Problem Solving Projects: 8 Super Smart Kitchen Storage DIYs

updated Mar 11, 2020

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There are yet-to-be-discovered storage spots lurking in even the teeny-tiniest of kitchens—under the shelves, behind cabinet doors, right on the wall. These clever DIY ideas will help you uncover these areas in your own kitchen and create stylish storage projects that fit right into them. Hello, cute and orderly kitchen!

(Image credit: Ich Designer)

This IKEA hack has to be one of the smartest kitchen storage DIYs we’ve ever seen. Kristina of the blog Ich Designer hung $10 SULTAN LADE bed slats on a kitchen wall, and used s-hooks to suspend serving boards, a recipe clipboard, and a pail of utensils.

(Image credit: The Lovely Drawer)

Keep your kitchen canisters clearly labeled—and looking cute enough to leave out on the counter or on a floating shelf—by hand lettering each one. Teri from The Lovely Drawer embellished the ones above using porcelain paint.

We’ve seen glass jars used as under-shelf storage in the office, but Shannon Quimby, whose DIY-filled kitchen was featured in HGTV magazine, shows us that this space-saving trick works just as well in the kitchen.

Alison, Liz, & Nicole’s Shared Space (Image credit: Alison, Liz, & Nicole’s Shared Space)

We spotted this smart use for a basic hardware store pegboard in Alison, Liz, & Nicole’s Shared Space, entered in the 2014 Small Cool Contest. DIY this wall organizer by mounting a sheet of pegboard to a kitchen wall and using hooks or elastic to hang pots, pans, and tools.

(Image credit: Dabney Frake)

Or just DIY your own pegboard using wood, a drill, and some dowels. Follow our instructions for building the masterpiece above, then stock it with small dishes, salt cellars, and oven mitts.

(Image credit: Design Sponge)

In this Melbourne kitchen found on Design Sponge, a chalkboard wall serves as a backdrop for a DIY pot rail. If you don’t have enough cabinet space to contain all your cookware, attach a couple towel rods to an open wall and use s-hooks to hang pots and pans.

Put every inch of space to use, including the inside of the cabinets. Paint a wooden ruler and label it with a spot for each measuring cup and spoon, then attach a tiny screw-in cup hook for each tool. Secure the rulers to the inside of the door, using short screws and being careful not to drill all the way through. You can also include a measurement conversion chart so you won’t have to look it up every time you bake.

(Image credit: My Lovely Things)

Interior stylist Anna Truelson of My Lovely Things attached hooks under these shelves to hold mugs, pitchers, and serving boards. This suspended storage frees up crowded shelf space and keeps cups within reach.

If you’re a renter, also check out our list of brilliant storage ideas for rental kitchens.

Re-edited from a post originally published 7.22.16 – AL