We Found The Perfect Use For That Mason Jar Collection — And It Starts In The Pantry

It's great to keep a few Mason jars around for food prep solutions, DIY party decor, and even the occasional canning and vacuum sealing, but they sure do seem to multiply. And it's less useful to have a bunch of empty vessels just taking up space in your kitchen cabinets. But their famed versatility means that you can repurpose all that excess glass for efficiency and aesthetic appeal.

If you love the look of decanted cereal, pasta, and rice, but not the proposition of spending extra cash to pack it in, those Mason jars are your on-hand solution. Simply give your "add to cart" finger a rest, give your old jars a good wash if they've been collecting dust for a while, and get to pouring all those dry goods. You can keep them mostly pristine for the sleek social media look, but you should probably label easily confused items like salt and sugar — a permanent marker and a strip of painter's tape does the trick. And you'll have a newly tidy little corner of your kitchen without sacrificing a dime or one single square foot.

Airtight Mason jars are certainly going to guard your Cap'n Crunch against the dreaded oxygen better than the standard practice of folding its plastic bag over in the box and hoping for the best. But you can date them for freshness, too. More tape and a quick scribble is all it takes.

You can also skip the crystalline look and dress these babies up with cute script or even fun little pictures to represent what's inside. Chalkboard labels create crafty tableau, and wine glass pens work just as well in this application, too. You can even just replace your Mason jar lids in the event they begin to rust or bend out of shape without having to swap it with an entirely new product. Between all of the Mason jar salads, soups, and this little trick, you might just find that they're the most efficient things in your entire kitchen.