There are few organizing tools that excite us as much as a label maker. Oh, the possibilities! You can label your canisters, sure. You can also steal one of these great ideas and use your label maker for something totally surprising.

Here are 10 surprising ways to use a label maker in the kitchen.

1. To mark a cheese plate

Instead of spending money on a set of cheese markers, which can't exactly change based on what you're serving, try this trick from The Container Store. Just use a label maker to print out the names of the cheeses you have for the night. Make two matching labels for each cheese and sandwich them on the end of a toothpick. Instant custom cheese markers!

2. To explain what cleaning supplies do

If the people you live with seem a little, um, confused about how to use the various cleaning supplies in your house, why not leave little explanations for them? They should get the hint.

3. To assign seats at dinner

This place card is obviously for Thanksgiving, but the idea — from Merriment Design — works for a dinner party any time of year.

4. To keep order in the refrigerator

We've obviously seen (and used!) labels on leftovers and random storage bins — sometimes even storage bins used in the fridge. But we love this idea from Jen at I Heart Organizing. She labeled the actual shelves in the fridge! This way, all your straightening efforts won't go out the window the second the rest of your family gets in there.

5. To label spice jars

What if you store your spices or containers in a drawer (versus on a fancy pantry shelf)? Steal this idea from At Home with Ashley and use a label maker to mark the tops of the containers, so you can see everything at a glance. It's so simple, yet so brilliant.

6. To keep people's drinks sorted

A little classier than wine charms, Annika, the blogger behind Valentine's Afternoon, came up with the idea to use a label maker to keep party guests from losing their wine glasses. Just (carefully) peel them off after the party.

7. To add pizzazz to tea lights

Turns out, tea lights are basically the same height as label maker tape is wide! Or so finds Plumetis Magazine. Print out an inspirational word or short phrase and stick it to the side of a tea light.

8. To label your plants

This idea comes from DYMO, a company that makes labeling gear, and it's so smart. If you have terrible handwriting (like so many of us do!), you can print out custom labels and affix them to popsicle sticks to put into your planters.

9. To tag food gifts

Whether you're giving someone a bottle of wine or homemade brownies, a label maker can help make the gift a little more special. This is another idea from The Container Store that you can rework in your own unique way. Put your message on a gift tag or directly on the wrapping paper.

10. To leave warnings for loved ones

Decaf coffee is hard for some caffeine-lovers to understand. If you have both options in your house, you might want to leave a warning like this.

How do you use label makers in the kitchen?