20 Solar Light Repurposing Ideas To Brighten Up Your Outdoors

So summer is a great time to be outdoors, right? The nights are longer so you get so much more daytime hours. But what about when it turns dark? Do you typically head indoors when nighttime falls because you don’t have adequate lighting outside? I absolutely love being outdoors which is why I am so excited to share this latest list with you. It’s 20 of the most unique solar light repurposing ideas you’ve ever seen. These are such great ways to add a little décor to your outdoors and to give yourself nice soft solar lighting at the same time.

You know how much I love repurposing, right? I would repurpose everything in my life if I could. The only thing I love more than repurposing is repurposing mason jars, and there are a few mason jar solar light ideas in here! If you love mason jars, you really should check out these 50 mason jar home decorating projects, too. You can decorate your indoors and outdoors with mason jars and add some mason jar solar lighting as well.

I love solar lighting. Not only does it give off a soft glow but it saves you loads on your energy bill. If you typically turn on outside lights, you can save that energy and just light up your outdoors with solar power. And these are really easy projects and none of them are terribly expensive so you won’t be trading off one cost for another. If you have been searching for ways to decorate or light up your backyard, these lights are sure to be a hit. You can even use them to play some of the amazing games found in these 35 ridiculously fun DIY backyard games.

If you have ever wanted to add solar lighting to your outdoors, now is your chance. These projects are easy, cheap and give off the best light possible – natural light from the sun. Let’s add some wonderful glow to our outdoor living spaces with these 20 solar light repurposing ideas!

1. Solar Jack-O-Lantern Lights

It’s not close to Halloween, but you have to admit that this Jack-O-Lantern solar light is adorable. If you normally carve pumpkins for Halloween and put candles in them, this is an even better idea. Not only do you not have to watch the candles – in case they get out of hand – but these solar lights will give off light so much longer and they’ll light themselves up even if you aren’t at home when dark sets in. Just add some battery operated tealight candles and you’re all set.

Tutorial: bitzngiggles

2. DIY Tree Branch Solar Bulb

You can make your own gorgeous tree branch solar bulb with a few twigs and a balloon. Just glue the twigs over the blown up balloon and then when the glue has dried, bust the balloon and pull out the pieces. Then you’ve got a great globe for your solar lights. You can add solar lights that you pick up from the Dollar Store – they’ll only cost you a couple dollars for a set – and make enough of these to line your walkway.

3. DIY Clay Pot Lighthouse Lights

I love these lighthouses. Actually, I love all lighthouses but these especially because they double as solar lights. You can make them with terra cotta pots and solar lights. Just stack the pots to look like a lighthouse form, paint and add your lights. The solar lights go on top, just like on a real lighthouse. Whether you live near the coast or just wish you did, these solar lighthouses are definitely a must for the garden.

Tutorial: Ebay Tutorials

4. DIY Miniature Fairy Solar Jars

These little miniature jars are too cute and they have solar lights so they’ll be cute even when it’s dark. If you tend to love fairy houses and such, you’re really going to adore these little jars. You just fill mason jars with tiny little gardening items or anything that you think your fairies would like. Then, add a solar light which you can glue onto the lid and leave your jars out in the garden for charging.

Tutorial: Ebay.com Tutorials

5. Solar Fairy Lanterns

I love outside fairy décor. These fairy lanterns on Etsy are a great way to bring some whimsy into your outdoor living spaces and they give off light after dark without the need for batteries. You just hang them up outside and let them soak up the sun and then they light up your outdoors wonderfully. They’re colorful and they’re made in mason jars, so they’re just perfect for rustic country décor. You can get these on Etsy for under $20.

Tutorial: etsy

6. DIY Frosted Solar Mushroom

Mushrooms are so gorgeous when you use them to decorate your garden – the DIY kind, that is. This little mushroom is made from a frosted lampshade and it’s pretty easy to put together. You’ll need a solar light kit for this one, which you can get at the Dollar Store for just a couple of dollars. The colors are really beautiful. This is the perfect little mushroom to light up your flower garden at night.

Tutorial: craftster

7. DIY $5 Beach Themed Solar Lights

This great nautical themed solar light kit is an upcycle project and it’s perfect for bringing a bit of the coast to your outdoors. You can use leftover wood from other projects. Just paint them a pale blue, tie them all together with rope and add your solar lights. If you don’t have a set of solar lights, you can pick them up at the Dollar Store really cheap. If you have the wood on hand, this entire project will only cost about $5 and it’s the perfect addition to your porch or pool deck.

Tutorial: hometalk

8. Frosted Mason Jar Hanging Lights

Those old mason jars that you have on hand would make beautiful solar lights if you frost them just a bit. You can buy these amazing jar lids on Etsy that have solar lights installed. All you have to do is supply the mason jars. If you’ve been looking for a nice farmhouse style solar light project, this is definitely a good one. Plus, you can pick up these lids on Etsy for around $30 or so a set – so you can create an entire line of these amazing mason jar solar lights.

