What do you put in jars for coastal decor?

Jars are one of the most versatile vessels for coastal decor. Fill them with seashells, sea glass, shark teeth, sand dollar pieces, or driftwood for a classic beach look. You can also fill small jars with sand from different beach trips and label them by location, or use tiny jars to display small treasures like shark teeth that would get lost in a bowl. Mixing textures and sizes within a group of jars creates a collected, natural look.

Where can I find Ball jars for decorating?

The best places to find Ball jars for decorating are yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, antique shops, and estate sales. Yard sales are usually the most affordable option. Once people know you collect them, they often start showing up as gifts too. Blue Ball jars are the most popular for coastal decor, but aqua, green, and clear jars are all beautiful options.

How do you decorate with jars on a shelf or mantel?

Group jars of different sizes together and fill each one with something different, such as shells in one, sea glass in another, and sand in a third. The repetition of the jar shape with variety in the contents is visually satisfying. You can also use jars to prop up small signs or lean driftwood against them. Layer in a candle, a piece of coral, or some dried sea grass to complete the vignette.

How do you use jars for seasonal coastal decor?

One of the best things about decorating with jars is how easy they are to refresh with the seasons. In the fall, add dried wheat stalks or small gourds. In the spring, tuck in some greenery or fresh flowers. In the winter, add pine sprigs or small ornaments. The jars stay the same and the contents change, so your display feels new without spending much.

Do you have to use Ball jars for coastal decor?

Not at all. Any jar works beautifully for coastal decor. Spaghetti jars, pasta sauce jars, drink jars, and apothecary bottles all make great vessels for shells and beach treasures. If the lid or top of a jar is not attractive, wrap it in twine for a more finished, coastal look. The key is the contents and how you group them, not the jar itself.

How do you display shells in jars?

Fill a clear glass jar with a mix of shells in different sizes and textures, or sort by type for a more curated look. For a meaningful touch, add a small tag or label noting where the shells were collected. Place jars on windowsills where the light can catch them, group several together on a shelf or mantel, or use a large jar as a centerpiece on a coffee table or dining table.

What size jars work best for coastal decor?

A mix of sizes works best. Large jars are great for displaying bigger shells, driftwood, or a generous collection of sea glass. Medium jars work well for mixed shell displays. Small jars are perfect for tiny treasures like shark teeth, small shells, or sand from a specific beach trip. Grouping different sizes together creates visual interest and a collected, layered look.

What coastal signs pair well with jar displays?

Handmade coastal signs pair beautifully with jar displays because they give the arrangement a finished, intentional look. Signs like the I'd Rather Be Beachcombing Sign, I'd Rather Be Hunting Sea Shells Sign, or Coffee Beach Hunt Repeat Sign work especially well leaned against or placed beside a grouping of jars filled with beach treasures. The combination of a handmade sign with natural shells and sea glass creates a warm, personal coastal vignette.

jars and bowls filled with sea treasures, tips for decorating coastal style with jars

How to Decorate with Jars for Coastal Style at Home

If you have been following along here for any amount of time, you probably already know that I have a serious jar problem. And I mean that in the best possible way.

I am a sucker for all things blue, and Ball jars are basically my love language. I have collected them at thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, and antique shops for years. A lot of people get into Ball jars for the age and the value, but honestly, I just think they are beautiful. The color, the shape, the way the light comes through them. I am not picky about the year or the rarity. I just want them on my shelves filled with treasures!

I love all colors of jars, although I mostly have blue ball jars, nd it turns out, jars are one of the most versatile and forgiving things you can decorate with, especially if you love coastal style.

Here is how I use them all over our coastal home.

Hand holding blue ball jar full of seashells

Fill Them with Your Beach Treasures

This is the obvious one, but it never gets old. A jar filled with shells, sea glass, shark teeth, sand dollar pieces, or driftwood is one of the simplest and most beautiful things you can put on a shelf. I love mixing textures and sizes, and I love that every jar tells a little story about where those treasures came from.

Jars of seashells tagged with location of where they were collected, tips for decorating with jars and beach treasures

One of my favorite things to do is label the jars with a small tag or sticker noting where the shells are from. Amelia Island, Sanibel, the Outer Banks, or wherever your beach memories live. It turns a simple display into something meaningful, and it is a great conversation starter when people come over.

