Don't Toss That Jam Jar — Use It To Make A Decorative Hand Soap Dispenser For Your Kitchen

The jam jar you just scraped one last spoonful out of still has life left in it. Before you go into autopilot and chuck the jar into the trash, consider repurposing the container as a charming soap dispenser. All you need is some glue and a soap pump to transform the object into something that looks like it could have been purchased at Cracker Barrel's Old Country Store.

If there's a jam label still on the jar's exterior, you may want to leave it in place. The label can add character to your creation. You can seal paper tags with Mod Podge to protect it from splashes and kitchen spills. For the soap pump, take one from an empty soap or lotion container, or buy a cheap replacement that will fit inside the opening of the cleaned jam jar. You'll drill or carefully cut a hole into the lid of the jar so that the pump fits through. If you are using a drill to make the hole, be sure to wear safety glasses. You may also need to cut the base of the pump to fit into the jar. Once set in place, the pump can be reinforced with hot glue or a waterproof adhesive. 

After the glue has dried, you can fill the jar with soap. You can match the color of the soap to the jam's original hue, pairing the label of your favorite strawberry jam with red gel soap or an empty apricot jam jar with peach-colored soap. The same principle can be used with an empty pickle jar, and the jar can be filled with green dish soap. And of course, you can follow the same logic with fragrance, picking scents that match the original jam flavors.

Those feeling inspired can cover the outside of the jar with various embellishments, like gluing glass stones or cutouts from magazines in patterns to match your kitchen's aesthetic. This easy and quick DIY project may inspire you to hold onto empty jars for other projects. Use the same process to fill jars with lotions and hand sanitizer. You can also use jam jars as a cute way to display condiments at your next backyard party. Mustards, ketchups, and relishes can be set into jars and pumped onto plates alongside hot dogs and burgers. Jars can also be used to serve drinks. However you decide to rescue an empty jar from its potential fate in the garbage bin, your thriftiness may become the talk of your next party.