Save Space in Your RV Kitchen With a Mason Jar

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Every inch counts in a camper or motorhome kitchen.  These handy canning jar accessories are small enough to fit in a drawer, and can eliminate the need for the bigger items they're replacing.

1. Your coffee pot

A mesh pour-over cone can be used to brew coffee directly into a Mason jar, which easily doubles as a coffee mug.  No filters required.

You can also use a Mason Jar to make cold brew coffee with this kit:

To keep your hands from burning, you can buy a sweater for your jar, or make one by knitting or crocheting, or by cutting up the sleeve of an old sweater, or, like this one, a worn-out sock.

Silicone JarJackets not only make Mason jars more comfortable to hold when hot or cold, they also protect them if dropped.

2. Cups & Glassware

If you use jars as your main drinking glasses, not only can they be used for either hot or cold liquids, they can be multi-purposed for other uses on this list.
Take your drinking glasses to go with sip-and-straw lids, which can be used with a straw for smoothies and iced beverages, or sipped for hot beverages.

A specialty bottle for fruit infusions is unnecessary with this lid.

Don't like drinking from plastic? This metal variation can be sealed as well.

Turn any cup or jar into a sippy cup with these silicone lids.

3. A blender bottle

Use a pouring spout lid and blender ball to mix protein shakes or salad dressings.  The lid of a can of dry Coffee-Mate creamer will fit as well.

4. Your blender

You may already know that a regular mouth canning jar can be screwed onto a traditional blender base.  Now you can get an extra small blender base that's made to be used with Mason jars and doesn't take up as much room on the counter.

5. A citrus juicer

The best part about this juicer lid is that the juice can be stored in the jar after juicing, resulting in fewer dishes to clean.

6. A cocktail shaker

Impress your friends with your fancy drink mixing skills with a cocktail shaker lid set.

7. A strainer

In addition to straining, a mesh strainer can be used for making sprouts in a canning jar.

8. Salt and pepper containers

You're probably thinking this doesn't take up any less space than regular salt and pepper shakers.  But do you have an extra container of salt in your pantry?  If so, eliminate the need for it by purchasing salt from a bulk bin and storing it in this shaker jar.  The lid rotates to allow shaking or pouring of just one or both.

9. Vases

Of course flowers or herbs can be put in a jar without a lid, but this way a single flower or one with a flexible stem will stand straight.

10. Lunch boxes

This dip container would also be great for keeping salad and dressing separate until lunchtime.  (Psst…you can accomplish the same thing using a regular flat lid and ring with an empty fruit cup.)

Or just use this connector, which can join two jars of any shape.  Soup and salad, anyone?

11. Lanterns

Solar light inserts turn jars into extra lighting for emergencies, camping, or decor.

12. Fried egg rings

Make a perfect sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich.  Here's a video that shows how to do it.

13. Cookie cutters

No need to hang on to your cookie cutters for making biscuits or Christmas cookies.  The rings in this photo are being used to cut pie crust for single-serving apple pies baked in Mason jars (get the recipe here).  Maybe you don't need a pie pan, either!

14. A muffin tin

If you don't make muffins or cupcakes very often or usually only make a few at a time, you can eliminate the need for a specialty pan by using jar rings and baking cups on a regular baking sheet with this idea from thekitchn.com.

(Note: if using in a toaster oven, be sure you have enough clearance for the batter to rise, and consider using foil cups to avoid risk of fire.)

15. Your cheese grater

Not only can this idea save space, you can also store the cheese in the jar after grating it.

Bonus: Match storage

Okay, this last idea doesn't actually save any space, but it is just too nifty not to mention.  I don't know about you, but I find matches always end up falling out of the original cardboard box as it deteriorates.  Instead of the side of the match box, you can also use sandpaper on the lid as long as you buy “strike anywhere” matches.  Cutting a small hole in the lid lets you shake a match out without having to unscrew the lid each time.

Find lots of great ideas for organizing and storing things in a camper or motorhome at my RV organization resource page!