Goodbye, Kitchen Chaos: IKEA Has A New Solution For Instant Countertop Storage

Since every morning starts in the kitchen, the state of the room, whether it's tidy or in turmoil, can greatly affect your mood for the rest of the day. As a result, proper kitchen storage and organization provides more than aesthetic value but personal value as well. If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive way to cut down on clutter, IKEA's SPJUTLILJA Jars are worth looking into. They're sold in a set of two and retail for just $4.99. The jars come in two sizes — one with a capacity of 8.79 fluid ounces and the other at 9.81 fluid ounces. While both are on the smaller side, they nonetheless help free up much-needed counter space by storing certain dry goods, snacks, and sweet treats.

These colorful little jars are part of IKEA's broader SPJUTLILJA series, which includes similarly designed plates, bowls, dish towels, and spice mills. IKEA describes the series as eye-catching yet practical. Many of the SPJUTLILJA pieces, including the jars, play on Art Deco style, with features like fluted edges and clean lines, but they aren't heavy or overly glitzy. Instead, the jars are made from a lightweight plastic and come in a gentle yellow that suits various kitchen styles.

Both SPJUTLILJA jars come with lids to provide added freshness. The plastic they're made from is a polystyrene-acrylic combo, which also offers some defense against UV Rays. However, kitchen goods like spices and coffee beans lose freshness faster in transparent containers than opaque ones, so it's best to keep the jars out of direct sunlight depending on what you choose to put in them. You could eliminate this concern altogether by storing little quick-use accessories like toothpicks or teaspoons inside the jars rather than food items. Another benefit of the transparent plastic is that you can see what you're reaching for and when it will be time to restock. Two other nice features are that the jars are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning and stackable if you want to move them out of the way for a bit. 

Given their small capacity, the SPJUTLILJA jars won't declutter an entire kitchen in one fell swoop, but they can get things moving in the right direction. And they're helpful for storage in multiple ways. The jars can organize loose items strewn about the countertop, which not only saves space but looks nicer than keeping food items in their original packaging. Additionally, they can store goods that are currently in your kitchen cupboards, thus maximizing cabinet space with a simple and stylish solution.