Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Storage Containers and Gift Packaging for FREE

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!!!
Geesh, can you believe it?  It is time to get our homes and pantries in order and our goods stored for longevity.  It is also time to get together some ideas for those Christmas gifts that we may be putting together.

I think this year, more than others, homemade gifts will be popular.  Money may be an issue for many.  No need to run out and buy fancy boxes and packaging - look around your house!!!  I bet you are like me and have all kinds of fun things you could use.  Now I admit, you have to get a bit creative and literally think outside the BOX!!!!

So whether you are sorting and organizing your own pantry - or thinking ahead to the holidays - let me give you a few ideas that won't cost you anything or very little (thrift and dollar stores).

This was just looking around my house for about 15 minutes!

 Jars, jars, jars!  Left to right - I get instant coffee at Kroger (cheap kind) simply for flavoring my morning drink to taste like mocha.  Left is an empty jar (like full one next to it).  That jar holds approximately 1 quart.  Great for homemade soup mixes or brownie, cookie mixes.  Next is a clamp jar that can be purchased at many craft and home goods stores for little money - they work great for mixes or candy.  There is a glass jar from nacho cheese spread and one from ??.  The on with beans in it is an instant coffee jar from Aldi (I like the shape).  I have given those filled with colored M & M's and some filled with Skittles!  Always a hit!!!!!   I keep glass jars, as there are so many uses!!!!!
In front - discount little storage containers (I paid $1 on clearance at Kroger) or you can get multiple containers for $1 at Dollar Tree.  Those are great for spice mixes!
 Here is a variety of containers you can use when empty.  Spice containers, peanut jars, pickle jar or olive jars, gravy jars. and even the plastic bottles that drinks and mixes come in (remove labels).  There is just no limit to what you can use nor what you can put in them!
 Tins - I love them.  They are so fun to keep dry goods in for the pantry and they pretty things up.  Put a little label on the outside so you know what you have have!  Great for candy and cookie at the holidays as well.  The little loaf pan was purchased many years ago on sale at Christmas Tree Shoppe for .69 each.  Make mini loaves of sweet breads and then wrap in the pan and gift both!  Mugs are great for candies, tea or coffee or hot chocolate mixes, indiv. soups packets, etc.  The blue container is from produce department - keep and clean and you have a great container for homemade candies.  The container under the blue one is a container from sliced luncheon meat purchased in the meat department.
 Fancy glasses, big mugs and insulated drinking containers are great.  Wine glasses new or what you have - fill with chocolate candies, add a bottle of sparkling fruit juice and nice scented candle.  Big soup cup - add soup mixes.  Could also fill with homemade granola mix!  Insulated glass - gift with instant Gatorade packets or packets of individual drink flavorings.  Great for the outdoorsy person or hiker.
Cups and mugs of all sorts.  Coffee mixes, tea bags or mixes, candy, individual cake mixes.  Maybe add a packet of hot chocolate and a nice candle or warm pair of socks.

Just looking around here - I found hot chocolate mixes, flavored tea bags, flavored coffee, Gatorade mix, hot cider mix.........  The flavored coffee was on clearance - it will be divided into smaller containers or baggies and added to mugs with directions for brewing.  Tea bags can be given a few with a mug, same with cider mixes.

Plates of any kind can be used for gifting cookies, candy, muffins, breads.  Odd ball plates - ones you don't use or need.  Something you don't want back.  You can also purchase plates at thrift stores for next to nothing or get at dollar tree.  They are sturdy, pretty and the receiver can fill and re-gift themselves!  The gift that keeps giving.

Just a few ideas to get you thinking as you clear out cabinets and get organized.  Use some of these ideas for your own pantry and kitchen shelves or use them when gifting. 
It just makes the homemade gift a little nicer and special - not a paper plate or generic container.
Nice ideas to use to help fill baskets of goodies or something small for the teacher, baby sitter, neighbor or office mate.

I will be posting homemade 'jar' recipes as days go on.  I know many do not garden or can and do not have those types of items to gift.  Doesn't mean you can't still give homemade.

HOMEMADE is fun and saves the wallet and uses what you have.
Now that is frugal!

26 comments:

  1. This year, I'm trying to make a homemade gift for several of my family members. I've got two completed, one on the go, and another three to start. Every year I bake for a few friends as well, as they appreciate the homemade goodies, and always return the containers as defective...because they're empty. :)

    I've never made soup or cookie mixes but they do sound like a good idea as well. You've got a good assortment of jars and containers. I love the Crayola tin.

    Take care and stay well!

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    1. I love that "defective containers". That is funny. Homemade goodies are just the best. Those are always my favorites.

      Yeah, I keep a lot - thus why I have so much cr*p!!! Tins either received as gifts or at thrift store. I like the Crayola one too.

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  2. I've been collecting the tins containing shortbread and Christmas chocolates from this one particular store for a couple of years. I love them because they are "tartan" and I am originally from Scotland. They are so pretty that I'm able to store them out in the open on top of a large cabinet in my dining room. I'm really hoping that they continue with the same packaging for this year!

    One year I wrapped everything in brown kraft paper and used yarn instead of ribbon - and got tons of compliments on it! All you lovely crafters out there must have a treasure trove of bits & pieces to decorate your parcels with.

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    1. I bet those tins are pretty. I have a couple that I have obtained over the years from Cheryl's Cookies. The tins just say Cheryl on them. Pretty neat.

