14 Creative DIYs For Around Your Home Using A Dollar Tree Cooling Rack
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Sometimes, it can seem like an impossible task to beautify and organize your space on a budget. Not to mention, it's hard to know where to begin. Enter: simple, easy, and inexpensive DIY upgrades. While a Dollar Tree Cooking Concepts Metal Cooling Rack might not seem like anything revolutionary, this $1.25 item can transform areas of your home with just a little creativity.
It can be all-too-tempting to load up your Target cart with all the latest and greatest home accessories. But for a fraction of the price, you can achieve the same result. Bonus: you'll get that rush of satisfaction that comes with creating something on your own. Whether you're looking for containers to organize your home, create your own decorative accents, or make a piece of seasonal decor that can be used year after year, these DIY creators have got you covered. With a cooling rack or two, you can infuse usefulness and beauty into your home in equal measure.
A command center keeps the household organized
Every home needs a hub where the most important essentials congregate: car keys, permission slips, birthday invitations, and to-do lists. You can spend hundreds on boards made from reclaimed wood and luxe fabrics, but for a few dollars, you'll have a practical solution that works just as nicely. You'll need one cooling rack and a pair of Adhesive Wall Hooks for this project. This creator, The Practical Mom, attached a napkin holder (like this Chrome Collection Napkin Holder) to the bottom of the rack for an extra spot to stick something larger, like a planner or library book.
Contain cleanup chaos with a sports organization bin
Busy families know: you can really never have too much storage. It can be tricky to find good solutions for kids' outdoor sports equipment, with fabric bins not withstanding the elements and large bins and buckets not easily accessible to little hands. Contain outdoor sports equipment with this sturdy storage bin made with five cooling racks. Bargain Bethany suggests zip-tying the sides and bottom together to securely attach the racks. With the clear side slats, kids can find what they're looking for, and grown-ups are happy to have the mess contained!
Keep spices within reach with this handy rack
While containing spices within cabinets can work, it can be difficult to find what you're looking for on the fly. This DIY spice rack via The Harts DIY will keep spices in sight and within reach, making for a smoother dinner prep. Put two cooling racks together horizontally, then attach baskets (these Long Plastic Basket Trays will work) using zip ties. Arrange your spices with the labels facing outward for easy identification. If you'd like, add Mini Chalkboard Signs and write culinary-inspired words with a Liquid Chalk Marker to fuel your meal-prep vibes.
Organize essentials with a Lazy Susan
Behold the Lazy Susan, the MVP of storage. This version by Chas' Crazy Creations can hold wooden spoons and cookbooks, glue guns and Modge Podge, and workbooks and markers. Fill a Steel Pie Pan with marbles, then place another one on top. Place the pie pans beneath a baking sheet and secure with a glue gun. Fold the ends of two cooling racks and face toward one another, secured with fishing wire. Attach Plastic Hanging Baskets of varying sizes on the sides and fill with supplies, and easily spin to different sections to grab what you need.
Elevate your computer with a laptop stand
We've all had aches and pains from long hours hunched over a laptop, often not realizing the strain facing downward can cause. Create a more ergonomic desk setup with a laptop raised up to eye level. Creator Shanetta DIY Life shows us how to simply bend the edges of a cooling rack to form a stand, and rest your laptop on top. Beneath, house your mouse, stapler, notepads, pens, and other desk essentials for a streamlined and organized desk space.
Build storage shelves to organize small items
Nothing adds order and calm to a space like knowing everything has a home. Whether it's clothing, games, or toys, easy drawers can provide a central spot to container the clutter. Thrifted Living shows us how to put together several cooling racks to form a sturdy shelving unit. Simply zip-tie the racks together in cube shapes until you have the desired number (nine are shown here). Add fabric drawers, and you have a storage space that can be used in any area of your home.
