How A Carton Top Can Turn Mason Jars Into An Even More Useful Storage Solution

Wouldn't it be amazing if everything in your home was as convenient as pouring milk from a carton's spout? What if you could at least make food containers a little more functional while recycling other items from your kitchen? Let us tell you, turning your mason jar storage into easy-pour systems is as simple as cutting out your milk spigots and adding them to the lids of your mason jars. Not only will you reuse materials you'd otherwise dispose of, but you'll also be able to access everything from rice to flour without spilling! Just replace the metal circle inside your mason jar lid with a milk carton spout, and you've just upgraded your containers in minutes without spending any extra money.

You might have realized how many uses there are for mason jars around your house, including turning them into sewing kits and kitchen clutter storage, but housing foods in these vessels keeps them fresh and gives a rustic, farmhouse chic aesthetic to your pantry. When you finish off a carton of milk, put it to one side and grab some scissors, along with a marker or pen. Wash out the carton so no old milk remains, then cut off the top portion that houses the spout. The key to easily getting the portion you need is to trim the edges until the top of the carton lies completely flat–don't trim too close to the pourer; you'll need that area intact to replace the metal circle.

With the cardboard and the milk carton spout on a flat surface, remove the metal circle from your mason jar lid. Use this as a stencil, tracing around the spout of the milk carton so it sits squarely in the center of your circle or closer to the edge of your lid outline, which is better for pouring liquids — just decide before cutting. Trim the excess cardboard from around this circumference. If you've chosen to use mason jars to declutter and organize your kitchen as a part of your aesthetic, you might consider painting the top of the cardboard circle around the spout and giving it a cleaner finish. You can use standard acrylic paint; just ensure this dries before placing it inside the mason jar lid frame from which you removed the inner piece.

To keep this really secure, you can use Gorilla Glue or a hot glue gun to adhere the cardboard to the metal frame so it doesn't fall out whenever you need to refill your jars. This simple trick is great for pouring out granulated items like spices, rice, powders, and oatmeal. There is no more mess, using spoons or pouring straight from the open top; now you have a streamlined solution you can use any time you finish a carton of milk! Make extra to keep when you add more jars to your pantry!