As I’m putting the finishing touches on my ebook, How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too — all about being a mother and pursuing your own passions — I’m reposting some of my favorite posts from the archives! If you want to be notified when the ebook is ready, just submit your email address here.
I’m a bit obsessed with reusing glass jars from things like pasta sauce and salsa (although eventually I’d like to start making those sauces from scratch myself), and here is a list of ways you can reuse glass jars around your home:
1. Office or school supplies.
2. Watering can for seedlings and other household plants.
3. Bulk ingredients and spices in your pantry.
4. Craft supplies.
5. “Mix in a Jar” gifts.
6. Drinking glasses or mugs.
7. Countertop canisters.
8. Party glasses (with ribbon tied around the mouth of the jar to match your decor!).
9. Miscellaneous doodads and toys.
10. Sand art.
11. Decorating.
12. Freezer jam.
13. Flower vases.
14. Bug collecting.
15. Candle holder.
At this point I’m seriously considering giving the girls smaller jars to replace their current plastic sippy cups (rather than purchasing $10 Kleen Kanteens for each of them).
I know some people balk at the idea of giving children glass for any reason, but I tend to be pretty laid back about it. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a Montessori environment — where children are trusted to take care of the things around them and mostly rise to the occasion based on that expectation — or maybe it’s because I have all girls. Either way, I’m pretty much the only person in our house who breaks things.
Instead of taking away the opportunity for them to learn how to handle glass objects and fragile materials, we just teach them basic rules that they are expected to follow: Walk with the point of the scissors or pencils firmly in your hand. Don’t run while carrying glass. Don’t set things on the edge of the table. And if something breaks…FREEZE until Daddy or Mommy cleans it up.
As we continue to declutter and look for eco-friendly alternatives to some of our common purchases, I love the feeling of permanence that comes from using glass rather than plastic. It definitely reflects the values we’re trying to embrace.
What other things do you reuse glass jars for? How do you feel about children and glass?
