How to store boxes of loose canning jars bought at garage sales?

[Anonymous]

I have 5 boxes of loose canning jars that I bought at garage sales. Some have rings and lids, some just rings and some neither. I don’t actually can, I’m just accumulating them. My problem is how to properly store them. I really like the compartmentalized boxes you can buy jars in at the grocery store. But these just come jumbled in open boxes. I passed on the last purchase of 30 or 40 jars because I’ve no place to put them. You really can’t stack open boxes like this. I need a stackable solution and no I don’t have shelves I can put these boxes in.

I thought about buying boxes the right size and making the inserts. Or making the boxes and inserts. Not sure what to do. What do you people do?

[Crow BarKeymaster]

Would wine boxes from a wine/liquor store work?
They come with cardboard dividers.
The 1.5liter sized bottles are about the right size.

[Grizzlyette AdamsParticipant]

Because I always have more jars than proper boxes to store them in, I like to protect my jars by slipping cut pieces of cardboard between them. I also place an extra layer of cardboard at the tops and bottoms of the boxes as well.

I store the clean empty jars upside down in the boxes to prevent dust, spiders, and other whatchamacallits from settling into the jars, especially if the boxes are stored in an outbuilding. This saves a little time when I clean the jars again before canning.

I don’t like to store the sealing lids directly on top of the jars because over time, the rubber will sometimes acquire a permanent indentation in them. And thinking out loud here, those indentations may result in a weaker seal? So, out of an abundance of caution, I store the lids and bands in a climate-controlled environment to prevent degradation of the rubber seals and to keep the bands rust-free.

[Author]

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