Available on:  Etsy.com

9. Repurposed Solar Accent Light

This accent light can be made for about $3 or so and it’s perfect for sitting on the patio table at night. You’ll need a solar path light, which you can get for around a dollar if you don’t already have one on hand. You also need a wide mouth glass or vase, some glass rocks, and about five minutes to put it all together. Just pour the rocks into your vase or glass and remove the stem from the solar light. Then just put the light upside down on your rocks and let them soak up the sun.

Tutorial: dollarstorecrafts

10. DIY Solar Address Sign

I love the thought of this solar address sign. Using an old lantern and a solar light kit, you can turn your ordinary house numbers into something that looks amazing on the porch or in your garden. Plus, this lit up house numbers sign makes it much easier for people to see your address when it’s dark. This is such an easy DIY project and instantly dresses up your outdoors.

Tutorial: theseasonalhome

11. Gorgeous DIY Solar Light Chandelier

This chandelier is the best repurpose project ever. Not only do you get to keep a beautiful chandelier intact, you get to use it as part of your outdoor decorating and it’s solar powered. There’s nothing that I don’t love about this project. You can find old chandeliers at most thrift stores if you don’t have one that you can use. Then you just replace the light bulbs with solar powered bulbs and you’ve got the perfect outdoor lighting solution.

Tutorial: homejelly

12. Decorative Upcycled Solar Light

This little solar light is great because you can make it with things that you have around the house. Even if you don’t have all of the materials, you can pick everything you need up at the Dollar Store for under $5. A glass candlestick, a solar path light, and a glass votive are all you need, aside from whatever decorations you want to add. This is a gorgeous little path light and so easy to put together – and so cheap!

Tutorial: practips

13. DIY Solar Fairy Chandelier

This chandelier is a bit different and offers such beauty you’re sure to want it hanging near your garden. You can put the entire thing together in about 15 minutes and you only need a few supplies. You’ll need a solar path light, a metal wire basket, basket hanging chains to hang your chandelier and then crystals, beads, or seashells to decorate. This is a beautiful light that will be perfect for hanging on the porch or over your favorite flowers.

Tutorial: gardentherapy.ca

14. Rustic Wire And Rope Solar Light

This rustic looking solar light is such a simple thing. It’s a path light that is wrapped in wire from an old mattress and hung with rope. How much more rustic can you get? I found this one on Etsy and instantly fell in love. It’s got a great “let’s go camping” feel to it and it would be really easy to recreate. Or, you can buy this one on Etsy for $6.50.

Tutorial: etsy.com

15. DIY Solar Planter Lantern

You’ve seen these amazing solar lamp posts with planters attached, right? They sell for about a hundred bucks each in most department stores and home improvement shops. The great news is that you can totally recreate this look and save yourself some serious cash. This one takes a bit of work and you’ll probably need an entire day to get it done but it will be worth it when you see the end result. A lamppost that offers solar lighting and a wonderful planter, too.

Tutorial: lifeonlakeshoredrive

16. Easy DIY Mason Jar Luminaries

These mason jar luminaries are really gorgeous and did I mention that they’re a mason jar repurpose? I love projects that use mason jars. For these, you just glue glass stones onto your mason jars and then add your solar lighting source. They’re so easy and would be the perfect outdoor lighting for a romantic evening or even for a wedding. They’re simple to make and give off a wonderful glow.

Tutorial: momspark

17. Spooky Solar Milk Jugs

Here’s another wonderful solar lighting idea that also gives you a great decoration for Halloween. These little milk jugs are painted to look like ghosts and then lit up with solar lighting kits that use rechargeable batteries so they’re ready to scare and spook for weeks. You can also do these without the ghost faces if you just want some really cheap and easy solar lights to add to your pathway or garden.

Tutorial: condoblues

18. Terra Cotta Pot Solar Lights

These painted terra cotta pots contain solar lights and are absolutely gorgeous. These would be perfect to line the path to your house or your flower garden. You can also just sit them up on the porch or deck railing for added light when you are entertaining outdoors. I found these on Etsy. They’re all decoupage and absolutely stunning. You can choose from several available styles and get them for less than $25 each.

Tutorial:etsy.com

19. Easy DIY Sun Jars

Sun jars will set you back at least $40 or more each. Although I love the soft glow that they give off, I just can’t justify spending that much on solar lights, at least not on just one solar light. The solution? These great DIY sun jars! Frosted jars work really well for sun jars and the process of making them may seem a bit more complicated than others, but imagine that wonderfully soft glow that you’re going to get from them. You may have to spend around $15 or so on supplies, but that will make several jars, as opposed to spending more than $40 on just one jar.

Tutorial: apartmenttherapy  Mason jar chandelier available on Etsy here

20. DIY Tin Can Solar Lantern

Here’s a great way to upcycle some of your trash and create rustic charming lanterns at the same time. You’ll need a few empty tin cans, which you turn into your solar lights. Holes placed in the cans – in strategic designs if you want – let out the light and you just have to add the source for your solar power. How easy is that? Imagine stringing these up with twine and hanging them on your deck or you could put them on posts and line your walkway.

Tutorial: craftiments