Creative ways to Reuse Packaging Instead of Tossing It (Because Bins Are Boring)

We’ve all been there—you open a new skincare product, and before you can even admire your fresh purchase, you’re left with a pile of packaging. Jars, boxes, tissue paper, those itsy-bitsy packing peanuts that seem to breed everywhere… It’s enough to make you wonder if you’ve bought a moisturiser or a DIY recycling project.

Now, we could just bin the whole lot (or, if we’re feeling responsible, recycle it), but where’s the fun in that? Instead of letting perfectly good packaging go to waste, why not we get a bit creative? Here are some genuinely useful (and slightly ridiculous) ideas to reusing your beauty and household packaging.

1. Fancy Jars = Fancy Storage (or at Least Organised Chaos)

Glass jars from candles, moisturisers, or even jam can be brilliant for storage—because let’s be honest, no one ever has enough small containers when they need them.

• Makeup brush holders – Because stuffing them back into a makeup bag just leads to a bristle massacre.

• DIY spice jars – You’ll feel like a proper chef with neatly labelled jars instead of crumpled supermarket packets spilling everywhere.

• Cotton pad & earbud storage – Posh and practical.

• Mini plant pots – Succulents seem to thrive in just about anything, and an old glass jar makes a perfectly good home for one.

Bonus tip: If you want to remove sticky labels from jars, soak them in hot soapy water and rub with a bit of oil. Or, if patience isn’t your strong suit, scrape them off aggressively with a butter knife and hope for the best.

2. Cardboard Boxes: From Rubbish to Resourceful

We all have a cupboard or drawer full of old boxes that we’ve kept ‘just in case’. It’s time to finally use them for something other than collecting dust.

• DIY drawer organisers – Cut up old skincare or perfume boxes to create dividers for your drawers. It’s surprisingly satisfying, and suddenly your junk drawer looks slightly less like a disaster zone.

• Gift boxes – Why spend money on gift wrap when a good-quality box can be spruced up with some ribbon and re-gifted? Bonus points if you use one from an costly brand to make your present look fancier than it actually is.

• Seedling planters – If you fancy a bit of gardening, small cardboard boxes make great temporary pots for seedlings before they’re ready to go outside.

3. Candle Tins & Jars: Too Pretty to Toss

Luxury candle jars often cost more than an entire month’s worth of electricity, so it feels downright criminal to throw them away once the wax is gone.

• DIY tealight holders – Clean out the jar, pop in a tealight, and suddenly you’re feeling very ‘interior designer’.

• Bathroom storage – Cotton pads, hair clips, those 75 bobby pins you swear keep disappearing… all neatly contained.

• Snack storage – Because having a little jar of nuts or sweets on your desk makes you feel sophisticated (or at least prepared for a snack emergency).

Tip: To clean out leftover wax, stick the jar in the freezer for an hour. The wax should shrink and pop right out—no messy scraping required.

4. Pump Bottles & Spray Bottles: Your Cleaning Routine’s New Best Friends

Those pump and spray bottles from old beauty products? Absolute gold dust when it comes to DIY cleaning.

• Refill with homemade cleaning products – Mix water, vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil for a natural, eco-friendly cleaner (that somehow still smells nicer than most shop-bought ones).

• DIY hand sanitiser bottles – If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that you can never have too much hand sanitiser.

• Plant spritzer – Keep your houseplants hydrated without drenching them like they’ve just been caught in a thunderstorm.

5. Bubble Wrap & Packing Materials: Because Who Doesn’t Love Popping Bubble Wrap?

Some packaging materials seem pointless… until you suddenly need them. Instead of binning them, stash them away for a rainy day.

• Reusable gift wrap – Scrunched-up tissue paper, shredded paper, or even bubble wrap can be used for future presents (saving both money and an unnecessary trip to the shop).

• Pet bedding – Shredded cardboard or paper makes excellent bedding for small pets like hamsters, guinea pigs, or rabbits.

• Laptop protection – If you ever find yourself needing to pack a laptop for travel, a bit of leftover bubble wrap can be a lifesaver.

6. Perfume & Beauty Bottles: More Than Just Smelling Good

Some perfume and skincare bottles are so beautifully designed that chucking them away feels like a crime.

• Mini flower vases – A single flower in an old perfume bottle = instant classy décor.

• DIY reed diffusers – Clean out an old perfume bottle, fill it with an essential oil mix, and stick in some reeds for a budget-friendly diffuser.

• Decorative shelf fillers – Group a few together, and suddenly you’ve got an effortlessly chic display (or at least something that makes your bathroom shelf look intentional rather than chaotic).

Waste Less, Reuse More

Let’s be honest—most packaging is designed to be disposable. But with a little effort (and maybe a bit of hoarder mentality), a lot of it can actually be useful. From storage hacks to DIY cleaning supplies, reusing packaging not only cuts down on waste but also saves money and gives you the smug satisfaction of being resourceful.

So, next time you’re about to throw out a bottle, jar, or box, pause for a moment. Could it be given a second life? If the answer is yes, congratulations—you’ve just levelled up in sustainable living. If the answer is no… well, at least we tried.

Now, where did I put that empty candle jar?