Smart Ways To Use A Common Kitchen Storage Rack In Other Areas Of Your Home

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Whether you call it a pot rail, kitchen rack, or utensil-hanging-bar-thingy, storage pieces like this kitchen rail rack and others just like it have been a mainstay in kitchens for generations. Often made of stainless steel or copper pipe, it is mounted to the wall horizontally and has hooks that run the length of the bar. It can be used to store pots, pans, utensils, and many other common kitchen items. While the storage rack is handy for cooks and customarily hung in the kitchen, there are also smart ways to use it in other areas of your home, too — like organizing office supplies, decluttering your vanity, or even upgrading your workout space.

The same reasons you should be using copper rails to organize your kitchen can be said for any area of your home. For starters, the rail is a great space saver. Being mounted to the wall utilizes vertical space and relieves overcrowded storage areas like shelves and closets. It also brings your items out into the open so you can easily see what's there and no longer have to go rummaging through bins or boxes. You can use smaller or bigger rails depending on the wall space available and how many items need to be stored, and even make good use of areas like hallways and staircases that might not typically be used for storage.

You can use a kitchen rail to organize your office or crafting supplies by hanging small baskets from the hooks and filling them with items you use frequently, like pens, notepads, or scissors. Using a rail in this way is one of the best storage ideas for keeping small items organized without hogging space in your work area, like a desk or crafting table. It makes it easy for you to quickly grab what you need while preserving as much open work space as possible. The same idea can also be applied to your bedroom vanity or dresser. Instead of letting jewelry or makeup items sit out on the table, keep them in baskets or containers hanging from the wall-mounted rail.

If your workout space can use a little organization, use a wall-mounted rail to hang things like jump ropes and resistance bands. You can use baskets or mesh bags hung from the hooks to hold items like blocks or massage balls. Rails are handy in smaller areas of your home as well, like hanging keys and purses in the entryway or storing extra grocery bags in the stairway so they are ready to grab on your way out the door. You can even hang small potted plants from the hooks, using macrame hanging plant holders. However you use the rail in your home, be sure to check the manufacturers' weight limit specifications so you don't overdo it.

To make an affordable kitchen rail alternative that looks like the real thing, all you'll need is a hollow pipe, which you can order in the length you need from your local hardware store, two split hangers or eye hooks with screws that correlate to the size of your pipe, an end cap for each side, and however many S-hooks you'll need to hang your stored items from. Screw the hangers into the wall using a screwdriver or drill, making sure the distance between them is slightly less than the length of the pipe. Then, place the pipe into the hangers and add the end caps to each side of it. Add the S-hooks, and you're ready to go.

If you prefer a temporary version or need something that is renter-friendly, you can make a rail using adhesive hooks and a curtain rod. Attach heavy-duty hooks like these Command Hooks to the wall, using the self-adhesives that come with them, and space them far enough apart so that your curtain rod of choice can fit. Set the ends of the rod on the hooks and add S-hooks to it. Keep in mind that the weight-bearing capacity is limited to 5 pounds per hook in this example.