Trader Joe's customer sparks conversation on how to make the most of popular product: 'I'm a big fan'

Finding themselves with a plethora of empty candle tins, one person went to Reddit for advice on how to repurpose the decorative containers.

They asked for suggestions in the r/ZeroWaste subreddit, where a spirit of repurposing and reusing aims to "minimize our overall environmental impact." As a bonus, this approach also saves money on buying new products and extends the usable life of items, giving you more bang for your buck.

Commenters chimed in with plenty of ideas. "They'd make great junk drawer organizers," one said. A gamer suggested using them as dice holders for game nights. Another user suggested using them to store hair ties, bobby pins, and other loose odds and ends.

"If you still have the lids you could make to-go kits, like first aid or sewing," they added. "You could use them for sorting jewelry, or traveling with jewelry."

In addition to storing items, one person suggested using them to grow new life. "I'm a big fan of planting small succulents and cacti in my leftover candle jars and tins," they shared. "I've also used them to gift cuttings of my other plants to friends so that they already have a vessel for it to root in."

Perhaps most obviously, many people suggested filling the empty candle tins with more candles. "Make new ones!" one person enthused. "I get beeswax and wicks online and reuse all my candle tins."

If the original poster doesn't want to make their own, another Redditor suggested checking with local candlemakers to see if they do refills. "I have a candle maker local to me who does refills in my area," they said. "I get to support a small women-owned eco-friendly business, I get to reuse supplies, and I get some really great candles, it's a win-win."

The spirit of upcycling candle containers extends far beyond candle tins. From reusing pasta sauce jars as portable coffee cups to upcycling clothing into something entirely new, there are all sorts of creative repurposing ideas out there. And if you'd rather declutter than reuse, several organizations, including Trashie, accept donations and offer rewards or payments for doing so.

What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste? Not buying food I don't need 🧐 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲 Composting my food scraps 🌱 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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