A Confession

We  now interrupt our regularly scheduled programming with a few words from Canningmama herself.

I have a problem.  I am here to officially come out with my problem.  I have a hard time throwing things away.  When I say "things", I mean empty containers.  Jars from candles.  Plastic cappuccino containers.  Parmesan cheese containers.  Kraft mayonnaise jars.  Coffee cans.  Strawberry containers.  Peanut butter jars. You get the idea.  The thing is, these containers can be so. stinkin'. useful.  The problem is, while they patiently wait to be reused, they take up so. much. stinkin'. room.  Do you know how much I use Parmesan cheese containers?  I have three of them right now full of cheerios for Elizabeth rotating from car to kitchen to car again.  One of them has miniature marshmallows in them.  I've kept granola in them in times past.  They're great for sunflower seeds too.  Those cute little tall red cappuccino containers?  Perfect for throwing the cappuccino you get at the Amish store in a little baggie into so that it stacks easily on your pantry shelf.  Empty peanut butter jars?  Use those to put your grease and greasy paper towels in.  When they're full, toss them in the trash.  That peanut jar?  Great for putting your bottle caps in.  Coffee cans?  Don't get me started on the wonderful uses of those.  Candle jars?   Melt the wax out of them and put your sewing notions in,, making not only a lot of storage sense, but they're so durn cute too.  Strawberry containers?  Fill them with dirt and start seedlings in them.  I just tend to save them all.  And they add up.  But I know just as SOON as I throw away that cute little tin can that has the pry off lid that's SOOO sturdy, I'm gonna wish I had it for something!  It would make a cool little instrument for the kids if I put some rice or beans in it and glued the lid on.  The only problem with THAT is I don't like toys that make noise.  So.  I decide while I'm deep in the throws of straightening my pantry that I'll throw them away.  Forget it, I have TOO MANY CANDLE JARS!  I'll freecycle them! Some else can use them!

But what if I think of the PERFECT PROJECT WHERE I NEED 6 MATCHING JARS THAT ALL HAVE LIDS AND CUTE LITTLE HANDLES......LIKE THE ONES I'VE SAVED FOR OVER 5 YEARS!!!!!!!  And I gave them away last week?  NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I'll put them in a box and take them to the basement so they can take up room downstairs instead of on my pantry shelf.

I can't believe I've spent 6 hours organizing  my relatively organized pantry and I'm barely half way through!


We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.