Last Updated on January 13, 2024
I’ve seen so many cute mason jar ideas, I wanted to put together a list of my favorites. Mason jars are such an inexpensive and easy way to decorate. Hopefully, the ideas below will inspire your own creative mason jar ideas.
We all know that mason jars are for canning, but what if you don’t know how to can or don’t have the time for it? Are there other ways to use mason jars?
Whether you have jars that you want to reuse or just want clever uses for mason jars, you’ll be surprised at how much you can do with them.
I’ve already shared some of my favorite kid activities in a jar. Today I’m going to share some cute mason jar ideas you can use throughout your home.
Cute Mason Jar Ideas
There are lots of practical ways to use mason jars (and I’ll get to those in a bit), but I love the dozens of cute mason jar ideas that make home decorating so easy! Here are some of my favorites:
Solar Light
You can create a super cute light for your deck using only a solar light stake and mason jar. Find a light that is the same size as the opening of the jar and pop the light off the stand.
This tutorial from Garden Therapy gives you excellent step-by-step instructions.
You can then fit the light into the jar. Place in an area that gets plenty of sun and you’ve got a cute light. You can find both the lights and the jars at your local Dollar Tree.
Fairy Light Jar
Another fun DIY is to put a decal on the outside of the jar and then paint with a frosted glass spray paint. Peel off the decal and place a string of fairy lights into the jar.
This creates such a cute nightlight for your child’s room. You could also make these using holiday decals and different colors of lights.
Succulent Planter
Place some pebbles into the bottom of your mason jar along with a layer of soil. Arrange one of two succulents in the jar and you’re done.
I love this succulent garden created by Lolly Jane. She made them as gifts — what a great idea!
It’s a simple, rustic planter that would look amazing in a farmhouse kitchen.
Centerpieces
You can tint your mason jars and use them as centerpieces by filling them with anything you’d normally put in a vase or glass bowl. See how pretty they are filled with flowers?
Even untinted, they can be very eye-catching. Fill them with sand, marbles, pretty rocks, votives, or candy.
Bathroom Storage
You can make your own rustic farmhouse bathroom storage with mason jars. If you want a combination of these two looks:
Paint mason jars in your favorite colors and then use a piece of sandpaper to rough them up so they look aged. Attach hose clamps to a piece of wood and secure a jar within each clamp.
Add hangers to the back and attach to the wall. You can then fill the jars with makeup brushes, cotton balls, or whatever else you may need.
You can also use this in the kitchen for utensils and in the office for office supplies.
Herb Garden
Mason jars are also great for indoor herb gardens. Fill the jars with potting soil and add your seeds. You can use chalkboard labels to identify which herb is which.
Here’s a great video tutorial from DIY Inspired.
Place them in your kitchen window and let them do their thing. Do not overwater. Most herbs prefer a dry climate.
Things to Put In Mason Jars
In addition to all of the cute mason jar ideas above, there are also lots of practical ways to use them too! Here are some of my favorites.
Salad
You can also use mason jars for salad containers. Just layer your ingredients and put on the lid.
When you’re ready for your salad, add your dressing and shake.
Iced Tea
You can’t talk about mason jars without mentioning the fact that they are perfect for iced tea. You will find that homes across the Southeast use large mason jars for serving sweet tea.
Quart-sized jars work best because they hold plenty of ice.
Money
I keep a mason jar on my dresser and another in the laundry room for collecting loose change and money that I find in the washer and dryer. It’s an easy way to save up fun money!
Breakfast
Small mason jars are perfect for holding yogurt parfaits or overnight oats you can make in advance for a quick and easy breakfast.
Ideas and Activities
A lot of the mason jars in our home are filled with pieces of paper or popsicle sticks with ideas written on them. We used mason jars for both our consequence jar and reward jar.
We also use one to hold dinner conversation starters. And we’ve also used a jar to hold random acts of kindness ideas.
Other ideas you might store in a mason jar are date night ideas, boredom busters, and dinner ideas (to help plan the next week’s menu).
Mason jars aren’t just for canning. Not only can they be used in a number of DIY projects, but they also make wonderful drinking glasses.
If you purchase canned foods from a local farmer’s market, reuse the jars. These jars are made to last and now you’re armed with a ton of fun and cute mason jar ideas!
