# canning jar storage



## House faerie (Apr 29, 2007)

Just wondering where and it what manner everyone stores their canning jars. Mine tend to set around after their emptied, the shelves I have are full and I just really need a storage system.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

We always keep the boxes and put them back in them when empty. Thanks Marc.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I put them in boxes, some, the origional boxes. Store them in the laundry room. Stacked.


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## SoINgirl (Aug 3, 2007)

I just put them back on the shelves where they come from.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I store mine in the pole barn, in boxes. Sometimes it's the original box, sometimes it's what I can make work. If you buy your motor oil by the case (old truck, needed it's own refinery) you can get 2 dozen pints in the box by stacking with a layer of cardboard between layers. You have to re-bend the top flaps because the two layers are taller than the box, but it works well. I bought a new truck so I wont be getting many of those cases any more, though.

I buy my dogs a 10 lb. box of Milk Bone Flavor Treats once a month. Six quart jars fit in those nicely.

I have several storage shelves in the barn to hold the boxes.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

I store some of mine in large plastic totes that I can stack. For pints, set them in upright. Add a layer of newpaper, then another layer of jars. For quarts, I lay them on their sides, and do the same thing with layers of newspaper. Use more newspaper to cushion the lips of the jars, if there's any chance of them getting nicked. 

If you want additional safety, it's easy to weave folded paper between the jars, to keep them from clanging together. I've done it, but, if the totes are handled gently, I haven't had any breakage. Just make sure not to over load the totes so they are difficult to handle.

Keep the size and type of jar separate. When removing the jars, leave the newspaper in the tote. That makes it easier to put them back, after they've been emptied. 

Another solution for canning jars, especially quarts and half gallons is to can water in them. Save your good used lids for this. Even if a couple don't re-seal, it isn't a material issue. Then, store these in the space you have set aside for your emergency water storage. The great thing about this is that you don't have to rotate this the way that cases of bottles of water should be recycled due to leaching plastic. As long as the jar is sealed, the water is safe to drink in an emergency. I have some stored bottled water that's nearing the expiration date. When that gets used to water my plants, that space in the pantry will have home canned water, instead. 

If you need the jar(s) for canning, just empty the water and use them. 

BTW, I've stored those totes of jars under the covered backporch. It's about 4' off the ground. They are protected from the weather and especially from the sun that can break down the plastic. Now, I have a metal storage building for them. Just take a laundry basket to the shed and get the number that I need without having to lug the totes back into the house. 

Hope some of this helps.
Lee


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Pints can be stored in wine boxes. Bottom 12 jars with the mouths down and then 12 with the mouths up, 24 in a case. The cardboard in those boxes is usually strong enough to stack to the ceiling if needed.

Martin


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## Delrio (Mar 11, 2007)

Back on the shelves they came from plus hubby built me an another shelf for the extras!


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Back into original boxes and into the Honey House...course someone needs to carry them OUT to the honey house...HUUNNEY, I need yooouuu...~lol~...


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## Forest Breath (Oct 23, 2009)

I have a root cellar with shelves on both sides. Right side has full jars, left side has the empty ones. I just clean them and put them in a basket, when I make my next trip to the cellar I put them on the shelf out there. 

I know this woman that will just empty hers out and throw them in a box. She don't even clean them!!!!! Her poor family has to scrub them forever when it is canning time. I cannot imagine!

I prefer organization!


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## Cinelu (Jan 1, 2009)

Forest Breath, when I was growing up, I had an aunt who would place her empty, unwashed jars on a covered back porch, and when it was canning season, us kids would have to wash them. Can you say NASTY?


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Mine are in constant use- I use them to hold frozen food or vacuum pack cereal and grain. I use them for left overs in the fridge. 
It seems that something is always getting used up just in time to be filled with something else.


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## TundraGypsy (Feb 25, 2005)

My hubby has a lot of old wooden boxes that were used once for fruit. They will hold 8 or so quart jars ,and they stack up nicely in the old, unused chicken house. The one section of the basement is full of empty jars as well, in boxes and fruit boxes. There are small jars for jams and pints for fruits, and quarts that are all just sitting empty as well. The opposite side of the wall is a shelf full of jams, peaches, butter, and applesauce that are canned.

Someday I plan to count how many jars I have. Of course, that is at the one house; I have another house in Idaho and have been carting and buying jars for that place as well. I have more pint jars at the Idaho place because it is just the two of us and a quart jar doesn't work for us anymore. I use some of the quart jars to store herbs and other dry items.

I love my half gallon and gallon jars for storing herbs and making elderberry syrup.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Don't forget that quarts are great for batches of soup. IMHO a quart of soup makes a hearty meal for 2 and/or for planned leftovers. I also like to can tomatoes in quarts to make big batches of homemade soup from scratch. I make that in a 12 qt stock pot. Then, freeze in meal sized batches (3 of us) for supper for two nights. 

Just 2-cents.
Lee


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

marinemomtatt said:


> Back into original boxes and into the Honey House...course someone needs to carry them OUT to the honey house...HUUNNEY, I need yooouuu...~lol~...


That's exactly what happens here. There's not enough room in the cabin so I collect a bunch on the counter by the back door 'til it's time to call Hunney to take them out to the storage shed but I never manage to keep them organized or in original boxes. In fact my next project is to go out there and organize that mess. The outside of the storage cabin's cute tho, I nailed the slabs left from the trees we milled for lumber on the outside. There's always something to take back out there or go out there to get.


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