The new year always brings up resolutions to get organised. If thats on your list for 2010 then check out this article..

Frugal Storage Solutions

Great ideas! Last summer my Mennonite store started carrying 1/2 gallon Ball (6 to a case). I had been using plastic but wasn't happy with it. It got sticky and required labels and there was no guarantee I could find the same size again. I ended buying four more cases and storing all kinds of dry foods in them and as I run low, I can always transfer them to quart or pint jars.

Toni B.:

my Mennonite store started carrying 1/2 gallon Ball (6 to a case). I had been using plastic but wasn't happy with it. It got sticky and required labels and there was no guarantee I could find the same size again.

 

 We buy pickles in large jars. I wash them out and use them to hold flour, sugar and rice. I have a variety of smaller jars for canning or cleaned after food came out for holding mixes.

 

My daughter brought me a lot of glass gallon jars from the restaurant where she worked. I use those to store sugar, rice and things like that. I have a couple of half gallon glass jars that I use, as well as keeping all sorts of glass jars from food. I use them constantly for everything from storing leftovers to sending things home with people to storing dehydrated food.

My niece bought a pair of snow boots when they were here over Christmas, and I discovered the box they came in when I was taking out trash and dug it out! I can always find a use for another shoe box, but if I don't have one, I use just any old box. There always seems to be a few around. Shoe boxes are tidier, though because of the fitted lid.

 

Okay,  I think this qualifies as 'frugal storage', lol.  Over the holidays, I budget for my baking supplies.  I have to tell my dd's, who also love to cook and bake, what's off limits and what's available for family use - they generally buy their specialty items for their own recipes. 

But I still have trouble with real butter and cream cheese disappearing or getting used 'by accident'.  One day while cleaning a large cottage cheese container, I had an epiphany...yup, I put my off-limits ingredients in it and don't have to worry about them being used up as I'm the only one in the family that eats cottage cheee, lol!  Liz.

 

Pat:

My niece bought a pair of snow boots when they were here over Christmas, and I discovered the box they came in when I was taking out trash and dug it out

 Tossing something so useful! Boot boxes are large enough for storing nifty things like holiday linens, ornaments, papers, toy sets. The ones we have are sturdier than smaller shoe boxes.

 

 

TizzyLizzy:

But I still have trouble with real butter and cream cheese disappearing or getting used 'by accident'.

Real butter accidentally ends up on my toast. No idea how it gets there.     

TizzyLizzy:

But I still have trouble with real butter and cream cheese disappearing or getting used 'by accident'.  One day while cleaning a large cottage cheese container, I had an epiphany...yup, I put my off-limits ingredients in it and don't have to worry about them being used up as I'm the only one in the family that eats cottage cheee, lol! 

Now That's Clever.

Brandy:

Real butter accidentally ends up on my toast. No idea how it gets there.     

LOL, yeah, that stuff just leaps right on there, then on my hips...gotta watch!  Liz.

Brandy:

 

Pat:

My niece bought a pair of snow boots when they were here over Christmas, and I discovered the box they came in when I was taking out trash and dug it out

 Tossing something so useful! Boot boxes are large enough for storing nifty things like holiday linens, ornaments, papers, toy sets. The ones we have are sturdier than smaller shoe boxes.

This was a sturdy one. I use them for knitting needles and tools, for embroidery things and booklets. I keep the smaller shoe boxes to keep yearly tax records until I can toss them. I organize the hall closet shelves with them, too. Lots of uses!