Creative Storage Solutions: Vertical Jar Systems

Nicole Sherman
Oct 13, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Mason jars and other similar plastic containers have long been used for storage, but there are more ways to use these vessels than you may have thought... The key is thinking vertical!

Look Up!

Looking to make more space means looking up! Use as much vertical space as your creative mind can imagine. Walls, ceilings, even stackable options solve the gnawing problem of space - and space is a hot commodity for homeschoolers who have a plethora of school supplies, office supplies, science resources, craft materials, and homeschool projects inside their home. Leaving horizontal surfaces free, leaves you more shelf space, workspace, writing space, and floor space to do all the fun homeschool things your heart desires!

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Vessel Varieties:

Let's first think about what kinds of jars you can use. Bought any salsa recently? Maybe some olives? You get jars of all kinds with every shopping trip - from pasta sauce to pickles. Your used meal ingredients will help solve your storage needs! Glass jars are durable, but they can shatter, so plastic might be a better option for some supplies. Peanut butter, jelly, and popcorn kernels all come in plastic jars and give you more options for clear vessels. PRO TIP: Think about all the other containers and packaging your food comes in. Cans, coffee containers, cereal boxes, and margarine tubs all make for excellent storage solutions too!!

Solution #1: Shelf Saver

There's nothing more irritating than having tall shelves that only hold a short supply of materials. Solve that by suspending jars from their lids to the underside of each shelf to make use of the empty space between shelves! You can also hang jars on the underside of cabinets, desks, or even doorframes! PRO TIP: An alternative is to scrap the glass jars and use plastic jars to screw in sideways to avoid having to suspend jars from their lids for easy access.

Solution #2: Stackable Susan

DIY a stackable storage solution to free up some space on your workstation or desk! Use trays you have around the house or buy a tiered cake stand and add jars to hold your school supplies. This solution works great as a spinning lazy Susan for easy access to all your supplies! PRO TIP: Add binder or chip clips and use them to hang important notes or lesson resources from your supply tower.

Solution #3: Cupboard Caddy

Your cabinets and cupboards aren't just for storing materials inside them - use the doors to store supplies ON THEM to double their functionality! Secure jars to the faces of cabinets and drawers to extend their storage capacity and free up more horizontal space. PRO TIP: Be considerate of the types of items you store in these containers as they will be in motion when the doors or drawers open and slam shut.

Solution #4: Wall Supply Stall

Use a peg board or make a rustic decor plate using reclaimed wood to hang in your homeschool supply space. Using wall surfaces are a great option to free up space on shelves, desks, and the floor. These can also be hung on closet and room doors to add even more storage options without wasting valuable wall real estate you want to use for maps and charts. PRO TIP: Hang it next to your work station for easy access to the school and craft materials you use on a regular basis. For less-used supplies or messy materials, place on the backside of a closet door or some other less accessible area to keep small pieces out of reach.

Solution #5: Stack Rack

Buy or DIY one of these "stack racks" that you can put on a shelf, on the floor, or even hang from a wall! Each row is situated on an angle to give you easy access to your materials without having to fuss with lids or worry about jars being knocked down. PRO TIP: Add labels to keep things easily organized!