Who knew these household items could work even better in the kitchen than they do in their usual homes! Check out how you can efficiently sort, organise and make your kitchen run like clockwork...
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1. Turn Tic Tac boxes into stylish spice pots
Spice bottles can take up so much space in a kitchen. Cut down on precious cupboard space by decanting your spices into empty Tic Tac containers. They save space and work brilliantly. You can even print out stylish labels thanks to DIY Inspired.
2. Use a file holder to organise foil & cling film boxes
Attach a file holder to the inside of your kitchen cupboard for a handy place to store your cling film, foil and baking sheet boxes. They fit neatly inside for quick and easy access.
3. Build a heavy-duty utensil pot out of LEGO
What a sweet way to brighten up your kitchen! This is a great little project for the kids and they can remake it whenever you fancy a change. Love this idea from Sweet Magnolia Way.
4. Or make a bespoke LEGO knife block
After you've built your basic utensil pot, how about making a bespoke knife holder? You can tailor it to the size and shape of your knives to great effect! How brilliant is this!
5. Store plastic bags in empty tissues boxes
Think twice before dumping those tissue boxes in the recycling bin! They can be used to store all those plastic sandwich and freezer bags.
6. Use storage boxes to organise your freezer
Don't be afraid to get rid of the boxes that come with your freezer (you can always put them to good use elsewhere in the home) and use some small more efficient storage boxes to keep everything separate and beautifully organised. I love how Time with Thea has labelled the boxes clearly.
7. Utilise shoe boxes to organise your fridge
Shoeboxes are a cheap and easy way to organise your fridge. Separate cooked meats, condiments, cheeses and so on in different sized boxes. I love the idea of creating a separate box for perishables - a sign is a clever way to remind everyone to eat them before they end up in the bin.
8. Use a hanger to hold up recipe books
A Pinterest classic and an Expert Home Tips favourite! Use your trouser hangers to clip recipe books and hang them from your kitchen cupboard handles.
9. Transform empty baby jars into magnetic spice bottles
This is a great project and fantastic use for jars if you have a baby in the house! Check out the amazing blog One Lucky Pickle for details on how to create these handy storage pots.
10. Neatly tuck away takeaway menus in folders
No more stuffed drawers or cluttered fridges! Cut one side of a plastic wallet out and attach it to the back of a kitchen cupboard door to neatly store all those bits of paper.
11. Use your old cake stand as an elevated dish soap holder
Keep the surfaces around your sink as clear as possible with an elevated soap dish stand. This cake stand works brilliantly and makes everything easy to reach.
12. Hang your mugs off an upcycled coat rack
Use an old coat rack to hang your mugs and kitchen utensils from. For more ideas like this, check out Colleen's 21 new & pretty uses for old & ugly things.
12. An old rake will keep kitchen utensils altogether
Transform an old rake head into a utensil holder for a rustic look. Simply screw into your wall. Easy peasy.
13. Hang wine glasses from an old rake too
You can even hang wine glasses from an old rake and create a little wine station in your kitchen.
14. Unglazed tiles work brilliantly as a pizza stone
Touted as the 'Three Dollar Pizza Stone', I found this innovative idea from The Paupered Chef. Use unglazed tiles to recreate the heat-retaining, moisture-wicking effect of a pizza stone oven. A must-have for any pizza lovers!
15. Reuse a fizzy can multipack box to store tins
If you stock up on multipacks of fizzy drinks then you'll have plenty of boxes to use for this handy idea. Simply cover them with gift wrap and slot them into your cupboards, it's a great space-saver and a fantastic way or organising your pantry.
16. Transform a French door shutter into an organisation station
Keep an eye out for old French door shutters on eBay, car boot sales and at skips. They can be upcycled to spectacular effect! Use yours to organise all those household items that tend to collect in the kitchen.
17. Use old ceramic planters for heavy kitchen utensils
Heavy kitchen utensils call for a more cumbersome holder. A ceramic plant pot is heavy and robust enough to keep all your kitchen equipment in without it endlessly toppling over.
Thanks for reading! If you have any ideas for the kitchen let me know in the comments section below. Please feel free to share this article with your friends and family too.
The clever use of Lego tops the list. Very nice.
