Should You Store Tupperware With Lids On?

Should you store Tupperware with its lids on? You love the convenience of plastic food containers and the exceptional quality of your Tupperware storage, but sometimes the organization gets the best of you. Is the storage of plastic food containers and Tupperware most efficient with the lids on or off?

For most efficient storage, store your unused Tupperware with the lids off. When they are in use, you will, of course, want to leave the lids on for stacking convenience and food protection. Though it doesn't hurt the containers to leave the lids on, you will use your space maximally by separating the lids from the container bodies.

We have some great ideas for storage in this post, as well as a look at how some professionals do it.

The History Of Tupperware

Tupperware has become synonymous with all plastic kitchen storage, but it is, in fact, a brand. Started in 1946 by the chemist, Earl Tupper, he created lightweight, non-breakable containers inspired by metal paint cans. Then with the addition of Brownie Wise heading the company, it became the innovative woman-driven home sales force that we know to this day. And what a marvelous product it is that it has spawned a whole slew of plastic kitchen storage products under many other brand names.

The Storage Of Tupperware Lids

But, perhaps because it is so lightweight and easy to use, our kitchens often spawn an overabundance of containers. Mismatched lids and bottoms, plastic storage spilling out of cabinets and drawers, it's a kitchen item we love and hate at the same time. Many a homeowner has had the day of reckoning with their plastics drawer or cabinet.

So what to do? What's the best way to deal with loose lids and random containers? How can we go from the above to the below without losing our minds?

Let's look at some organizational thoughts.

How Does Marie Kondo Organize Tupperware?

The popular author of the book, THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP, Marie Kondo, has a few tips when it comes to organizing plastic storage for the kitchen. She suggests using one brand only (like Tupperware). This way, there's a cohesive look and less chance of mix-matched lids and containers. She also suggests storing your lids together upright and the boxes stacked for space-saving.

You can buy both of Marie Kondo's books in this one set. Click here to see it on Amazon.

This video series, The KonMarie Series, has a video specifically geared toward the kitchen and plastic food storage. You can see it here: ">.

What Can You Do With Tupperware Lids?

If you're ready to lose the clutter in your Tupperware cabinet or drawer, one simple hack is to store the lids separately from the containers. Stored upright, the tops are easy to see and grab the exact size you need. There are organizers explicitly made for this task, or you can get creative and cut down a cereal box to resemble a magazine holder. Or get some old magazine holders or plastic file containers. We'll show you a few things here.

This is called a StoraLid Food Container and is made specifically for storing food container lids. It fits easily into a cabinet or deep drawer for easy access. Click here for this on Amazon.

This set of four clear plastic magazine holders would work great for the vertical storage of Tupperware lids. Use each one for different sized lids. This set is also available in many different solid colors, as well as the clear if you have a specific color theme in your kitchen.

Click here for these on Amazon.

Here's another repurposing idea. In this case, a vertical file folder holder creates three distinct spaces for your plastic container lids. It can be wall-mounted to the inside of a cabinet door for easy access.

Click here to see this on Amazon.

How Do You Store Pyrex Lids?

Much like storing Tupperware lids, with Pyrex lids, you'll want to store them vertically. Be sure the measure the widest diameter or length of your various Pyrex lids, then be sure that your storage bin is slightly larger. For instance, if you have a lid that is 8" in diameter, you'll want your storage bin to be at least 9" long. Or if you have a 9 x 12 Pyrex dish with a lid, you'll need a lid storage container that is longer than 12".

Open plastic bins like these are handy organizational tools for the kitchen. They have built-in handles for easy maneuvering and make it easy to see the contents. They also keep items like storage lids from rolling around or getting messy in your cabinets and cupboards. This set comes with six bins, and each is 13.75 x 10.75 x 5 inches in size.

Click here to see these on Amazon.

Should I Throw Away My Old Tupperware?

This is a great question. The original Tupperware brand is known for lasting virtually forever. However, for many years they didn't use BPA free plastic in their manufacturing process. This started in 2010. So the first thing you want to do is check the age of your containers and lids. If you can't determine the age, look for the stamp or label that says BPA Free. If it's not BPA Free, then it's probably time to recycle and get yourself some new pieces for safety's sake.

With non-Tupperware brands of plastic food containers, follow the same guidelines. If they're not BPA Free, let them go. If they're discolored, cracked, or milky in appearance, say bye-bye. If you have lids and containers without the appropriate partner, recycle those as well. One way to keep down on clutter is to let go of things that don't function correctly because of missing pieces.

In recap, it seems that tidying up the Tupperware involves three steps.

Go through and recycle old, milky, cracked, or unmatched plastic pieces.
Stack your like containers with like containers
Store your lids vertically for ease of use

We hope you've enjoyed this organizational post here at KitchenSeer.com. If you did, and you'd like to see a couple of others, then please check out these posts below:

15 Awesome Under-Kitchen-Sink Storage Ideas

Best 3-Compartment Meal Prep Containers