This is the EASIEST DIY you will ever do! If you have a bunch of old jars laying around (or even if you don’t), find out how they can be turned into upcycled glass jars for cute and easy bathroom storage!
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At one point in my life I had a major container hoarding probably. Mostly glass jars like old pickle jars….salsa, olive, jelly jars, etc. The possibilities are endless on what you could do with those things, and they were always a part of my craft stash! When we moved last year I did the unthinkable, and I got rid of them all!
Such a sad day.
But I’ve slowly built my stash back up, and one thing I’ve been dying to do is make some cute storage containers for the bathroom to hold cotton balls, Q-tips, cotton rounds, etc.
I recently updated our master bathroom to a more modern farmhouse look, and I knew these would be the perfect (and practical) addition!
No need to buckle up for this DIY guys, because it’s probably the easiest (and cheapest) DIY you will ever attempt. Come learn how to upcycle your old glass jars for some cutesy practical bathroom storage!
Upcycled Glass Jars for Bathroom Storage
You can go soooooo many different ways on this, but I chose to do two variations of this easy DIY:
- Chalk Painted Upcycled Glass Jars
- Upcycled Glass Jars with Knobs
Materials and Supplies
For both of these variations you’ll need……you guessed it: glass jars. Most of mine were glass food jars that I had washed and stored away once we had eaten everything out of it. Pickle, olive, salsa, and jelly jars all work great depending on the size and shape you’re going for.
If you haven’t started a glass jar collection, and you’re super impatient to start this DIY, don’t worry…I’ve been there! Just empty out a few jars in your fridge and put the food in a different storage container. Wash out your jars and, bam! You’ve got half of your supplies already! Here’s what else you’ll need:
Chalk Painted Upcycled Glass Jars
- White Chalk Paint: Waverly Inspirations from Walmart is my go-to for all my small chalk painting projects.
- Sandpaper: If you plan on distressing (which I recommend), you’ll need some kind of sandpaper to help rub the paint off. I keep this sanding block on hand because it’s easier to use than regular sandpaper and lasts forevvvvvvvver.
Upcycled Glass Jars with Knobs
- White Chalk Paint (for the lids)
- Decorative Knobs: I score mine at Hobby Lobby when they’re 50% off! I paid $4 for both of mine.
*Possible other materials: drill (this one is just over $20 and comes with the drill bits!), drill bit, paint brush
How to: Upcycled Glass Storage Jars
1.Assuming your jars are already washed and cleaned, now it’s time to get the outer label off. If you’ve already done this, skip ahead to Step 2. ☺️
Soak your glass jars in warm soapy water for a few minutes. Depending on the label itself, some can be removed super easily and others can be super stubborn. With most labels, the bulk of the paper will come off. It’s the sticky residue that can be difficult.
Luckily, the sticky residue on my jars was able to be removed with the rough side of a sponge and some Goo-Gone. If that doesn’t work, I read that equal parts of baking soda and oil can help.
2. If you are planning to put knobs into some of your lids, go ahead and drill the hole before you paint. Just use a drill bit to drill a hole through the lid. If you don’t have a drill or drill bit, get something sharp and just stab away at the middle of the lid until you make a hole! I’m laughing….but I’m also being serious. 😆
3. Now it’s time to paint! I painted the glass part of 2 jars with white chalk paint, and I painted just the lids white of the other jars.
4. Once dry (it won’t take long), paint a second….and possibly even a third, coat.
5. If you are giving your jars a distressed look, take your sanding block (or other sandpaper) and sand some of the paint off in different areas of the jar. Depending on how many coats of paint you use and the grit of sandpaper, you may have to use a little elbow grease.
If you’re worried about messing it up, don’t! The beauty of distressing is it isn’t supposed to look perfect. And if you absolutely hate it, just slap another coat of paint on there and call it a day.
6. If you’re using knobs for some of your jars, now is the time to screw those bad boys in!
7. Fill your upcycled glass jars with various bathroom goods and admire the easiest DIY you’ve ever done! If you’re not sure what to put in them, think: cotton balls, Q-tips, cotton rounds, floss sticks, bobby pins, hair ties, greenery, etc.
Related: 9 Builder Grade Bathroom Updates You Can Do on a Budget
Ok, Be Honest….
…was this not the easiest DIY ever?? And oh so rewarding! I snuck one of the jars filled with cotton balls onto my husband’s bathroom shelf….in which he replied: “You know I’ll never use those, right…?” Who cares! They’re cute, and they’re staying! What will you put in yours??
Want more ideas for your bathroom? Check out these related posts:
- 9 Builder Grade Bathroom Updates You Can Do on a Budget
- How to Frame a Bathroom Mirror (with Mirror Clips)
- DIY Farmhouse Towel Rack
- DIY Bathtub Tray
These are so cute & look super easy. I am definitely putting this on my to-do list! Thank you for the inspiration.
You’re so welcome!
Super cute! I did this with a ton of mason jars for my wedding. We did this pretty grey/white color for the jars, used sandpaper on them to see the details of the jar, wrapped twine around the top and tied a pretty bow with it, and stuck sunflowers in the jar. They were gorgeous! After my wedding, I kept them for decorations around my house. I have two in my living room, one in each bathroom of the house, and two in my guest bedroom. Great way to recycle!
That sounds so pretty! What a great idea to double it as home decor!
This is very creative
Thank you!