The Temporary Solution That Creates Endless Possibilities For Decorating Jars

You probably already know there are so many clever ways to reuse old glass jars around the house. Turn them into small vases, use them for bathroom storage, or give them a second life as desk organizers — you name it. But here's what you might not know: Painting, decoupaging, and ropes aren't the only ways to embellish these jars before putting them to use. How about we suggest temporary tattoos? They can zhuzh up ordinary glass containers in a flash, yet look pretty. Even those with zero artsy skills can have a go at this simple décor hack, and the decorating possibilities are truly endless, so long as the tattoos are small enough to fit on a jar.

The hardest part is picking just one tattoo design; but luckily, they're washable so you can continually change them out. This also means you get to decorate the exterior of your jars seasonally. You could choose, say, floral tattoos in spring and spooky ones during Halloween. Come wintertime, slap on some festive snowmen, elves, and snowflakes on the surface. By far one of our favorite picks, the One Grace Mini Black Floral Temporary Tattoos includes over 50 designs (at only $7.99) for a year-round cutesy touch. Or, if you prefer colored drawings, the Konsait 25 Sheets Flower Temporary Tattoos offer a mix of sunflowers, daisies, butterflies, and more. 

The first order of business is to clean out your jars. You can easily clean labels off of glass jars using nothing but water, then dry them thoroughly with a towel or cloth. Next, grab your tattoo sheet and cut the designs apart. Remove the plastic cover and place one by one face down in the chosen area, like you would on the skin. Dab the back a few times with a damp sponge until the paper backing starts to slide off. And that's it... unless you want the tattoos to last longer. If that's the case, seal the jar with a layer of Mod Podge (or waterproof sealant like Thompson's WaterSeal Multi-Surface Waterproofer Stain) so they don't rub off as easily.

Then comes the final step: filling your glass jars to use as unique, budget-friendly décor. Again, you can make them purely decorative or have them pull double-duty as functional storage. Either way, this idea works for candles, propagation vases, and existing canister sets, too!