      I love the idea of brown craft paper and yarn. Simple but elegant. I have known people who wrap in scraps of fabric as well.
      I hope everyone shares their ideas.

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  3. I used to sell soup, cookie, bread and drink mixes at our local farmers market. Another good one is look up mug cake mixes. I make and package in food grade cellophane bags and cups/ mugs. I am always on the hunt at thrift stores for unusual or interesting mugs based on a person and their likes and hobbies or just ones to keep on hand. Just found a trout mug for my brother who fishes. Take care.

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    1. Mug cakes are so much fun. I am hoping to add a few recipes down the road. Yes, those cellophane bags are really nice and I have found them many times at the dollar tree.

      Love the idea of picking out that special mug for someone - sure makes the gift more personal.
      Thanks for the ideas.

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  4. I will anxiously awaiting all your creative and helpful ideas for homemade gifts! I will also be going through all my "stash" to see what I already have to use...after seeing your ideas.
    Another idea...use your fronts of Christmas cards you've received to cut circles to decorate the tos of homemade jams and jelly jars. Or use them for get tags cut into Christmas shapes like a tree or a bell, etc.
    I package my home dried herbs in little jars or baggies and give those as gifts.
    A nice handmade dishcloth is nice wrapped around a bottle of dishsoap....who can't used that! I am sure to make it attractive with a pretty ribbon and often a scrubbie instead of a bow.
    I watch the thrift store. A dip dish given with (homemade) or boughten salsa and chips.
    I could go on and on....just a few ideas.
    Thanks, Cheryl....you are such a gift to us all!!

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    1. EEK! Great minds all think alike! I love it.
      I always keep the fronts of Christmas cards. I do the same - cut rounds to decorate jar tops and use as gift tags.
      LOVE the dish cloth and dish soap idea. My sister always wants a new scrubby every year in her basket! She says she looks forward to that.

      I like the dip dish idea too - I need to keep that in my head. I give salsa and sometimes chips, maybe a beef stick too.

      Ahh you are sweet. Love all these ideas!

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  5. I save all y jars to be reused for reasons just like this. And I bought Bailey a Harry Potter cup for her birthday coming up and I'm going to pay a gift card in it for her. I've seen teachers use those types of cups like the one in your picture to gift others with items inside them.

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    1. Cups are always handy. A big old mug with markers, pens, pencils, etc. I would think would be nice.
      I like getting someone that special cup that has special meaning.

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  6. Great ideas! I'm taking notes!

    I miss the tin coffee cans! I used to cover those with brown craft paper (stamped with Christmas stuff) and fill them with caramel corn(homemade), or stuff for Smores, or a movie with micro popcorn & Junior Mints. Cookies or whatever.

    For husband and I, I've saved the Harry &David Christmas food boxes that my cousin sends us every year. Just yarn around them and they're reusable. Since they all match, they look like decor on our hearth. I have used SO many of those boxes as drawer organizers!

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    1. Coffee tins used to be good for all kinds of things. Too bad they went to plastic.
      How neat - I bet that looks nice.

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  7. While not as pretty, my Mom and I always raid the pantry for boxes when wrapping Christmas gifts. New people in the family might think they are actually getting soup or crackers for their gift, while veterans know to always open the box!

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    1. I have done that before!!! I had a kid look at me - as if to say why am I getting cereal? LOL
      Use what you have - love it. It is going to get torn open and trashed any way.

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  8. I've also used old clothing pattern paper and bias tape for gifts. I bought a $1 grab bag of sewing goodies at a rummage sale. There were pattern packs that we're completely outdated... And too small for the waist of the pants to fit around my one thigh lol. I thought it would make fun wrapping paper. There was also a huge bundle of pink bias tape. Ribbon! I used them on handsewn gifts.

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    1. What an totally cute idea. I really like that. I would never have thought of that. Cool.
      Thanks for a neat idea.

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  9. Love these ideas. Thank you!
    I'm going to see what containers I can find.

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    1. Why not? Free packaging and storage and declutter at the same time!
      Welcome

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  10. I, too, save containers. I went to a yard sale and in the free box were two pristine, pretty tins. Yay! And, the peanut butter I buy comes in glass jars with a lid with a rubber seal instead of the plastic cap. I love those.

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    1. Wow that was a win! Nice - glass jars for peanut butter. Mine are plastic - but they can be used for gifts.

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  11. Like you I save containers and use to make gifts, simple but very effective.

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    1. That is what it is all about. Get the job done easily and no expense.

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  12. Lots of excellent ideas here! The charity shops always have a ton of mugs.

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    1. Mugs, plates, tins, bottles, jars - thrift store is a treasure trove of goodies! (as is my basement!! LOL)
      Thanks

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  13. I make batches (& batches) of Chex Mix and fill a gallon ziplock bag with it and then package in Cmas tins (gotten at the thrift store). I give these to my male coworkers and it'a always a hit. Last year I tried to be frugal and got them locally made beef sticks and added my homemade salsa, jalepeno jelly and relish or jam. They don't give back but I do it because I'm the office "mom."

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  14. I alway use my jars for one of two things...I use them to make change banks...I don't go through a lot that way. But then I used them to discard grease, etc from cooking. can put a lid on it and put in the garbage. I have buttons in one somewhere. Also have buttons in big empty prescription bottle.

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