I'm interested in info on in-drawer knife organizers. I've never used one, but there's no good place in my kitchen to mount a magnetic knife bar and I'm sick of the block taking up real estate on my counter. Anyone have any experience with them?

200 for a drawer insert??? that's obscene.

I do have 2 Kamenstein magnetic cannister spice racks on my wall and they work great.

Anyone have a good way to handle tupperware?

Nesting tupperware never quite works because then to get the right size you have to pull half of it out and renest and the cabinet ends up jumbly real quick

PERFECT! This is on my January Cure list :)

I got a nice little knife block that mounts under the cabinet and swivels so you can pull out the knives. Plus the slots are magnetic so they stay in place. Works beautifully. I think it's from casa.com?

The Rationell knife tray from Ikea is wooden and $19.99. We just bought one and use it alongside the $12.99 flatware organizer, it works great and no more knife block on the counter.

I buy "disposable" deli containers in quart and pint size from here in bulk. They use the same lids and nest beautifully. I can generally get several uses out of them with no problems, but I also don't feel bad when I find an experiment in the back of the fridge and throw it out without opening.
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/20489/hot-microwaveable-round-deli-containers.html

Good timing...kitchen organization is on my Cure list...however, I have a couple of questions maybe readers can help with....

1) Pots that don't stack? We got new pots and pans for christmas, but the lids don't flip over to help stack like our old ones, they just slide around. So with using a pot lid rack like above, do you just pile the pots inside another? Doesn't that scratch them?

2) the slide out racks (#2)....does anyone know of a lower-cost alternative? I need several of these and can't justify spending $300 on shelves.

thanks!

Sur La Table had a wooden knife drawer insert that didn't take up the whole drawer. It was narrow enough to be able to store other things like measuring cups and can openers, peelers, etc.,in the drawer, but still had slots for five large knives plus five smaller ones in the half-slots between the main five. Enough for me- chef knives in the main, paring and specialty knives in the upper slots. Sorry I can't remember the brand.

I have the ikea pot-lid organizer. It's better than nothing but doesn't work well at all for my glass lids (which most of them are.) Somehow they're just the wrong shape and/or size.

This is just FYI... if you order one, they probably work better with the lids,ikea sells, which you could check out in their catalog to get an idea if yours are similarly sized.

Oh yeah, another thing - I really like those Grundtal magnetic spice canisters. But you can buy watchmakers' jewel boxes (essentially the same thing) for much much cheaper, and different sizes too. Might have to add the magnets, I don't remember.

The best way I have found to organize tupperware is to:

1. Purge any old tupperware or tupperware without matching lids.
2. Donate any unneeded tupperware (I try to keep the same type of tupperware and get rid of randoms. If you have 6 pyrex 8oz containers, you probably don't need those 2 rubbermaid 8oz containers. Keeping similar tupperware means easy nesting!).
3. Invest in a slide-out for your lower cabinet. I wouldn't put your tupperware on a high shelf because you won't be able to have easy access and people will tend to just throw it in there.
4. Organize your tupperware like so: http://blog.timesunion.com/vinoteca/files/2012/03/tupperware-600x450.jpg
(all like lids on the bottom and all like containers nested above the like lids..DO NOT nest smaller containers into larger containers. Keep all like containers together, and only together. This works great when you donate stragglers, and keep only the tupperware that you have a large quantity of.)
5. Now, label your tupperware (permanent marker works best). Put a "1" on the bottom of the container and a "1" on the matching lid. This goes back to what I said about keeping the tupperware that you have a higher quantity of. If you have 6 pyrex 8oz containers, you can nest ALL of those and label their containers "1" and lids "1". Then if you have 4 rubbermaid 22oz containers you can label them "2" and their lids "2".

These are just examples of course. But here's what i'm getting at.. When I put tupperware away everyday, I am able to open my lower cabinet, pull out my slide-out, and SEE all the numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) from the permanent marker since the tupperware is CLEAR. I can then look at the tupperware number that I have in my hand and place it in it's correct spot. Since I also labeled my lids, I can do the same for the lids. This has worked WONDERS, especially living with multiple people. It's an easy to understand system.

I nest my pots (only nest 2 or 3 max). Saucepans nested, Saute pans nested, try to keep them separate. Then use a file holder like this http://www.stacksandstacks.com/blog/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/file-holders.jpg . to hold all my pot lids. It's awesome, and you can usually find them in a thrift store for $1 each.

As far as scratching, maybe, but they are going to go through a lot of wear and tear through cooking/cleaning anyways, right?

