The kitchen is an area that you would hope would always have a ton of space. But somehow, it always manages to be one of the smaller areas in any given home. A lack of counter tops or cupboard space are some of the biggest issues, leaving people scrambling to find anywhere they can for items. It can be a serious pain for anyone.
If you are looking for better storage in your kitchen, and you happen to be an upcycling maniac like I am, there is hope. Here are ten fantastic ideas for using old items for organization.
1. Tin Can Utensil Holders
These are so cute, and so easy to use! All they take are family-sized tin cans that have been washed out and painted. You could also use contact paper to decorate them without the pain, if you chose. For those with even less space for smaller utensils, like forks, spoons, and butter knives, you could even use smaller cans and place them on the counter or in a cupboard.
2. Tin Can Wine Rack
Have some tin cans left over? Why not glue them together with this handy wine rack. I love the color that they used, which looks like a nice Burgundy or Merlot. Notice the varying sizes and the way that they have stacked them. It would make it a suitable rack for other liquors and mixes, as well. You could even make a mini one for beer bottles set out for guests, or cans of soda if you aren’t a drinker.
3. Peg Board Pan Holder
This is a cool little idea. Take a regular peg board, fix it with some screws or even plastic ties and hang all of your odds and ends up. Utilizing walls is a fantastic way to make the most out of all of your space in any room. One thing to keep in mind is that this would be better for skillets and frying pans than it would be any kind of sauce pan or pot. Those might be too heavy to maintain the integrity of the board. For those, you can always hang up hooks or chains.
4. Mason Jar Storage Jars
This idea is so simple that I feel like an idiot for not thinking of it myself. Just take some mason jars (and even spaghetti jars would work), and fill them with odds and ends. This could be rice, sugar, herbs… anything you might have on hand. We all know how much space things like flour bags can take up, after all. This uses jar lids, but you could also use a cheese cloth and rubber band, or twine. If you are especially crafty and want something more complex, here is another cool idea for using old jars.
5. Tiered Cupboard Separators
Have some lumber sitting around after that last big project or renovation? Plenty of us are always plagued with extra wood in our garages or sheds. This is a great way to use it. The post offers full instructions on how to easily build tiered shelves for any cupboard to better organize your cans and other items. This could be used for other rooms, as well.
6. Dresser Island
If you have an old dresser you don’t know what to do with, you can always do what these people did and turn it into a little kitchen island. The extra drawer space can really help, and you can add separators or even nail in some dividers to keep everything in its place. Of course, you would need a fair amount of floor space to pull this one off.
7. Ladder Pot Rack
I love this. They have taken an old ladder, attached it to the ceiling with some simple chains, popped on some hooks, and voila! A fantastic pot rack for any kitchen. If you use a wooden ladder (recommended, due to weight issues) you could easily saw it in half or quarters for a smaller one. Then use the other pieces around the house, such as hanging jewelry or clothes.
8. Grill Grate Pot Rack
This is another great idea. You know those replacement racks that always come when you purchase a grill? No one ever knows what to do with them, and I don’t think I have ever met someone who ended up needing them. This is a great way to use them as a pot holder. The metal makes it strong, but it is lightweight enough not to fall.
9. Galvanized Pipe Pot Rack
I am not sure how many people are going to realistically have galvanized pipe just sitting around. But when I saw this picture I immediately thought of curtain rods and shower rods. Now, those are more likely to be sitting around the average house. You can hang them up and use them for pots, strainers, cheese graters, ladles or anything else. It looks rather good, as well.
10. Mason Jar Herb Garden
Make your own little kitchen herb garden without the traditional planters. Just use mason jars as the perfect little pots, and fix them with copper or wire rings to a hanging board. There’s another way to create a herb gaden using mason jars with a cool design spin: A Mason Jar + a Shelf = “Fresh Cut Flower” Shelf (via F.C. Tucker Company, Inc.)
Do you have a kitchen storage upcycling project you want to share? Let us know in the comments!