DIY odds & ends rack

Wooden rack with baby-food jars filled with odds and ends, photo

Everyone knows necessity is the mother of invention. But, I’m here to say that mistakes can also be the mother of invention. My first spice rack attempt did not go so well. I used an old sketch and didn’t double-check the measurements. Consequently, the rack was too small to hold all my tins. So, what to do with this little shelf? As it happens, it’s the perfect size to hold baby food jars.

Not having babies of my own, gathering 28 identical baby food jars was quite an undertaking. But two months later, thanks to Cathryn and Suzanne from FreeCycle, I finally had 28 matching jars. After removing all the labels, I spray painted the lids with primer and paint, then filled the jars with buttons, beads, etc. Click here for the spice rack how-to.