I love mason jars! It all started when I was a freshman in college. I needed something to keep my pens and pencils in on my desk in the dorms. With no money to my name I decided to re purpose something. I found an old quart sized mason jar and put it to work.

Since then I have used them for everything! I'm still amazed at the number of times I solve a problem with a glass mason jar. It's almost like a woman's version of duct tape really. In fact, I just solved another problem with them just the other day. I wanted to put my bulk food into glass containers to store them instead of the flimsy plastic bags they come in. We really don't have room in the budget for the jars and I did not find any at garage sales and estate sales this past summer. I was not sure what I was going to do when I remembered that I had some 1/2 gallon mason jars in the basement that I "inherited" from my mom's best friend's mom's estate. I've never used them for canning and they have just been sitting in the basement. It was a perfect match for my bulk flours, sugar and rices.

Here are 16 of the many other uses for your canning jars other then canning.

• Pen/Pencil holder
• Utensil holder
• Bulk food canisters
• Cookie jar
• Storing leftover food
  
• Loose change container
• Hold plant clippings you are rooting
• Candle holder
• Flower vase
  
• Sorter/holder for loose screws, nuts, etc
• Store extra buttons
• Custom mixed wood stain holder
• Holds gifts like dried cookie mixes or homemade bath salts
• Bird feeders
• Use as a drinking glass
• Eye Spy container for kids
  

Oh I love mason jars! Besides all the wonderful uses for them they are made from glass so you don't have to worry about toxins in plastic or any of the other issues with plastic.

How do you use your mason jars? Do you feel like they are the female version of duct tape? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section!