Comments on: Corralling lids

By: Louise

Louise — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:37:54 +0000

@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

By: Kazza

Kazza — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:08:09 +0000

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?

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:20:31 +0000

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.

By: Noel

Noel — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:08:19 +0000

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.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:34:01 +0000

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.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:18:51 +0000

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.

By: Anna

Anna — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:58:20 +0000

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

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:45:19 +0000

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

By: delroy

delroy — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:19:12 +0000

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

By: Wendy

Wendy — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:59:16 +0000

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

By: infmom

infmom — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:18:47 +0000

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).

By: Michele

Michele — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:17:24 +0000

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.

By: Louise

Louise — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:07:08 +0000

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

By: eva

eva — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:43:39 +0000

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.

By: Elsie Hart

Elsie Hart — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:18:59 +0000

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

By: Suzyn

Suzyn — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:11:26 +0000

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…

By: Moe

Moe — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:06:28 +0000

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

By: Carol

Carol — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:30:09 +0000

Neat idea!

By: Lori Paximadis

Lori Paximadis — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:22:37 +0000

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.

By: Sarah S

Sarah S — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:10:53 +0000

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.