How An Empty Juice Or Milk Carton Can Instantly Organize Your Pantry Cabinets

Be honest, is your pantry as organized as it could be? Although you don't need to have everything perfectly stored in some fancy, expensive storage system, a well-kept pantry can certainly make your life easier by making ingredients ready to use and easy to find. Plus, some items just don't have the right packaging for neat storage, such as sugar that's often sold in bags or rice that's sold in cardboard boxes. One false move and you've got tons of tiny granules all over the cabinet or floor. Fortunately, there is a way to store these hard-to-organize items without having to spent a lot of money: just repurpose cardboard milk cartons or juice containers into storage solutions.

This creative DIY pantry storage idea only requires a few empty milk or juice cartons, some acrylic paint, paintbrushes, labels, and glue. Make sure to use cartons with screw-on caps for this project since they'll keep the items inside from easily spilling out. While you can design and print your own labels, another option is to buy them on Amazon. Choose pre-printed ones for $10 or reusable ones for $9 that allow you to write and erase on them as you see fit. Another option is to write directly on the carton. Once transformed, these containers are especially useful for small, dry goods that you can buy in bulk like salt, dried beans, and grains as well as sugar and rice.

To start, save some empty milk or juice cartons in any size you like. Once you have finished off the last of the liquid, simply rinse the carton out with water and dish soap and store it upside down to completely dry. If you're worried about the longevity of using a cardboard milk carton, you can also use plastic jugs as an alternative. Just make sure the inside is completely dry so that whatever contents you decide to fill it with do not get wet. When your carton is ready, paint it whatever color you desire. Spray paint or acrylic paint is best for milk and juice cartons that are either cardboard or plastic, as most other paints are likely not going to stick to them. 

Apply as many coats of paint as you need to cover the entire carton. Once the paint is dry, you can adhere your labels using a glue stick if they do not already have an adhesive backing or just write on the name of the contents with a permanent marker. Finally, grab a funnel, fill up your cartons, and store them neatly in the pantry. If any of the cartons get damaged, you can easily replace them without a ton of extra cost. And milk cartons are not the only item that can be reused in your home. If you're feeling inspired, check out some other creative ways to repurpose old or unwanted items.