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Twin Cities Mom Collective

Glam up your cupboard with a little RRR

Attaining beautiful inside cupboards.  We’ve all seen the dream kitchens and pantries that are lined with glass jars filled with colorful grains and seeds and pastas.  Everything about those images appears so romantic.  Waking in the morning and pouring your daily bowl of oatmeal from a beautiful glass jar (instead of a paper packet), reaching into the cupboard for your brown sugar canister (instead of a sticky plastic bag with a broken clip), and topping it off with freshly squeezed orange juice.  All while your kids skip through the backyard meadows, frolicking with the deer and sparrows and pick fresh daisy bouquets for the morning table.  I “ooh and aah” for a second, and then bounce back to reality and realize I just need to shut the cupboard door, get food on the table and put my cash toward something visible and useful (like a new shirt, or more importantly…that leaky faucet).

Well, I’ve been rebelling from this mentality for about two years now.  It all started when I received a creative hostess gift one evening – a giant jar of seasoned artichoke hearts. Fun.  Who doesn’t love a little tasty embellishment on their salad or pizza?   It didn’t take too long for the jar to be emptied.  I knew it was too good to go straight to the recycling bag…maybe cotton balls in the bathroom?…My Little Pony collection and accessories?…beads?  The glass threw me off with the kids, too risky for the playroom.  Then it hit me – BEANS!  The piled bags of dried beans in the cupboard had become a hazard as of lately, you never knew when everything would come toppling out.

 

before and after

The jar cleaned up perfectly after a quick soak.  No sticky label residue and no permanent printing on the lid.  Needless to say, I marched right into Costco and bought another jar combo.  (yep, they come in 2’s…you just have to buy two at a time!)  Here I am, about 2 years later, and it’s obvious the amount of artichoke hearts we have enjoyed.  Solving the bean tower dilemma was helpful, but I have found all other sorts of dry goods to store too: millet, quinoa, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, rice, powdered sugar, coconut, etc. and now I can easily buy in bulk.

My jar collection didn’t stop with just artichokes.  Our almond butter was sold for a while in glass (sadly they have switched to plastic now) and Trader Joe’s has a fab organic spaghetti sauce that comes in a large mason jar.  I have found a few other interesting glass canisters at Goodwill as well.  If it’s a steal-of-a-deal, I go ahead and buy it…but nothing beats a good ol’ RRR (reduce, reuse, recycle).  I like the eclectic mix of sizes, textures and tops.  Salsa jars are my only “no thanks” containers.  For some reason, no amount of soapy-soaking or vinegar can eliminate the smell.  Unless you want spicy flavored walnuts, skip on reusing the salsa jars for food (craft projects only, please).

At the start of the chalkboard craze, World Market carried mini chalkboard labeling stickers (you can now get them just about anywhere).  I snagged a few and stuck them on the jars.  They are a fun, decorative statement, and honestly I need the help to keep track of certain items.

 

SONY DSC

And now…my cupboard is beautiful!  It may not be flashy to the world, but I’m able to enjoy it on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis.  I moved a handful of jars into the glass hutch as well.  The love is spreading.  But not fast enough, the bliss is only in one cupboard…the baking shelf is another story…and lets not even talk about the snack shelf.  I have a ways to go until my whole kitchen is “converted,” and lets face it, I don’t think I’m striving for that.  For now, change only happens one artichoke jar at a time.

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4 comments

Sarah January 15, 2014 at 8:17 AM

I love this idea, thank you for sharing! I have long admired those kitchens as well, but wasn’t willing to fork out the dough nor been able to find the time to do it. It never dawned on me to re-use glass jars. One question for you – how do you keep track or remember how to make each of these? Obviously some of them are no-brainers, but I can’t seem to remember the water ratio or cook time on some items.

Thanks!!

Reply
Bert January 15, 2014 at 4:53 PM

Honja! I love it!!! Such a simple idea but I wouldn’t have thought to do it. See, this is why there are people like you in this world – to help inspire the rest of us.

Reply
Misty Harper-Anderson January 16, 2014 at 2:48 PM

LOVE! I have a cupboard full of clean glass jars from various products that are just waiting to be put to good use!

Reply
Honja January 17, 2014 at 11:35 AM

Sarah: I’m still old school and keep a recipe box. I keep most recipes/instructions in there. However, for the beans (which I can never remember soaking times and ratios) I cut out the little square directions from the bag and keep it in the jar with the beans. Easy peasy.

Thanks for all the encouragement!

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