Easily Organize Your Cutlery Drawer With This Clever Mason Jar Hack

From juices to soups to fermented foods, Mason jars are essential vessels to store a range of recipes you may wish to whip up. But, if the 2010s twee aesthetic taught us anything, it's that these glass containers can also be used for so much more. While Mason jars may be perfect to use for DIY party decor, they can also act as the ultimate storage solution for keeping kitchen utensils. Not only is this a great way to repurpose the jars and make cooking easier, but it'll also save you a ton of time when it comes to finding the items you need.

If you have open-concept shelving, just line up a few jars and store your cutlery standing upright. However, if you prefer not to keep them all on display, you can also arrange the jars in your utensil drawer to keep your kitchen effortlessly organized. Simply turn (lidless and, preferably, flat-sided) Mason jars onto their side before you group and gather the utensils horizontally. Shorter cutlery like forks and knives will easily fit into each container, while longer tools like salad tongs, serving spoons, or ladles can be stored together by slipping their handles into each jar. Rather than sift through a messy drawer scattered with silverware, whisks, and spatulas (and somehow never finding the thing you came to look for), everything will stay tidy and neatly tucked away in their respective jars.

While lining your drawers with Mason jars is a genius trick to organize cooking utensils (and keep them tidy), it's not the only way to put the vessels to use. Got a cluttered and chaotic pantry? Remedy the situation by keeping dried goods like pasta, granola, flour, or grains in the jars. Along with creating a sleek and uniform aesthetic, the clear glass allows you to quickly and clearly view your stock. This helps you find what you want quickly and lets you gauge exactly how much of an ingredient you have left, which means that you'll never be caught off guard by a nearly empty package while cooking ever again. 

Hoping to clean up your in-house tea or coffee station? Ditch the stacks of half-opened boxes and torn bags of java. Mason jars are just the thing for storing everything from coffee grounds to sugar packets to tea bags — they're also much prettier to keep on display. 

Beyond cutlery and consumables, you can even use the jars to neatly store things like napkins, straws, and toothpicks. Not to mention that you can easily transfer them outside for barbecues and meals al fresco. Plus, keeping any lightweight items in jars can prevent them from blowing away and littering your yard. Bottom line? From kitchen drawers to the great outdoors, Mason jars come in handy in more ways than one.