How do you decide which containers to keep and which ones to chuck?

[wawawewa]

I’ve always found it difficult to throw away “good” containers, even if they’re recyclable. But I was recently confronted with my stash and realised I’d overdone it again! I know I’ll always use things like jars (love making pickles) and resealable ice cream containers (who needs Tupperware), but I’d also kept lots of things like tins from mints, face cream pots, and “nice” boxes, for which there aren’t nearly as many use cases.

Last time I went through this cycle, I was initially proud of myself for recycling or binning most of the stash only to be annoyed days later because I needed something or other that I’d just gotten rid of!

FWIW i do pay attention to the packaging when buying things, and preference products that are packed sustainably or can be recycled. I am also wary of not over consuming, but these things just have a way of piling up if you hold on to them.

If anyone has a system for this, or has found a good set of criteria, I’d love to hear about it!

I would chuck most of those into the recyling to be honest. I mean, what on earth would you use sweet tins or face cream pots for that means you would keep empty ones?

Mint tins that aren't too minty can be used for your work teabags or if you take just a few on hols. Charity shops do take them. Spare button tin if you don't have a lot of spares. To carry a small holiday sewing kit. Sweet rations for work.

I don't keep ice cream boxes as they are too big for most things I'd freeze and probs not microwaveable. Most seem to be cardboard now anyway.

With nice cardboard boxes I've sometimes put some artwork on them or decoupaged. They can then be used as gift boxes, donated or used for storage

@Denim4ever oooh thank you! Love the gift box/decoupage idea. That’s true about ice cream boxes being cardboard now, which says a lot about how old the ones in my freezer are 😳 but I don’t own a microwave (not for health/radiation reasons, just have limited counter space) so hasn’t occurred to me to replace them!

@IamSmarticus you’d be surprised - some of the nicer glass ones have been great for holding things like paperclips, and I have another one that is perfectly sized for my rings - it actually looks nicer on my nightstand than the ring holder I got for a present last year 😂 that said, I go through face cream much faster than paperclips, so I know I don’t need to be keeping all of them.

As someone who cleared over 100 empty jam jars from my mother’s loft, please don’t do that…

Maybe have a maximum number of each type of item (3 empty face cream jars or whatever).

Also, I think boots gives points for recycling empty makeup and skincare containers so you could get credit if you take them back.

100 is quite a lot and in the loft is a nuisance. We were lucky enough to have a recycling bin that glass bottles and jars could go in when I cleared my parents house. There were not 100, probs more like 20, which was about 1/8th of the recycling bin

I'm totally with you op! I love a good box 😊. I try to be good and discard ones that have sat for a year or two too long without having been used. I've bought myself some glass paints and have painted jars etc, and done the decoupage thing; my main fear is that if I throw one away I WILL need that exact one about a week later. I also try to be strong and throw it away if it's at all broken/damaged. There is a scale, though! I'm currently steeling myself to bin/recycle at least one item out of the pantry each time I go into it!

I buy the odd tinned item on purpose - M&S 🎄shortbread is one, since the tins just nicely hold 12 of the fairy cakes I make for Gdcs’ birthday parties. I don’t even really like shortbread, but bought one anyway recently since one of the old ones was looking a bit rusty.

I keep enough jars for batches of apple chutney (DD’s windfalls) and 🎄mincemeat (Delia’s) but no more.

Tupperware type containers - God knows what happens to ours. Despite a regular sort out, either the lids or the bases manage to go missing.

A couple of small tins contain Euro or US coins.

I don't keep face cream jars but regular, glass jars, take-away containers etc I do.
Glass jars- I also make jam/pickles and collect them till a specific shelf is full. I keep large, nescafe like coffee jars and advertise those and excess jars on olio. The nescafe jars rarely go, so every few months I have to take them to the bottle bank (our shit council don't collect glass from the house 😡)

Chinese type take away containers/ice cream containers- I collect in a bag but only keep ones which have a lid that fits. I recently culled when I had twice as many lids as containers. I often take a meal to the in-laws so I use these often.

Large sweet/chocolate tubs- Last year I used them to take food to Christmas parties. Very handy as I could leave the tub there if needed.

Cardboard toilet roll cores- I save and use to start seedlings off in spring

Have you used them in the last year? If not chuck them out.