Mounted Storage Jars

Turn your old jars into easy-access storage for small craft supplies, hardware, electronics components and more! This Instructable provides an overview of the process and some tips and options along the way. I'd love to hear your thoughts and see your versions in the comments!

Here's what you'll need:

• shelf under which to mount the jars
• clean jars with lids (candle jars? here's how to remove the wax)
• electric drill (recommended but optional) or screwdriver
• center punch or full-tang awl
• hammer
• screws that aren't longer than the thickness of your shelf

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Step 1: Pierce Lids

Three mounting points will really stabilize the lid and allow it to stand up to many uses without tearing or coming loose. Optionally mark three evenishly spaced spots on the lid.

To pierce these holes, you have a few options. No matter what, make sure you're working on a scrap surface like a workbench or piece of scrap wood. You could center punch the locations and then drill them with your electric drill, or use a full-tang awl and a hammer to puncture from the outside of the lid (so the blowout material is on the inside, preserving the flat top of the lid).

Do not hammer on plastic handled tools where the metal doesn't go all the way through the handle!

Step 2: Mount Lids

I like to use sheet metal screws for this type of thing because they are self-drilling. You may have luck with coarse drywall screws as well. In hard shelf materials, you may have to pre-drill your screw holes.

Install the first screw with a manual screwdriver, only about halfway, then rotate the lid to get it into perfect position. Then install a second screw halfway before proceeding to fully install all three screws.

When mounting multiple jars, be sure they are far enough apart that you can fully reach your hand around a jar and spin it in place, otherwise you'll be crunching your knuckles when you reach for/replace the jar.

That's it! Fill your jars with your favorite small objects/parts, optionally apply a label, and enjoy!

Comments

[offseid]

Super easy and practical. My experience is that the more holes the better in the lids, to spread the strain on them when you screw on and off. These lids are not very durable, and with just a couple/few holes, they may expand little by little over time from the torque.

[AlphaOmega1]

Nice! Takes me back, my father did this with peanut butter jars that were oval, so easy to twist. Must have been 45 years ago! I have a row of coffee jars hanging by their lids from a shelf. Highly recomended!

Makes it easy to find nuts, bolts, screws and pins, and doubles storage space too.

BTW, if you punch the lids with the inside facing up, you will not buckle the lid as it will be supported.

[PooK1]

Excellent

[maxglitz]

My dad did the same with baby food jars back when they had serious screw-tops and not these thin things. If they still did, I'd buy the stuff. My ma bought me the baby food strained peaches and custard until I left for college. Great snacks, using the peaches on ice cream and in cottage cheese. Now, I find that the small squatty jars that pimentos and chopped garlic come in are a good size for this.

[parisusa]

This is a classic! My grandfather used baby food jars for nails, nuts, bolts in his workshop. My mother did the same but for spices under the kitchen cabinets with cute labels. But I never thought to do it myself with larger jars or for sewing/crafts! Love it!

[Gordyh]

Yes classic and still good ;-) My Grandpa had one that rotated like a barrel on its side with flat spots for the jar lids to mount to, with an axle through the center and two arms mounted to the wall. I have replaced most of the glass jars with plastic though. If you have a cluts moment or two and drop and break the glass jars you will know why ;-(

[Swansong]

This is a great way to add some extra storage to a small space :)