If you are an avid flower receiver, purchaser, or picker, chances are you have, in turn, come to be the owner of way too many flower vases.
We completely understand the need to declutter, and there’s no sense in holding onto things we don’t need.
BUT
Before you throw them away, check out these cute but easy ways to reuse that old flower vase hiding away at the bottom of your china-cabinet.
Top 10 Ways to Up-Cycle an Old Flower Vase
10. Make a Terrarium
Trendy, easy to care for, essential for any kitchen or bathroom window…and you can make your own!
No matter what climate you live in, or what type of living space you have, if given a bit of light and a few sprinkles of water every once in a while, the contents of your terrarium will bring life to your space with hardly any effort on your part.
While you can easily find pre-made terrariums almost anywhere plants are sold, they can be quite on the pricy side. And if you already have an old vase…
A few tips for your handmade terrarium:
- Make sure all of the succulents and cacti you choose have the same environmental needs
- Since your vase turned terrarium most likely will be an opened terrarium, be sure to fill it with sun-loving plants
- If the plants you choose prefer a more humid environment, you can still use them in your open terrarium, but place them in an area of your home that gets good light and humidity, such as a bathroom window.
What you’ll need:
- your reusable glass vase with an opening large enough to put your plants in
- small stones
- potting charcoal
- sand
- soil
- plans of your choosing
- landscaping accessories
Check out apartmenttherapy.com for step-by-step instructions!
9. Fish Vase
If you happen to have a bubble bowl vase lying around (even a gardening vase will do), all you need is a plant and a new fish friend, and you’ll have all the fixings for your very own flower vase turned fish vase!
- a fish (betta fish are the most popular as they are able to survive in smaller spaces)
- decorative stones
- a plant (a small philodendron or peace lily are best – and safe for fish!)
- plastic cup
Be sure to cleanse everything thoroughly, yes, even the plant! (But perhaps not the fish, he or she is in the clear).
Remove your plant from its pot and soak the roots to clean all of the soil away. Then carry on washing your stones and vase to make sure all excess glass particles and dirt have been removed.
Fill the vase with water, doing your best to match the water’s temperature to that of the fish’s original water to avoid shock. (Use bottled water to avoid chlorine which could harm your new fish!)
Gently add your fish first, then take your small plastic cup, place the roots of your plant inside, and gently set the cup (base down) at the bottom of your vase, to ensure the plant doesn’t fall into the water.
Finally, place your decorative stones around the cup to cover it and create a more finished look!
8. Candle Holder
Making DIY candle holders out of your old flower vases is not only SO simple but can work for virtually any vase regardless of shape or size.
Choose your candles based on the shape and size of your vase.
If your vase is on the larger size, such as the vase above, fill the base with sand or mini-stones to hold the candle in place!
You can also use old glass bottles using thin taper candles. Stick your taper through the neck of the bottle! That’s it!
You can fill the base with any sort of decorative filler you’d like, be it stones, colored glass fragments, or shells!
You can also decorate the vase itself with paint or ribbons!
So many options!
7. Create your very own herb garden
Who says you need to buy a special herb garden planter to enjoy some fresh basil on your pasta!?
What you’ll need:
- your up-cycled vase
- enough pebbles, stones, or marbles to fill 1-2 inches of your vase
- potting mix or soil
- herb seed of your choosing
- sunshine!
Place your new herb garden on the window sill and watch it grow!
6. Fruit Display
Not only will you have easy access to healthy snacks, but who doesn’t LOVE seeing a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter in the morning!?
Any wide-rimmed vase such as a:
- cylinder vase
- bubble bowl
- square vase
will work perfectly!
All that’s left is your fresh fruit and voilá!
5. Candy Bowl
Ok, now for the fun stuff!
Keep this cute and colorful up-cycled candy dish on your kitchen counter (or on your bedside table, we won’t tell).
You can use chalkboard paint to create an easy, but cute label on one side of your vase as well!
This one is perfect for company! Whip it out for an easy treat your houseguests will love.
4. Display your wine cork collection
Do we have any winos in the house?! (I sure hope I’m not the only one)
Keep one of your vases on your kitchen counter or as decor for your wine cabinet!
Begin collecting your wine corks in your up-cycled vase instead of throwing them away.
Already have a cork collection going?
PERFECT!
You’re way ahead of the game! Brava!
3. Coffee pod case
We know there HAVE to be some coffee fans in the house.
If you happen to have a Keurig, Nespresso, or any other sort of single-serve coffee machine that uses these little pods, you’ve probably found yourself in this scenario:
- buys new coffee machine
- buys a TON of coffee pods for said coffee machine (because there are just too many to choose from)
- unpacks the hundreds of mini pods from their boxes
- has absolutely nowhere to put said mini pods
Well, if you have an old flower vase, BOOM, problem solved!
Not to mention, they’ll look great next to your machine, and it’s easy to find the one you want!
2. Get your smock ready
Your up-cycled vases don’t necessarily have to have a purpose! They can just be purely decorative.
Simply by adding some paint to your vase, you can have create a beautiful, handcrafted piece prefect for a mantle or shelf!
Our personal favorite is to use mirror paint or gold and silver paint to add a bit of elegance to any room in your space.
And the best part?
They’re perfect left on their own!
If you’d like, you can spice it up by placing some greenery, foliage, or flowers in them whenever you’d like or just leave them be!
1. Donate them to your local florist
If you are just looking to get rid of your vases, give your local florist a call and see if they have a need for them.
These vases can get expensive, so they can usually always use the spares (and you may have some fresh flowers in it for you)!
