Your whole food, plant-based life.

Fun Storage Ideas

I buy a lot of stuff in bulk. Actually, I buy everything I can in bulk. I also like to store in glass. I keep my glass storage containers in my pantry in the dark to maintain freshness. Nuts and some grains that I grind fresh live in the refrigerator.

Here’s the part that drives ne nuts. I am good about getting the bulk items in glass to store, but very bad at labeling. I have spent countless hours wondering if something was spelt or wheat, which flour I ground and put in the container or if the beans I am looking at are cannellini beans or navy beans. 

I have been dabbling a lot these days on Pinterest in the DYI section. Since I love doing crafty things, it is a haven for new ideas. I have seen “chalkboard paint” used in numerous ways. People dip wine glasses in it so you can write you initials on your glass, the interior of frames are painted so people can make really cool blackboards, and some people actually paint it on sections of children’s rooms walls to make a permanent chalkboard. 

I hadn’t used chalkboard paint in any projects yet, but got completely inspired the other day when I could not determine what was in one of my jars. It hit me, why not paint the tops, so I can just write what is in the jar on them. The best part is I can just wipe the top clean and write fresh when the jar gets a different ingredient! Not something I can do with labels. I was off to the hardware store to get supplies!

This is an amazingly simple project. All you need are your metal lids (cleaned well), a sanding sponge (to rough up the lids), a sponge brush and the paint. I used latex because I am messy.  It is so simple. Just lightly sand the lids, paint on 3 coats of the chalkboard paint (letting it dry for a couple of hours in-between coats) and most importantly, let the tops cure for about 3 days before you write on them. If you don’t, you will not be happy.  Just ask me, I was a bit impatient with the first one.

I love my jars so much that I went out and found some chalkboard labels to put on the front of the jars, too! Martha Stewart has just released a line of very fun office supplies at Staples. She has them in her collection. I found these jars at Target. 

I would suggest hand washing. Happy Painting!

 

 

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25 Comments

  1. Martin Matej wrote on February 17, 2012

    This is really great idea! Thank you very much 🙂

    Reply
  2. Rosella wrote on February 15, 2012

    Thanks for the suggestions, Susan! What’s your user name on Pinterest? I’m always looking for interesting new people to follow, and judging by the recipes on your blog, I’d guess you have pretty good taste 😉

    Also, since I’m contacting you anyway, I thought I’d ask about raw cashews. I’d heard that cashews were poisonous raw, and I did find some sites saying just that when I tried to find out more. Those sites were mostly q and a sites, though, so I don’t know how credible the information is. Plus I’ve seen cashews called for in numerous raw recipes, so someone’s gotta know something I don’t. Do you know anything about raw cashews possibly being poisonous?

    Reply
    • Susan wrote on February 17, 2012

      The cashews that you can buy to eat have been processed to remove urushio, the substance that you are referring to. Note that many of the raw nuts we buy are not truly raw. Many have been steam pasteurized. You can find raw cashews at Navitis Naturals.

      Reply
  3. Karen Faivre wrote on February 15, 2012

    Bloody brilliant! I’m going to have to do that in my never-ending quest to get organized!

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth wrote on February 14, 2012

    What a spectacular idea Susan, but then again you always were very creative and that’s what I’ve always admired about you. This will be the next paint I work with for fun!!

    Reply
  5. Maralyn wrote on February 14, 2012

    I love this idea! Where did you find your cool square jars? I have been using flower shaped post it notes and sticking on the tops of my lids. This is so much better! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Susan wrote on February 14, 2012

      Maralyn…Target!!!

      Reply
  6. Jessie wrote on February 13, 2012

    Susan… what an excellent idea. Very clever. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  7. Libbi wrote on February 13, 2012

    I just pinned this onto my “organization” board. Great idea! And thanks for the heads up about the new products at Staples!

    Reply
  8. bitt wrote on February 13, 2012

    ps: raw antonia–permanent marker washes off glass! try it!

    Reply

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