton balls
reuse old glass jars as decorative bathroom storage

When you have a small bathroom, getting creative with organization is essential! Sometimes, you can display items like with these glass jars, but you can also make the most of the hidden storage areas in your bathroom as well, like in the cabinets. Here are some more small bathroom cabinet organization tips.

Other Ways to Reuse Glass Jars

I may have a slight issue with hoarding glass jars. Thankfully, I’ve heard from quite a few other self-proclaimed glass jar hoarders on social media recently as well so at least I know I’m not alone.

Here are a few more great ways to reuse old glass food jars as storage and decorative items around your home.

Bathroom Glass Jars in My Home

I love this easy bathroom storage project SO much, that I’ve used it in three different bathrooms! You can take a look at each bathroom space by clicking on the image below.

reuse old glass jars as decorative storage

Image Map

Jenny at Refresh Living (dev.refreshliving.com)

Post by Jenny Leads

Jenny is the voice behind Refresh Living. She has a passion for helping people to create a home they love without spending a lot of money.

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49 Comments

  1. Would love to know what this tool is, the link “This tool is the perfect way to cut down those screws. You do need a little bit of hand strength, but I’ve found it’s the easiest way to cut them down so you can’t see them sticking down when you close the jar.” didn’t work for me.

    1. Hi Tammara! I updated the link so it should link to the correct place. The best tool I’ve found to cut the screws it just a small pair of bolt cutters. Thanks for letting me know it wasn’t working!

      1. When I saw your idea I loved it! Instead of screwing the nobs in top of jar I took screw off and super glued them on the top! I absolutely love the look! At practically no expense at all!

  2. I’ve done this as well, but instead of using the knobs with the holes, I just used tacky glue and put a cute rhinestone on the top if it had a hole. Still cute!

  3. I absolutely love your idea of repurposing the smaller jars but what would be an idea to repurpose a large pickle jar?

    1. Thanks Laura! I personally use the large glass jars in my pantry to store dried beans, rice, etc. (but I know that’s not a very fun idea!) I think I’ve seen them used as outdoor lanterns as well, but I’m sure there are a ton of other ideas out there. Thanks so much for stopping by!

    2. I use mine to store flour, sugar, spaghetti noodles. macaroni etc. (Keeps weevils from getting started. If they are already in there, they will still develop – but they can’t travel from one jar to another! ). I use smaller (1-2 qt) sizes for lentils, split peas, rice etc. They are awesome.

      1. Put a bay leaf in with pastas and flour…it will prevent weevils from hatching and eating your dried foods that contain wheat and other grains.

    3. I use mine to store flour, sugar, spaghetti noodles. macaroni etc. (Keeps weevils from getting started. If they are already in there, they will still develop – but they can’t travel from one jar to another! ). I use smaller (1-2 qt) sizes for lentils, split peas, rice etc. They are awesome.

  4. Hey, girl: We just got the call that our daughter and son-in-law needed a sitter for their 3 & 6 yr. old kids: THIS afternoon and IT’S RAINING. Oh, it’s their anniversary! (Since they are out of town, the kids thought they were going to have a water gun afternoon in the creek.) That’s ok; your link just helped us out! I gathered up some old glass jars with lids; grabbed 4 kinds of snacks: dried almonds, cranraisons, pineapple bits, and chocolate chips. I grabbed the clear tape, prepared the labels which were printed out while I washed jars. WHEW! Now they will have fun, anyway. YOU are a lifesaver, girl! PatPat

  5. Hi,
    How did you manage to take the stains/smell from tomato sauce/products that came in the jar from the lids? I would keep most of the glasses if I knew how to clean it. i tried it in the past, but no success 🙁
    Thank you.

    1. I know what you mean about some of them retaining the smell. I always just hand wash them first and then wash them in the dishwasher. Most of the smell is usually gone, but even if a little remains, I haven’t noticed it when opening those jars in my bathroom. Although I will say I have recycled a few that still had too strong of a smell after washing and haven’t used them on projects. Sorry I’m not very helpful on this one.

      1. Try filling with vinegar, let stand for a while/overnight…OR…
        Try inserting absorbent napkin/paper towel…close lid…let sit ’til ready to recycle (I use this idea to absorb odors in coolers, after use).

      2. Baking soda…should absorb odor, I’d put some in the lid, seal in a zip lock plastic bag. Overnight, smelling great in the morning

  6. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one with a stash of recycled glass jars. Love how you upcycled these jars into lovely and useful containers.

  7. Hi Jenny, I love what you did with the old jars, they are lovely thanks for sharing, keep doing your thing.. You gave me a good idea too as well for some projects and how to save as well, thanks!!!! xoxoxo…

  8. Why not get a shorter screw. When you buy knobs they come wirh screws that are not that long or thick.

    1. Yep, that’s definitely an option! I will say that it always takes me WAY longer in that screw aisle to find what I’m looking for than it should, so cutting it is much faster for me.

  9. Thanks for the cool ideas! I must admit, I have not been very creative in the past. So I would love to “follow ” you!

  10. Great idea. I must try it. But, I’m wondering how you unscrew the lid without unscrewing the knob since they both turn in the me direction?

    1. I will say that the knobs do become loose every once in awhile and I do need to tighten them. I actually just unscrew them by holding the lid, though, and not the knob. If I’m being completely honest, the jar that holds the q-tips that we use every day, I just leave it propped on the top of the jar and don’t even bother to screw it on at all. 😉

  11. I have an old big jar with no lid. I repainted a bathroom in gray & then filled the jar with sea shells that we had collected over the years to give the room a coastal look.

  12. Awesome ideas! I am a freelancer for The Taste of Home and was wondering if I could use your image, along with citing and linking to this article. Please let me know!

    1. Hi Michelle, Sorry to get back to you so late, but if you’d still like to use the image you may. Please just use one, along with a direct link back to the post, as you described in your comment. Thanks for reaching out!!

  13. Reduce REUSE recycle. In that order. Great ideas of reusing. I am kind of obsessed with Jars that food come in. We use them for drinking glasses, for storing extra smoothies, for freezing bone broth, etc. My grandmother filled every size jar imaginable with Jelly. One of my favorite memories is when she would let us go pick a few jars to take home.

  14. Hi I was wondering what paint you used to color the tops the leads for the jars .

  15. I tried to sign up for your emails but it wouldn’t go through. It said to contact the site administrator. So, I would like to try some of your tips.

    Thanks,

    1. Hi Shari! Thanks for reaching out to let me know. I recently (one week ago!) had a complete site redesign, so it’s possible something was out of whack with that. I did check and I see your email in my newsletter subscriber list, so you should be good to go. Thanks so much for following along!