Unclutterer

1. Posted by Vicki K - 07/16/2009

   This reminds me of a similar idea I saw in Martha Stewart Living. To make a storage place for cookie sheets and trays, place tension rods vertically between two shelves or inside a cabinet. You probably need at least two to build a “wall” for the sheets or trays to lean against vertically.

2. Posted by Megan - 07/16/2009

   I love the aha! section of Real Simple! Solutions I would have never thought of. I like this idea too – the lids to my pans are really hard to keep in place. Thanks for sharing!

3. Posted by Jen - 07/16/2009

   Definitely going to implement this in my kitchen for lids; maybe for potholders and trivets too.

4. Posted by Sarah S - 07/16/2009

   I use a spring-loaded napkin holder to keep my cutting boards stored upright on the counter.

   I also use a back-of-the-door lid holder in it’s intended form and find it does a good job, except for some pot lids that are irregular shapes.

5. Posted by Lori Paximadis - 07/16/2009

   I saw that in the magazine and thought it was a great idea. Me, I’ve just culled my pan collection down to those I really need and am lucky enough that I have a large pan drawer so I can store them all with the lids on. No more searching for the right lid.

6. Posted by Carol - 07/16/2009

   Neat idea!

7. Posted by Moe - 07/16/2009

   For cookie sheets and cutting boards, we use an organizer like this in a tall and narrow cupboard. It works really well.

   http://www.stacksandstacks.com.....;sku=11221

8. Posted by Suzyn - 07/16/2009

   One of my favorite kitchen multi-taskers is a wire mesh strainer. We use it to rinse a handful of fruit, to strain fresh juice, and to sift flour. My 4 year old LOVES helping to “pat the flour” and there’s none of the hand cramp I used to get from my mom’s (totally unitasker) flour sifter, which had a trigger that turned a little do-hicky at the bottom…

9. Posted by Elsie Hart - 07/16/2009

   I keep my lids corralled in my big, deep cabinets using steel bookends with cork bottoms so they stay in place. Works a charm.

10. Posted by eva - 07/16/2009

    this was a good idea, but some of the others were questionable. I remember a past issue where they (or was it Martha Stewart Living? doesn’t matter) recommended a repurpose for croquet wickets.

    because, you know, ordinary people have those hanging around ALL the time.

11. Posted by Louise - 07/16/2009

    I use perforated plastic storage bins in my fridge for several reasons. First, our fridge is really small and bins allow me to put more items inside. Second, it keeps like items together (all our lunch stuff is together, for instance.) Third, it keeps things from moving while our RV is underway. Fourth, it makes it easier to defrost the refrigerator.

    Photos here:
    http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com.....st-of.html

12. Posted by Michele - 07/16/2009

    Does it count that at this very moment I’m using a colander to keep my cat from nibbling at a loaf of bread I just took out of the oven?

    I put the bread on a wire rack to cool, then I upended a colander over it, then used twist-ties to secure the colander to the rack.

13. Posted by infmom - 07/16/2009

    Good Lord. Who has that much drawer space in their kitchen?

    I keep the lids in a long, narrow wire basket that originally came inside our chest freezer. I sent you a photo a while back of how we hang the pots and pans from a wire shelf over the sink (and keep the dish drainers in a lower wire shelf so the dishes drain directly into the sink).

14. Posted by Wendy - 07/16/2009

    You could also use this rod for the cabinet under a sink, to hang wet washrags on to dry.

15. Posted by delroy - 07/16/2009

    The outward tension from the rod would eventually loosen the joints of the wood.

16. Posted by Marie - 07/16/2009

    Dang! I have a spare kitchen rod, very small but not tension operated. So close.

17. Posted by Anna - 07/16/2009

    great idea, I think I’ll use it for my cutting boards! Thanks!

18. Posted by Dawn - 07/16/2009

    I keep bouillon cubes and things like taco seasoning packets in mason jars with lids. They look neat in the pantry and it’s easy to see if my stash is getting low when I make my grocery list.

19. Posted by Michelle - 07/16/2009

    I use a curtain rod in order to separate a shared bathroom. I hang the curtain between the toilet and the sink that way two people can have use with a little privacy still in place… also a major plus if you don’t have locks in case someone walks in on you.

20. Posted by Noel - 07/16/2009

    It’s not very elegant, but I keep my kitchen rubber gloves in a large baggie hung on a nail inside the under-sink cabinet on the door.

21. Posted by Kathy - 07/17/2009

    I use an expandable wooden plate rack (2 rails with some dowels on each) to organize my cutting boards. They’re out on top of a pantry cabinet, easy to grab and put away.

22. Posted by Kazza - 07/17/2009

    I agree with delroy that the tension would eventually damage the drawer. But I like the idea.

    Wouldn’t two small curtain rail brackets attached to the inside of the drawer and a length of dowel be a cheaper and more permanent way of doing this?

23. Posted by Louise - 07/17/2009

    @delroy and @Kazza:

    We’ve been using a spring tension curtain rod for five years in a cabinet to keep glassware from falling out after our RV has traveled down twisty roads. I can assure you that there isn’t enough “oomph” in those springs to damage wood cabinets or drawers. The rod itself will bend under the spring force well before that.

    The rod is tight enough to stay in place over bumpy, wash board roads. It has never sprung out of place or done any damage.

    Photos here:
    http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com.....-plus.html

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