Coastal decor, jars filled with sea glass and shark teeth, on a wood shelf

Fill Them with Tiny Treasures

Shark teeth and tiny shells are notoriously hard to display because they get lost in a big bowl or tray. A small jar is perfect for them. You can see every single piece, and they look intentional instead of scattered. I keep a little clear jar of shark teeth on my bookshelves

Jar with shark teeth and jar with sand, tips for displaying beach treasures with jars

Fill Them with Sand

This one is so simple and so sentimental. Collect a little sand from every beach trip and fill a small jar. Label it with the location and the date. Over time, you end up with a little collection of jars that is basically a travel journal in sand form. I love this idea for kids too because it gives them something to do at the beach and something to keep when they get home.

small beach sign propped up for display by a blue ball jar, tips for displaying beach treasures with jars

lobster sign propped up for display by a blue ball jar, tips for displaying beach treasures with jars

Use Them to Display Other Coastal Decor

Jars are not just for filling. They are also great for propping things up. I use them to lean small signs against, to hold driftwood pieces upright, and to anchor little arrangements on shelves and mantels. A jar with a few stems of dried sea grass or a piece of coral next to a handmade sign is one of my favorite simple vignettes.

Ball jars on a windowsill filled with beach treasures, tips for displaying beach treasures with jars

Group Them Together

We have these really high windows with wide ledges in our home, and they are basically made for jars. I line them up in groups of different sizes and fill them with different things- shells in one, sea glass in another, sand in a third. The repetition of the jar shape with the variety of what is inside is so satisfying to look at. You do not need a lot of space to do this. A windowsill, a mantel, a floating shelf, even the top of a bookcase all work beautifully.

pumpkin sand dollar sign with a jar, driftwood and wheat , tips for decorating with jars and coastal decor

Jars and bottles with coastal decor and greenery, tips for decorating with jars and coastal decor

Change Them with the Seasons

This is one of my favorite things about decorating with jars. They are so easy to refresh. In the fall, I add dried wheat stalks. In the spring, I add some greenery or flowers. In the winter, I tuck in some pine sprigs. The jars stay, the contents change, and your whole display feels new without spending a thing.

Hello fall sea turtle sign with fall and coastal decor, tips for decorating with jars and coastal decor

Seahorse pumpkin sign with coastal decor and a pumpkin, tips for decorating with jars and coastal decor

A Few Tips for Thrifting Jars

If you want to start collecting Ball jars but do not know where to begin, here is what I look for. Blue is my favorite, but aqua, green, and clear are all beautiful too. I do not worry too much about the lids because I don't always use them for display.

Yard sales are my first stop, then thrift stores, flea markets, and antique shops. Estate sales are gold if you can get to them. And honestly, once people know you collect them, they start showing up as gifts. It is a wonderful problem to have! I've stopped buying them at antique stores because they can be pricey, and I probably have enough! I do pick them up if I see them for a low price, though!

Use what you have

Use jars you already have around your house, spaghetti jars, drink jars, etc. Sometimes if the top of a jar is ugly, I will wrap it in twine to make it look prettier, and bonus,it looks more coastal!

jars filled with seashells, tips for decorating with jars and coastal decor

Start Simple

If you are just getting started with this kind of decorating, do not overthink it. Grab one jar, fill it with shells from your last beach trip, and set it somewhere you will see it every day. That is really all it takes to start bringing a little coastal feeling into your home, no matter where you live.

lots of jars and bowls filled with sea treasures, tips for decorating coastal style with jars

More Coastal Inspiration

Decorating Ideas for Your Beachcombing Finds - creative ways to display shells, sea glass, shark teeth, and more at home
Displaying Your Beach Treasures with Our Handmade Beach Signs - beautiful ways to pair your shell collection with handmade coastal signs
How to Clean Sea Shells You Bring Home from the Beach - everything you need to know before you display your finds
What Is Sea Glass and Where to Find It - everything you need to know about another beloved beach treasure
Decorating with Sea Glass - how to display your sea glass beautifully at home
Finding Shark Teeth on Amelia Island - tips for finding one of the most exciting beach treasures
Decorate with Coastal Style Wherever You Live - bring the beach home no matter where you are

Shop Our Best Beachcombing Signs

All of our signs are hand-painted on real wood and made to order in our Amelia Island, Florida studio. Here are some of our favorites for the shell hunter, sea glass collector, and shark tooth seeker in your life.

I'd Rather Be Beachcombing Sign - for the beach lover who lives for the hunt, whether it is shells, sea glass, shark teeth, or whatever the tide brings in.

I'd Rather Be Hunting Sea Shells Sign - for anyone who would always rather be on the beach with their eyes on the sand.

I'd Rather Be Hunting Shark Teeth Sign - a must for the shark tooth hunter who checks the tide charts before making any plans.

I'd Rather Be Hunting Sea Glass Sign - for the sea glass collector who knows that the best pieces are always just around the next bend.

Coffee Beach Hunt Sea Shells Repeat Sign - the perfect daily routine for a shell hunter. Coffee, beach, hunt, repeat.

Coffee Beach Hunt Shark Teeth Repeat Sign - same great routine, just with shark teeth instead of shells. A fan favorite.

Coffee Beach Hunt Sea Glass Repeat Sign - for the sea glass hunter who runs on coffee and low tides.

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