All the plastic lids!!

The takeaway boxes and lids drive me to distraction because they all seem slightly different sizes. I do re-use them for frozen leftovers but I throw them after one use.

The bought boxes are stored on top of the ladder fridge. All the lids in a large box and boxes stacked according to size. I always seem to have many more lids than boxes. If I was to search the shed and garage I'm sure I would find some lidless boxes full of nuts and bolts and other stuff that DH is sure will be useful at some point.

Those takeaway boxes are very useful, but we use different takeaways and the boxes and lids are all slightly different shapes/sizes - it drives me mad as I carefully sort them all out and then somehow they all get muddled again!

I regularly have a cull, recycling any that are stained or slightly cracked and use them as mini-cloches over seeds in the greenhouse or mini-seed trays. I make holes in the bottom with a heated metal skewer.

They are also very useful for craft stuff for the GC.

I never thought to use one to store the lids sideways, what a good idea! I'm off to re-arrange my collection now!!

Caleo

I leave the lids off to let the air about the containers. I throw away the oddments from time to time. I prefer glass but someone told me glass breaks in the freezer.

Pyrex or similar glassware is fine, Caleo.

I have some Pyrex freezer containers but unfortunately they have plastic lids!

They are expensive but they last.

Wherever or however you store them, they breed.

Thee other day when I was having a good sort out, I found some lovely lids but no containers to go with them.

Witzend

We have a lid thief here. Goodness knows what happens to them.

I must have a container thief, lots of lids that don’t fit anything.

First world problem?!

I culled our plastic boxes and lids recently - basically if a box didn't have a lid, or vice versa, it went in the bin. Now have a tidy pile of boxes, lids stored alongside all neat and tidy - until the box/lid monster returns and creates havoc once again.

I leave the lids off to let the air about the containers. I throw away the oddments from time to time. I prefer glass but someone told me glass breaks in the freezer.

SueDonim

Stack the containers inside each other. I keep one spare in which to stack the lids on their sides.

I do this too.
I have used a permanent marker pen to write my house number on both boxes and lids. When they go to someone else’s house they usually come back now.

I don’t buy them I just use Indian Chinese takeaway and some stuff I buy in tubs

This is a whole subject.
My DD and DHC live with us half the time and take meals into work.
So we have loads of little boxes.
She doesn't like storing them with the lids on as they get musty, allegedly, so now a I put an elastic band on them to keep the box and lid together.
Also we have the boxes that Indian takeaway comes in and we reuse those . They get stacked up and the lids stored beside them. They are a very useful size and are used for leftovers in the fridge.
But I do have an increasing concern over plastic.

I can send you some!

We have a lid thief here. Goodness knows what happens to them.

I gradually changed over to all lock and lock, took me many years. I have never had any of these crack or deteriorate or leak. I store them with lids on and apart from the storage ones, holding goodies in my kitchen, I keep them in large, labelled zipped bags and all neat in a keter 570litre storage box outside. They store beautifully. These are the plastic ones and I have dozens from tiny to very large, I use all of them

I store a few glass lock and lock inside, more for every day usage eg making crumbles and then going into the freezer after the lids are on

Don't bother labelling, corner, they only fall off!!

Not odd kitty you just have a bigger freezer than we do . I bet you also label yours, I intend to…….

Here oblong takeaway plastic boxes are used for freezing portions of batch cooked food and are stored in the top shelf one of those narrow pull out cupboards. Boxes inside each other and lids in a separate row, they all fit. I throw out as soon as damaged, a ready supply comes from number one son. . Larger boxes are in a corner cupboard, stacked with lids on.

All kitchens are different. Ours is tiny so I have to store carefully, also a much reduced quantity of everything to avoid chaos which I would be very grumpy about. Hope you find a solution that works for you frankski.

Jars are also round which isn't very space efficient in a packed freezer.

When I batch cook, I mostly freeze in portions for 2 people and at the moment have 6 boxes of chilli, 3 of butter chicken, 2 of creamy sausage past sauce, a fair few chicken casseroles, soups, stocks, gravy - 4 containers would hardly be enough.

I do realise that I am odd.

We store with lids on, stacked. Although it takes up more space this way, at least you know where both pieces are.

It drives me mad that the companies change the shape and size every couple of years, so things don't stack as well. Also, you get used to a favourite shape or size, then they don't make those ones any more.

SueDonim

Stack the containers inside each other. I keep one spare in which to stack the lids on their sides.

I do this too.

I have several small ones the same size so they are in the drawer with their lids on

Buy new set that is colour coded!

Minimalists advise storing with the lids on. You really don't need more than about four. I am slowly throwing out my plastic containers as and when they split and lose their lids. Instead I am using glass jars. I have a basket with half a dozen jars of different sizes in a cupboard. Every few weeks I have a purge and whittle it back down to a maximum of 5 or 6.

The advantages of glass jars over plastic are:

- you can immediately see what is inside
- the glass can stand high temperatures and is therefore very hygenic (food keeps fresher longer)
- the glass gets really cold in the fridge which also keeps food fresher
- Jars are tall and cover a smaller area, using space more economically in the fridge than flatter, bulkier, plastic tubs
- Jars are free

They can a!so be frozen. After all, you can get those little desserts in glass jars in the freezer.

If you still prefer to use the plastic tubs, do have a critical look through them and decide if you really need them all!

Okay thanks. So mostly you store them separately and manage to find the right lid for the container. Kittylester: yes I too use the lidless containers for a range of other things..bit cant bring myself to get rid of the lids.

I store them inside each other and the lids in a separate container . I don’t have much Tupperware but use take away containers /ice cream tubs for batch cooking , and fresh soup tubs for freezing soup . I have a shelf for food containers

I put all the containers inside each other, not just tupperware but I keep take away containers and big yogurt buckets as well as ice cream containers etc. They all go in my big bottom drawer which is very deep, lids go inside a big tupperware container.

Containers stored inset size order and all lids in the largest one with a regular clear out of older brittle, cracked ones.