Although canning season is still in full swing, I am always on the lookout for new ways to use my surplus of canning jars. I say surplus but I never stop looking for good deals on them. Right now in the garage I have more than 200 jars waiting to be filled. I have them fairly well organized, but have yet to do a count. Canning daily makes a count somewhat pointless for the moment, but it is very comforting having so many ready for use whenever the occasion arises.
I might not have exactly 101 uses to list today, but here are a few that you’d see in my home if you happened to stop by:
1. Storing surplus sugar, flour, canning salt, Clear Jel, brown sugar, confectioners sugar, or any other kitchen staple.
2. Keeping baking soda in. I don’t know about you but that little box has a tendency to spill and make a mess in the cupboard more often than not.
3. Storing homemade yogurt in.
4. I use one with a pump on it for hand soap on the kitchen counter.
5. Storing cereal in — those boxes are just too cumbersome.
6. Bookends — Yep, I have two 1/2 gallon jars filled with water that serve as bookends on my counter to keep my cookbooks from falling over.
7. Memory Jar – Grace and I both have a jar in our rooms that we put tiny slips of paper that we write special memories on when they happen. At the end of the year we open them up and share them.
8. Bank – I keep one in my laundry room for spare change that I find in everyone’s pockets and the occasional dollar.
9. Dill Keeper – I use a 1/2 gallon jar whenever I buy dill for pickling and need to keep it fresh for a few days.
10. Lard Keeper – I use a mason jar to store bacon grease or lard after making cracklings and store this in the fridge until use.
11. Pen Keeper – I use one on my desk to hold pens, pencils and a pair of scissors.
12. Yogurt Parfait – Grace uses a wide mouth 1/2 pint to make yogurt parfait to take to work with her.
13. Butter Keeper – I use 4 oz. jars to store homemade flavored butters.
14. Workshop Organization – I use mason jars to organize nuts/bolts/screws and nails.
15. Cotton Ball holder.
16. Collector’s Storage – Zeb uses a gallon jar to hold his bottle cap collection.
17. Snack Keeper – I store potato chips, pretzels, crackers, nuts, and other salty snacks in jars for storage.
18. Flower vase.
Ok, so this isn’t even close to 101, but it is a start. These are ways I use mason jars every day.
What do you use them for other than canning?
Finding multiple uses for something that I love to see in every room in the house gives me great comfort, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.
Simply Grateful Housewife 
I am currently using one as a fruit fly trap. I just saw it last week on a blog but cant remember where. It is working well.
We use them for many of the same things you do but also use them for:
Raw milk
Dried medicinal and food herbs
Homemade herbal tinctures and salves
Drinking cups
Homemade body products
Buttons and safety pins (in my sewing basket)
Homemade apple cider vinegar
Bug houses (when the kids catch a bug and want to watch it a few days they put it in one with a paper towel held on top with a rubber band)
They certainly have a lot of uses!
I love this post! Flower vases, you bet. Memory jar is a wonderful idea. We use one as a thermos for cold coffee in the afternoon at work. Save that Starbucks $ for something fun!
Great idea. Any excuse to use a canning jar is a good thing and saving $ — does it get any better?!
What great ideas. I have a set of canning jar mugs that I am constantly drinking out of — forgot about that. Also have some homemade apple cider vinegar brewing in several. The uses just never end. Thanks for the great additions.
Great ideas here. I have a ton of these lying around i usually use for BBQ sauce. Thanks for the suggestions!
Thank you. I am always finding new things to use them for and can never have enough around.