Using Mason Jars for Decor and Practical Purpose
I have a love affair with mason jars.
I use them for everything! Mainly storing food goods, in the refrigerator and out on my shelves, but there are many other uses too!
Being a minimalist, I do not wish to spend my time decorating my house *just so*, but I do want it to look nice. And I have a few rules for my decor- one being usefulness. Especially for the kitchen. I do not want shelves of pretty knickknacks that take up my energy in cleaning and take up extra for storing or cluttering up my visual space.
Remember the look of the country kitchens in magazines? Yeah… not what we’re going for.
But mason jars do add charm and a homey feel without having to have miscellaneous clutter piled around them.
Brian built me 2 pine shelves specifically for my jars of dry goods. They are simple, with clean lines and the jars fit 1/2 gallon jars comfortably.
In them, I store things I use on a daily or weekly basis:
- Dried tomatoes
- Dried peppers
- 3 types of nuts
- 3 types of seeds
- Coconut flour
- Sea Salt
- Cocao Nibs
- Dried Fruit
- Homemade vanilla extract
- Coconut
- Lentils
- Dry beans
- Rice
- Oatmeal
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Yogurt
- Yogurt Cheese
- Lacto-fermented Pickles
- Lacto-fermented carrots
- Lacto-fermented Chutney
- Bone broth
- Leftover soups

Jars can be used in as:
- Vases
- Drinking glasses
- Storing art supplies
- Organizing legos
- Sprouting seeds, beans and nuts
- Making tea
- Making Kombucha
- Storing fresh herbs (set them in water, like flowers in a vase)
- Storing spice mixes
- Making kefir
- Food gifts
- Make a candle in it
- Fill part way with epson salt or sand and a votive for a candle holder
- Making into an oil lamp
- Storing homemade deodorant
- Savings jar for kids or a special vacation
- As your home office (pencil, pens, tape & paperclips all in one jar… don’t need more space than that, right?
- Mending kit (again, all one needs should fit into one jar)
- As a blender top
A friend used mason jars for lights over their island |
- Bathroom Storage (q-tips, cotton balls, tooth brush)
That looks very neat! I like things that are handy and being able to see what is in them.
Talked my husband into making me 3 little shelves for mason jars!! Will have to show you when they get done!! 🙂