Living in a college dorm or an apartment often means very little space to store a lot of stuff. Over the past few years, Mason jars have become a popular and trendy (and cheap!) way to serve drinks at a party. What about using Mason jars as a tool to organize and unclutter? There are so many things you can do with a Mason jar, so here are five of my favorites.
Make-up Brushes
Do you find it hard to keep track of all of your make-up brushes? Do you feel like you can never find that one brush you need (and know you have)? Are they usually buried at the bottom of your make-up bag or drawer? Use a Mason jar to store your brushes!
Get a large sized Mason jar, pick your favorite color of paint, and buy a small pack of marbles. Paint the outside of the Mason jar, fill the inside roughly 1/3 of the way with marbles, and tie a ribbon around the top lip of the Mason jar. Add your make up brushes, with the brush side sticking out of the top of the Mason jar. You’ll never struggle finding the right brush again!
Organize Your Desk
If you ever find your desk cluttered, consider using Mason jars as a way of storage. Buy a small pack of mason jars, four or six, and buy a small can of chalkboard paint. Fill one Mason jar with pencils, one with paperclips, one with highlighters, etc. Using the chalkboard paint, you can paint a small square on the front of each Mason jar and label each jar respectively. If you find you need to store something else, you can easily change the contents and labels and it won’t cost you any money.
Brighten Up
Although a lot of college dorm rooms prohibit the use of candles, one of my favorite things to do with a Mason jar is to make it into a candle. Rip a page or two out of an old book and cut a shape – a heart is simple and looks great – then, using Modge Podge, paste the book pages around the outside of the Mason jar. Create hot wax by boiling water in a large bowl, add the small bowl containing the wax and wait for the wax to melt. When it is melting, add food coloring to change the wax into whatever color you want your candle to be. Once it is in liquid form, pour the wax into the Mason jar, but don’t forget to buy a wick and put that in the mason jar first. Secure the wick by using two pencils (put the wick between them) and rubber-banning them while you pour the wax into the jar. Let the wax cool (roughly 24 hours) and then enjoy your homemade candle.
Fish Tank
A lot of people get to college and begin to miss their pets at home. A fish, the only animal allowed in on-campus housing of colleges and universities, can be a fun addition to your room and serve as your pet at school. Buy an extra large Mason jar and a container of marbles. If you are feeling adventurous you can even buy a small plant. Once you clean out the Mason jar and rinse off the marbles, fill the bottom of the Mason jar with marbles and let water fill the rest of the jar. Now just add a fish.
Flower Vase
Whether your parents send you flowers, a boy surprises you with a bouquet your you decide you want to spruce up your room and buy yourself a few daisies, a vase can always come in handy. Create a vase out of a Mason jar by painting the jar and adding a small layer of glitter. This is a much cheaper way to keep your flowers standing and alive than buying a vase at the flower shop or grocery store (just a tip: DIY crafts are almost always cheaper than buying the finished product from the store).