Mason jars are fantastic. No wonder they have been around for so long. They are so versatile and can be used for so many things around the house. We all have used mason jars for food whether storing food in your refrigerator or storing food in your pantry; you may not have thought to use mason jars for other purposes. Today, I am going to share with you creative ways to use Mason Jars from all over the house not just in the kitchen.
If you want to use any of these ideas, be sure you have a 2-inch standard opening mason jar in either the small, medium or large depending on your needs. If you use them for food, be sure you purchase safe food jars. There are some decorative mason jars out there (especially at craft and discount stores) that are not safe for food. The bottle or the packaging will indicate if it is safe for food storage. If you have specialty mason jars with their decorative lids, it's best if you use the cover that comes with the jar for a better seal. I divided this list into different areas of the home to help you see how easy it is to organize with mason jars.
Using Mason Jars in the Kitchen:
Overnight set it and forget it meals. Recently I used my medium size mason jar to create an overnight chia seed pudding. It was so easy and made two serves for my hubby and me. Feel free to check out the post by clicking here or on the image below.
While looking through my pantry for inspiration on what to store in my mason jar, I found that the Mason Jar Flip Cap fit even my Peanut Butter 16 oz plastic jar. Wow! It's a tight fit too. Try jars with a screw top; you may be able to find even more jars that this flip cap would fit.
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Using Mason Jars in the bathroom:
We all have several things in the bathrooms that we can store in mason jars. I found that storing cotton swabs in the smaller mason jar worked great. The smaller mason jar also fit nicely in my above the sink mirror cabinet. Cool! When storing stuff in the large mason jar, be sure to check that you can reach the inside bottom of the mason jar because if you can't the items will just stay there forever. Visit my DIY blog about how to make a wall hanging mason jar storage unit.
Bobby pins and hair clips can get lost very quickly. So, storing them in a mason jar is a great option. Pick a jar that will easily allow you to get the items. I found that the smaller jars work best for this. Check out the other creative bobby pin options by clicking here.
Using Mason Jars in the garage or tool area:
Basements, garages, shed are where we store most of our tools and supplies for home repair. Storing nails, screws, and various small items in mason jars will make the area more organized which will help you save time and eliminate frustration trying to find things. Below, I discovered that storing zip ties in this mason jar helped keep the size separated. I choose to rubber band each color, but you don't have to do that.
Using Mason Jars in the craft room:
I have a daughter who loves her crafts so when I find large bags for really low prices; I will buy them. But, what happens then is not so fun. The bag breaks and all the small craft items fall everywhere. They get lost and thrown away. But, using a mason jar helps keep them organized and together when she or I feel the need to craft.
Using Mason Jars in the homework area:
Of course, I couldn't miss out on an opportunity to organized the kids' homework area. I had a large bin of erasers that I purchased and the container it came; it was just not strong enough so storing these items in a mason jar was a perfect idea. The clear glass jars, as opposed to the colored jars, will make it easier for the kids to see what is inside. Therefore, you will not need to label the jars. Woo hoo! Store them in a place that is easy for the kids to reach. Also, be sure that the jar is protected, so it won't break if dropped. I found that using rubber tacky placemats cut down to size and hot glued to the glass will help with this issue.
Using Mason Jars on the go:
We are so busy these days that it is hard to eat well on the go. So, by taking a food safe mason jar, you and your kids can eat better. I found that putting cereal in the mason jar and bringing a thermos with almond or coconut milk works nicely for a run out the door busy morning. Don't forget your spoon.
I found that when I made baby food for my kids, the smaller mason jar worked ideal for the quick meal on the go. It helped keep me from doing the quick grab the jar of prepared baby food. The food also held up well in the refrigerator for at least a few days.
Well, there you have it, my nine creative ways to organize with mason jars. I hope this helped you get your life organized. Please stick around and leave a comment below on how you use mason jars in your home. I would love to hear from you.
If you are wondering where I got this Mason Jar lid, click the image below to visit Mason Jar Company's site. If you decide to purchase this handy Mason Jar flip cap lid from MasonJars.com, please know that I will receive an affiliate fee.
Sarah Soboleski
I love the cereal idea! And I, too, do overnight oatmeal in them for breakfasts. 😀
Hazel Thornton
I do love a roundup of different ways to use a single product! I'd never seen the flip top lid either. Thanks, Sabrina!
Linda Samuels
Who knew there were so many uses for mason jars? I recently saw a video on Facebook showing so many unique ideas...although you've come up with even more. I love that flip top addition...so cool. I've often used plastic containers for things, but I like the idea of using glass.
Seana Turner
Wow - I've never seen the flip tops before. What a great idea! These greatly increase the "ease of use" for using these jars to store other things. I can think of many small items I come across that would fit well in a mason jar!