Well for this weeks WFMW she wants organizing tips, so I am bringing back an oldie but goodie. What works for me this Wednesday? Canning jars. I realized yesterday just how many things we use canning jars for. We use canning jars for everything around here. I always get them when folks are giving them away and we use a lot for canning, with the proper lids, but for many of these uses you don’t need any lid or could use a plastic one from a peanut butter or mayo container. 2 important caveats, do NOT freeze things in them and be sure to use only approved canning jars with proper lids and approved methods for actual canning.
- canning of course, jellies, jams, fruits, veggies and even meat
- storing leftovers, reusable!
- making yogurt
- drinking glasses
- storing pantry items that come in bags
- storing spices bought in bulk
- storing homemade “mixes”
- buttons in the sewing room
- q-tips in the bathroom
- cotton balls in the bathroom
- great for “gifts in a jar”
- great for small floating candles
- showing off shells
- use as vases
- store flower seeds that you harvest
- grow sprouts
- take a smoothie to the gym
- show off flower petals
- pot-porri
- to put bar soap scraps to make soft soap
- pencil jar
- canisters
- use to cut biscuits
- use as a shaker for chocolate milk
- decorative candy jar
and if you are in the mood to see tomatoes in those jars, take a look here for a great ebook on canning tomatoes.
Love the idea of the biscuit cutter!
I love canning jars to and use them for many of the reasons you listed. I also use them for piggy banks and chore jars (place their chores in the jar and they do the chore as they draw it out). I have gotten a lot free through freecycle too! Never thought to use them to can biscuits (didnt realize you could..other than the store kind) and as pencil jars (DUH!) 😀 Thanks for the extra tips.
.-= Kay in PA´s last blog ..Crockpot Zucchini Bread =-.
Great tip! I have TONS of canning jars that are just sitting in a cupboard in my laundry room that I had no idea what to use them for! Now I have some great ideas! Thanks!
.-= SJL´s last blog ..WFMW ~ Organizing Food =-.
I put my toothbrush and toothpaste in a small canning jar and put them in my medicine cabinet. They are up and out of the way and they look cute.
I use several large, old, blue Ball jars in my pantry for beans, pasta, salt, and packets of sweetener.
I love canning jars too… ok, many glass jars just not canning jars. I especially like the old spring clasp ones. I use glass canning jars and the others to store my spices, nuts, and more on my built in spice rack dh made me as well as the tall shelf in my kitchen he built.
.-= Laura @ Laura Williams’ Musings´s last blog ..September $75 a week Grocery Challenge – Day 3 =-.
Thanks for the post, some of our customers have turned our glass jars into photo frames, you insert the photo and stand the jar on it’s mouth, it works very well and is a good decoration.