Set up a snack station for events
For your next birthday party, family picnic, or play date, set up snacks in style with this super creative DIY snack station. HomeTalk shows us how to attach cooling racks to a metal paper towel holder with zip ties. Hang bags of chips and candy bars with themed clips for a grab-and-go display that lets your guests feel like they're "shopping" for goodies. This snack rack adds a touch of whimsy and fun to any get-together, and will be enjoyed by all ages.
Make crafting convenient with a ribbon dispenser
Organizing ribbon may seem like the ultimate challenge, and send you rifling through bins of tangled remnants in frustration. Enter this solution from Life DIY Josie. Attach a container, like this Ubamdom's Slim Storage Basket, to a cooling rack with a zip tie. Then, add a wooden dowel rod through the ribbon spools. Not only is this solution ultra-practical, it's pleasing to the eye with its neat rainbow of color. Simply pull your desired ribbon through the basket slats when you need it for crafting or gifting. Having supplies within reach makes life just that much easier!
Keep sunglasses neat with a budget-friendly rack
We've all been there: you're rushing out the door, the kids have to be at school in five minutes, and you can't find your favorite sunglasses. Enter: a cooling rack hanging by your front door, shown here by That Practical Mom, perfectly suited for storing sunglasses of every shape and size. Make it a habit to put your sunnies on the rack every time you enter your home, and you'll have just saved yourself some time (and a headache or two!) Mount it on the inside of a cabinet door if you'd prefer to keep visual clutter to a minimum, or hang in sight if you'd prefer to keep the reminder in view.
Kitchen sink cleaning supplies door hanger
Let's face it, there's really no aesthetically pleasing way to display cleaning supplies. That's why they end up under the sink or in the closet, where they might conveniently get swallowed up by rolls of paper towels, brushes, and sponges. Keep high-use items, like counter spray, glass cleaner, dish wands, and scrub brushes, on a cooling rack secured to the inside of the kitchen sink cabinet door. Hang the rack with a simple solution like Adhesive Wall Hooks, and you create an easy-to-reach, designated spot. This simple-yet-genius idea from Bargain Bethany will change your kitchen game for the better.
Keep supplies organized with a craft organizer
Crafters love stuff, and that stuff needs a place to go, or the craft closet becomes a mess. No one wants to be mid-project and realize they can't find the glue gun, that one particular paint color, or scissors. Say goodbye to messy cabinets and create a craft storage rack like this one from Our Upcycled Life. Attach bins to your rack to suit your size needs, like these Wire Hanging Baskets, and fill them with your favorite supplies. Contain smaller items like markers, glue sticks, stickers, and ribbon in smaller sections like these Small Organizing Bins.
Get festive with lighted present decor
Loving the statement that large holiday decor can make, but the cost, not so much? Well, you can make your own with this easy tutorial from DIY With Tina. Simply tie cooling racks together in a box shape, then fully wrap in White Metallic Mesh Ribbon. Tie a large red bow to the top, then string with Starry LED Fairy Lights for a soft twinkle. Place under the mantel or by the stairway and enjoy the glow all season long. Or, make a few and stack by the front door for a dash of festive warmth.
Use a chic wire basket to hold belongings
Every room needs a big basket to use as a catch-all for blankets, toys, and miscellaneous items to be organized later. Create this chic basket by Julie Jewels World by zip tying together two cooling racks bent in half. Cut a clear plastic bath mat and cover the metal sides, then paint the mat gold and add metal pieces like Decolore's Table Easel Displays for the handles. Large baskets can cost $50 or more, so this DIY is definitely worth your time. Plus, this basket is so useful and pretty, you'll want to make more than one!
Square wreath frame
The coolest thing about this wreath from This Southern Girl Can is that it can be updated seasonally: just swap out the sign and change the ribbon color. Make the square wreath form by cutting a cooling rack into strips with a Heavy Duty Wire Cutter. Zip-tie the strips together to make a frame, then hang a seasonal sign from the rungs. Choose a decorative ribbon and string through the frame, or leave plain. Then, hang it on your front door for a welcoming pop of cheer, and reuse the metal frame season after season.