Wood Coat Hanger Dish Drainer DIY

Clothes Pin Magnet

 
(Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran)

LOVE the idea.....

I would turn the clothes pin
the OTHER DIRECTION.....

I can't imagine how this could work for anything
if mounted as shown in photo!

 

Kitchen Sink Sponge

PHOTO: LEVI BROWN

 

Binder Clip as Sponge Stand

 

Prevent  smelly, waterlogged sponge, air-dry it in  binder clip 

but not in sink.

Upcycle Water Bottle Tops and Lids for Kitchen Needs.

"DRINK SAVERS". 
MAKE THEM  WITH A PLASTIC BOTTLE.

 for your baking needs, create a tight seal on any plastic bag placing a drink saver over the top. Works great on a big bag of M&M's, chocolate chips, nuts, etc. 

Also makes it super easy to pour out your next serving.

Shoe Organizer for Kitchen Items

Credit: Photo courtesy of Laura Witt
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Shoe Organizer for Utensils

Free some space from countertops or cabinets with this sleek idea: Take an over-the-door shoe organizer from any home goods store and hang it on the pantry door or any other door in the kitchen. (The versions with clear plastic pockets are best, so contents are easily visible.) Then slip wooden spoons, spatulas, small appliances or snacks into the slots.

Rake Glass Holder

Credit: Photo courtesy of Dana Pugh
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Rustic Wine Glass Holder

Juxtapose elegant glassware with this rustic, utilitarian idea from Dana Pugh. Simply remove the handle from any metal rake, and then anchor the head directly to the wall with screws. Flip each glass upside down and slide the stem between two prongs. Or, instead, use the rake to hang spatulas, wooden spoons or other kitchen utensils.

Elevated Soap Dish

Credit: Photo courtesy of Natalie Wright
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Elevated Soap Dish

Take dish and hand soaps to new heights by placing them all on a cake stand next to the sink. If you don't have an old stand you're willing to part from your pastries, try creating one like Natalie Wright did, by gluing a plate atop a wide-based candlestick. It adds an elegant touch to the sink area, while freeing up counter space.

Kitchen Cup Hangers

Credit: Photo courtesy of Ginny Sheller
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Hang Your Cups

To encourage her kids to drink more water, Ginny Sheller had her husband craft this space-saving mug rack. To make, turn a coat rack on its side, or screw individual hooks into the wall, and assign each little one their own personal hook based on their height. What's even better: They won't reach for a new cup each time they get a drink.

Recycled Storage Containers for Soup Cans

Credit: Photo courtesy of Amy Williams
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Soup-er Recycled Storage

Are your canned goods getting lost in the shuffle? If you're tired of toppling towers of cans in the pantry, try this eco-friendly idea from Amy Williams. Take an old cardboard soda box, coat it in Modge Podge, and then cover it with decorative paper. Cut an opening in the back to restock cans so the older ones rotate to the front.

Magazine Rack for Lids

Credit: Photo courtesy of Aimee Wimbush-Bourque
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Magazine Rack for Pot Lids

Getting all those pot lids in line is a snap with this organization idea from Aimee Wimbush-Bourque. Just screw a metal magazine rack into the back of a cabinet door and arrange lids by size. The sleek design not only makes it easy to find the right lid but also opens up some additional cabinet space, too.

Menu Organizer

Credit: Photo courtesy of Cristin Bisbee Priest
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

A Clearly Neat Menu Organizer

No more stacks of menus stuffed in a junk drawer or hanging on the side of the refrigerator! It's possible to keep these tidy and organized (along with coupons and new recipes to try). Simply adhere any clear folder or plastic sleeve for paper documents to the inside of a cabinet or pantry door. Or, place one on the wall by the phone — the look is clean enough to keep in plain sight.

Magnetic Spices at Hand on the Frig.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Lauren Davison
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-kitchen/pictures/index.html

Magnetic Spices at Hand

From parsley to cinnamon, it's easy for spices to take over your cupboards. To fix this problem, Lauren Davison repurposed baby food jars and turned them into magnetic spice jars that easily attach to the side of the refrigerator. "They're a great way to keep clutter out of your cupboards, save time while cooking and add a touch of personality to the kitchen," she says. "Plus, it's easy to find the spice you need and see when you're getting low." Want to make your own? See Lauren's full tutorial.

 I still have some spices left in my cupboard, but I ran out of magnets, so I was only able to make 10 jars.

These took a bit of time, but very little skill. 

Obviously.  

I just collected baby food jars, rinsed them out, and pulled off as much of the label that I could. Then I popped them in the dishwasher (the lids, too). I didn't worry about the sticky spot left over since it would be covered by the paper/cardstock I wrapped around the jar.

