Turn Jam jars into pretty gifts

It’s easy to revamp your old jam jars – start by simply soaking in warm soapy water to remove the label. If it proves tricky, then use a vegetable peeler to scrape it away. Any sticky residue can be removed with a little vegetable oil on a scourer and gently rubbed off with circular motions. You can also paint or spray lids to make them uniform. Nail varnish also works a treat for covering lids.

Jam jars can make pretty gifts – instead of buying new containers for homemade truffles, spiced nuts or fudge – repurpose your used jars. Make personalised labels and attach them around the top of the jar with ribbon or string to make them even more attractive. Layer instant hot chocolate powder, marshmallows and Maltesers in smaller jars for a takeaway treat instead of party bags.

To make easy table decorations, take jars of different heights and fill with flowers and foliage from the garden to make a boho display for your table, or put tealights in smaller jars for a low-cost display.

Jam jars also make useful breakfast pots – perfect for overnight oats or granola and yoghurt breakfasts. Make your breakfast the night before and pop it in your bag in the morning to take to work. It’s also a lovely way of encouraging the kids to organise their own breakfasts if they make it in the evening, and then they can just help themselves the next day when they’re getting ready for school and time is tight.

Glass pots left over from supermarket puddings are brilliant for serving your own desserts. Simple cheesecakes or even a couple of scoops of ice cream look more upmarket when presented in these dishes. They are also excellent for encouraging portion control and perfect for kids’ afterschool snacks – just place them on a tray with chopped fruits, crudités and houmous for an exciting and healthy option.

Small pudding pots are shallow, so you can use them to make organisers for dressing-table drawers. Perfect for holding hairbands, clips, earrings and bracelets, they are clear and open so you can find what you need in a flash.

Finally, if you need a lid for your used Gü pot, then a Pringle lid fits them perfectly. They are then great as “pinch pots” to keep your salt and pepper in for cooking and storing dried herbs and spices in an attractive and easy-to-access way.