# Organizing canning equipment



## ihedrick (May 15, 2005)

My name is Iris...and I'm disorganized...now that I got that off my chest I wanted to get some ideas from others. How do you store your canning equipment? Do you put your empty jars into cardboard boxes, plastic tubs, or ??? I have had lots of jars donated to me that didn't come in their original box. And I am sure that after awhile the original box would begin to fall apart.
What about storing your blenders, pressure cookers, water bath pots, etc?
Just so you know what I am working with, kitchen wise, is a kitchen from 1910! No cabinets other than those plastic shelves I brought it. Its all of 6 feet wide and maybe 15-20 feet long. When you put in the fridge, freezer, electric stove and wood cook stove, and sink their isn't much room. 
When I get braver, I'll ask for tips/help with the rest of my house...isn't it funny how the animals pens are cleaned more than my house?! :shrug:


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2007)

I finally organized what I had ...I am a mason jar junkie ! I have a garage but it is not used for cars it is used for storage. I placed my jars in plastic bins..I hate cardboard because critters can chew on it. I have a bin just for the lids, rings, and cone shaped colanders. I put whatever is extra in the canning pots themselves to save some space too. It looks so much better now that I have cleaned out the jars too. I hate small mouth quarts..it is easier to get items out of the large mouth jars.


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## susieM (Apr 23, 2006)

Don't ask me. I spent two days orginizing all my jars and arranging them and stacking them and then they all fell down...but only 100 or so broke. I had to go to the doctor to get the finger that got cut, cleaning up the mess, fixed.


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## margo (May 29, 2002)

Currently I am using a variety of containers for jar storage. One is a 55 gallon blue plastic drum housing regular mouth quarts. I use old socks cut in two to pull over the jars (especially the threaded mouth ) in order to keep damage way down. Some jars go in plastic rubbermaid-like tubs with lids and the 1/2 pint jellies go in cat litter pails. Makes it easier to find the right jars for the job, as all containers are marked with the contents..

I use the cat litter pails for storing extra rings,extra socks etc
Dehydrators go in lidded tubs I got from former employer (freebies) and I make use of any sturdy cardboard boxes that can be taped shut completely.

My canning storage area is in a room inside a shop building/junk room/catchall so think sawdust and occasional rodents. So I try to seal everything as best I can. and keep the door closed except in winter to keep canned food from freezing.

As the pantry grows from year to year, it is a work in progress and the most important thing to me is to avoid having to search for my stuff. too bad I haven't applied all this to the house!!!! :Bawling: 

Margo


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## MtnGranny (Mar 3, 2006)

I have shelves in the basement and put the jars on the shelves. Some are in boxes, but most are just on shelves and I wash them as I need them. I have shelves in the pantry that I put some on too, as I empty jars. I also keep my canners on the shelves in the pantry.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Geez, I have jars and stuff all over the place. I WISH I had a place to keep everything. The canners and waterbath pan are in the back bedroom that has been turned into a storage room. I have jars all over the place, some in the kitchen cabinets, some on a shelf in the laundry room, lots of them in boxes, some out in the storage shed. 

In my defense, this is my first year to can so I'm not real organized with the stuff I've collected. I have the jar funnels hanging on hooks over the plates and bowls in one cabinet. The lids and rings are in a plastic storage tub stashed in the back bedroom. 

I think I'll put all the little stuff into the water bath pot at the end of the season. Then just stick the canners on a shelf in the back room. The jars? I have no idea. For now I'm just happy to have found some cubby holes to stash them in. I want to build shelves in the root cellar and keep them all down there, but I doubt that will happen very soon. 

So far I only have about 550 jars. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have 2500 to find a place for.


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