I had some nice powerful magnets. I got mine from some store on ebay. 

To eliminate any need to coordinate colors on my part, I used the DCWV Latte Mat Stack, with its coordinating solid mat stack to decorate the jars. I had bought them a long time ago when I was on my paper kick. It was fun to be able to use them for something besides eye candy!

I Mod Podged 1" strips of paper around the jar. The Mat Stacks I had were 8x8, and I found that a 1"x 8" strip is the perfect size to wrap around standard baby food jars. I Mod Podged them to the jars, and then covered the strip in Mod Podge, too, to give it a nice finished sheen and to make sure the end of the strip wouldn't ever start peeling up. 

I made the labels out of two circular pieces of paper. I used a half dollar for my big circles, and a quarter for the cream colored circles. Hi-tech, I know. I wrote the names of the spices on the cream circles and let them dry for a bit, just to ensure they wouldn't bleed at all when I put Mod Podge over the top. I the glued the big circle to the bottom and let it dry a bit. Then I covered it in Mod Podge and put the cream circle on it, let it dry, and then covered the whole thing in Mod Podge again. 

Now for the magnets. The ones I had were smaller, so I used two on each jar. Kirby is a genius and pointed out that if I just hot glued the magnets straight to the lid, they might not end up being level, which would make the magnetic bond with the fridge weaker, and could even cause the magnets to pull free from the lid. So we got out an old card table and I stuck the magnets to it, put hot glue blobs on those, and actually set the lid (with the jar attached) on top of the magnets. That way, when the glue hardened, the magnets would be perfectly even. Worked like a charm. That wouldn't be an issue if you had magnets with a nice big radius, though. I reinforced the magnet by putting a ring of hot glue around the edge of the magnet. 

Whew! That's quite an explanation for a project that requires little skill!

So far I am loving it. It's SO easy to find the spices I need. No more rummaging around like a mad woman. Plus--my fridge is right next to our stove, so it is the most convenient spot to keep them!

Glass vs. Plastic

MarthaStewart.com photo credit.

USE glass containers, stoneware dishes.
Avoid plastic if possible.
GO GREEN when you can. THX!

Plastic Wrap vs. Covered Containers

Plastic wrap VS. Cover containers. THINK GREEN.....

Kitchen Towel Holder Idea

LOVE  these towel holders!

Toothpick Holder from BALL

 
 
(image via http://bit.ly/wAduog)


  We're convinced… the practical uses for Ball jars are endless!

Spice Drawer Organizer Idea

In-Drawer Spice Organizer...

I've been putting together a lot of cheapo bookshelves from Walmart lately (I'll show you what I'm up to soon!)

When the shelves come out of the box, they have these protective cardboard corners on them.

When I saw them, I thought of a few uses for them, so I kept them.  This morning, a great idea snapped into my head - what about using them for an In-Drawer Spice Rack? 

Reality Check - Here's my "Spice Rack" Before organization:

Embarrassing...and I can never find what I'm looking for.

So, I took one of the cardboard corners and cut it to fit the drawer tightly.  This is important because if it's too loose, the spices will move around in the drawer every time you open or close it.

I left the back of the drawer open for larger spices.  I have some big bags of Indian Spicesthat wouldn't fit in an ordinary spice organizer, so this customizable solution really worked for me! 

If you don't have a cardboard corner like mine on hand, this method would work with any sturdy cardboard.  Take a strip of 3-inch cardboard and cut it to fit your drawer (tightly), then bend it in half down its length.  Set it in your drawer, point side up and stack your spices!  Easy!

The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:

Fake In-Drawer Spice Organizer (Free Cardboard)

Total Fake-It Cost:  $0.00

Compare to This In-Drawer Spice Organizer:  $40.00

Credit - The Hardware Hut

Total Fake-It Savings:  $40.00

http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2012/09/in-drawer-spice-organizerfree.html

Old Ladder To Pot Holder In Kitchen

 Old Ladder To Kitchen Organizer

Great Idea from fellow blogger. SEE all credit after last photo.

http://mountainhearth.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html photo credit.

Pocket Kitchen Cabinet

By Amy Elbert

Kitchens by necessity create clutter: pots and pans, company china, toasters, blenders, canned goods, and 24-packs of soda. Finding places for all of those foods and supplies is a challenge, even for kitchen design professionals. We've gathered a selection of our favorite ideas for keeping a kitchen in order while enhancing efficiency.

Kitchen Storage Ideas

LOVE this 

Storage Idea. Found this on someone page, and they SADLY didn't give

Photo Credit.  SO, if anyone knows please send me the photographers name.

GIVE credit, where credit is due!