It's my favourite too, thanks Luxus.
I have screwed a hook into the under side of kitchen cabinets to hang bananas.
Fab! Great little tip.
I think I'll try one of these tricks, Build something out of Lego bricks, it will look colourful and cheery make the kitchen far less dreary, but I'm afraid that I may boast about the ones I like the most, urging people to admire, their kind words my deep desire, you could say that I'll let rip on a total LEGO-TRIP!!!!
Wow that's a brilliant poem. Thanks Debbie, that brightened up my day :)
Thanks, but if I spent more time tidying my kitchen and less writing poems, I might not have such a guilty conscience!!!!
Haha I know which I would prefer...
There are lots of practical and simple ideas which one can utilise from everyday recycled containers and unwanted household objects! Perfect solutions, as the budget is kept intact and more importantly these brilliant ideas creates lots of fun, SAVES more money and above all the planet Earth is kept green ???
Thanks Maaria, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the tips in the article!
I'm busy tidying my kitchen at the moment and looking for way to make space. I will definitely be using some of these ideas. Love the old Rake it looks so good.
Aww thanks Jennifer, if you do put up the rake please send me a photo I would love to see it in action!
Some great ideas here - now where did I put all that old Lego! Always inspiring.
Thanks Lesley! I am going to try and make some LEGO organisers for the home. Watch this space...
Excellent !!!
Thanks Sue!
So me brilliant ideas, I already use some of the Month!
Fab!
My son has some spare Lego in the shed I might just get it out the cupboard and make the utensil holder
Let me know how you get on! I love this idea.
Hi Anushka I love all the ideas, however, I do use a stainless steel wine cooler to store my kitchen utensils near the cooker - its just one less thing to store in the cupboards, and doesn't get forgotten for those lovely wine moments.
Hi Pamela, thanks for the lovely comments. Great tip!
I use the lids of coffee jars as tubs to stand flower pots in, it stops water running out the bottom. Also use the empty coffee jar to hold pens and pencils ???
Oooh good one!
If you have one of the larger Pringle crisps tubes you could cover it with a sticky back plastic design and store uncooked lengths of spaghetti in it, saves it all falling out of an opened plastic bag and will keep it fresh with the plastic lid on. The smaller Pringles crisps tubes you could store nuts in to keep them fresh or raisins!
Great uses for Pringle cans... I think we will have to do an article on that! Thanks for the ideas Fran.
I fail to see the point of putting herbs and spices into the tictac containers.. you will still be left with the rest of the packet/jar to store somewhere...
It might be useful for when you're running low on the spice and you can then decant it into a tic tac box to save space?
The lego is AMAZING ???! ! Will definitely be doing this in my new home........
I love this one too! Please post a photo when you do it - I would love to see it!
Most of my recipe books are too thick and heavy to hang on a hanger! ( tip number 8 )
Hi George. You will be surprised just how strong your hangers are! This tip works for all of my cooking books, which are also rather hefty. Give it a go :)
I got fed up trying to find the right spice when I needed it so now Lee them all in an old plastic biscuit box- when I use them I just lift the whole box out of the cupboard and can easily find what I want- I also use old ice cream containers to store small items in which tend to fall to the back of the cupboard
Hello Linda. I actually do this too, only mine go into a large plastic box. It's much more convenient! IKEA is a great place to pick up storage boxes if you don't already have some lying around. Thanks for sharing :)
I think there are some great ideas in this article and like the ideas for storage in the fridge/freezer and also the cake stand. I have a couple of ideas which may be useful: I use a stainless steel butter dish as a soap dish - which makes cleaning it a cinch. Idea nr. 2: I use a wooden wine rack as a shoe rack instead - every space is used for a shoe or trainer and looks good too!!
Hi Evelyn. Thanks a lot for your kind comments. Your ideas are also great - we particularly like the soap dish idea! I bet you can pop that straight into the dishwasher too which is even more convenient. Thanks for sharing :)
Large ceramic plant pot works well as utensil holder!
...and it's something most of us have. Top tip, Liz :)
got a heavy plant pot with no plant in it its the same colour of my kitchen walls soi will be putting some utensils in it
Hi Mary. This sounds like a very good idea indeed. I'm sure it will look lovely :)