What grabs your attention first when you open your refrigerator door? Labels! Brands! Pictures! But leftovers? Not likely unless you can actually identify what's in the container. Chalkboard paint creates a dishwasher safe system that looks stylish, too!
Lifehacker links to a great chalkboard paint Instructables tutorial, which I had no idea was actually dishwasher safe. That means small leftover containers for home or office use can easily get tagged and reused over and over without the worry of losing the label.
Are you still into chalkboard paint? It's functional and attractive, but has it passed its time? Is convenience ever out of style? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Read More: Chalkboard Paint Jars from Instructables
Related: Modern French Bistro Style: 19 Chalkboards in the Kitchen
(Image: Instructables)
Straw Mat from The ...

Much more attractive than my current method of Sharpie on masking tape.
can you really store coffee in a clear container? I read online you shouldn't but if that's not true I'd like to do something like this.
I've found this to be not at all dishwasher safe. Even hand washing, when I've done this, the paint slides and bubbles around. I even sanded under where I painted and it didn't stick nicely.
That's too bad about what Fancy D said, is there any way to paint only the lids? Or if the product is dry only, wouldn't it last a long time before needing to be washed? Hypothetically you could wash just the inside of the glass if done carefully and only once in a while.
I don't understand why you would need a label to identify something in a transparent container.
@Felicity: because flour, powder sugar and corn starch look the same?
picture where you would be grabbing these containers, especially if the labels are facing you. i think the chalk would rub and smear easily.
@Felicity: Agree with what Christine M. says, and same with a lot of grains, like barley and brown rice, especially to my husband who is much much less familiar with bulk ingredients. I would have a hard time trusting he'd find the quinoa without grabbing the couscous jar instead if I wasn't standing over his shoulder while he's rooting around in our bulk cupboards. He's learning, but it's better to label.
Also, if you have a little more patience, you could use etching cream first before painting so it'll give it a bit more tooth. Then just rinse away before using the chalkboard paint.
would be cute on spice jars too!
On glass containers, I use a grease pencil.
And @Felicity, it's also helpful to mark the date on leftovers, particularly ones that go in the freezer.
I'm with Tasterspoon on this: I also use a grease pencil on glass jars. I reuse glass jars to store just about everything (in the cupboard, fridge and freezer). Labeling is useful for me because I can date things. It also helps me distinguish similar-looking items: home made Soap Nut liquid and home made cinnamon vodka look surprisingly the same but serve VERY different functions :)