How to Make a Hideaway Jar

A hideaway jar can be used a a safe place to hide a spare key, money or a piece of jewellery. Select a jar of suitable shape and size for the filling that you intend to use. If the jar is to be stored in the kitchen fill the jar with pasta, lentils or something similar, if it is to go in the garage or shed then it could be filled with nails, tacks or rawlplugs (these can be bought from a pound store). If the jar is going to be stored in a living room or bedroom choose an attractive jar and fill it with sweets, buttons, marbles, beads or potpourri.

According to the size of the jar choose or make a suitable container to keep the valuables secure inside the jar.  The cardboard tube from a roll of cling film or foil can be cut to size and a base made for the tube, it can then be covered with sticky backed plastic, then you can create a lid with foil or cling fill, and an elastic band (like an old fashioned jam pot cover).  Where possible I like to use empty containers  instead of making my own. A Mentos Chewing Gum container is the ideal shape and size to store money or a spare key. When filling the jar put a layer of sweets, nails, pasta or whatever  in the base of the jar, then hold the container in the jar and fill the contents around it, finally put a shallow layer on top of the container so that it is completely hidden. You may want to put a little surprise in the container for the recipient.

Choose your label for the jar carefully, do not give any clue to the true purpose of the jar, you can write an instruction sheet for the recipient, to explain that it is a hideaway jar. The style and contents of the jar can be suited to the recipient.