I keep my tupperware in a little cheap plastic crate on a high shelf. It's easy to just reach up and grab the basket and set it on the counter, put the newly-clean pieces in the appropriate stack, and put it back on the shelf. I keep the lids in one of those under-shelf baskets.

Am I the only person who has way more knives then can fit in a knife block? I inhereted some really nice knives from both of my grandmothers, and use them regularly. I've found knife blocks that appear like they would hold them all, but they are always sold with a set of knives. Even if I could mount a magnetic strip to my tiled kitchen walls that always looks like a disaster waiting to happen for someone as klutzy as me. I can't find a block sold sans knives big enough. Suggestions for where to look?

lesova, I did quite a bit of looking at pull outs and the only ones that seemed worth the effort cost about as much as those in #2. I put one under my sink as a test and the thing is solid and moves beautifully. I believe it will hold up for years. The ones I looked at that weren't either all chrome or chrome and wood seemed like they would give up under a lot of use.

lesova, you can get the one pictures on amazon for about $25 less.

Thanks!

Mshannahnv - that's genius...and even better, I already have one of those file thingies. Ya I guess scratches are inevitable, it's just that they're all so new and shiny right now.

jlwmid - you're probably right, why skimp on quality for something like that. I better start saving ;) And check amazon in the meantime.

I have two of the products listed and they are wonderful in helping organize the kitchen. Don't let the cost deter you, I've seen similar items with a cheaper price at Lowe's and HomeGoods.

I have those bamboo drawer organizers and they are great but I wouldn't spend that much on then. Less expensive ones are available at The Container Store.

We have pull out shelves with adjustable dividers to store our pot lids and other cooking sheets. You can get them made to fit your cabinet

http://www.slideoutshelvesllc.com/pull-out-shelves-birch/pan-lid-cooking-sheet-shelf.html

I've had a magnetic knife rack - wall hung and it worked great. I've moved so my kitchen wall space is at a premium now. I now use a wooden knife in drawer holder. Another alternative is to use knife blade protectors for infrequently used knives. They snap on and off - available at kitchen specialty stores like Sur La Table. Keeps the knives from getting dulled.

I only use about 4 knives routinely so a small in-drawer rack works for me know.

the variera pot lid organizer doesnt work well. I have quite a few ikea pots and lids and even their own stuff doesnt seem to stand up well in this thing. It works better for lighter things like plastic cutting boards or very thin sheet pans. the things that stick up tho arent really tall enough tho to hold a lot of stuff upright

Love many of these products with the exception of # 4, the Over the Cabinet Bar (not dissing Crate & Barrel, it's that I've never met an Over the Cabinet Bar I didn't find frustrating!).

I find they wear down paint or wood cabinetry, never stay in place, an often get lifted right off and bang to the floor. Much more efficient to just drape a towel over the edge of a cabinet or, better yet, buy some easy-off, temporary hooks.

Which I love. Temporary hooks are my best friends!

You mean the plastic containers you get from Walmart and stuff, right--not actual Tupperware? I keep most of my Tupperware and other plastic containers in one big drawer, nesting when possible and keeping the lids against the front of the door, close to their bowls. With a 2yo about, that's not always easy, but it mostly works. I also try to purge twice a year and get rid of anything without a matching lid.

And if the missing or damaged piece is Tupperware (the brand) consider contacting your friendly neighborhood consultant--broken Tupperware will be covered by the lifetime warranty, and a lot of the seals (lids) are still available to buy, even if what you're missing is the seal from your grandma's sugar canister.

Expando curtain wire strung between two nails/hooks on the back of the pot cupboard door works well to hold the pot lids.
Or two chains hung from a top of a tall cupboard with plastic hooks threaded on them and hook lids to that.

To all those looking for an in-drawer knife organizer - I saw one at Target this weekend for about $25. It's all wood, and is designed to hold knives in two directions (front to back, and vice versa) which I thought was a nice design. I don't have that many knives, but I do have very small drawers in a small kitchen, and this seems like it will fit. Downside: The insert would take up the whole drawer. Upside: out of sight, off the counter.

The undershelf baskets are five bucks each at KMart, and you don't have to pay for shipping. Now, you can afford a better meal in your newly reorganized kitchen. These baskets also work well in bathroom and other closets with shelf space.
To free drawer space, an antique butter crock or lidless cookie jar work well for spatulas and whisks.

I have those undershelf baskets hanging under my bed, slotted onto the wooden slats. It's brilliant for underbed storage that doesn't get dusty.