The Martha Stewart-Approved Solution For Better Kitchen Storage

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At times, keeping your kitchen streamlined and clutter-free can feel a bit like trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Though if anyone can master this seemingly impossible organizational problem, it's Martha Stewart. Among the domestic doyenne's simple tips for helping your kitchen run more smoothly involves utilizing a peg board in your drawers, Stewart having properly "pegged it" as the solution for messy cupboards and the best way to maximize space. "Now this is a really great idea," the lifestyle guru shared in a 2013 YouTube video, explaining her trick for ensuring porcelain or ceramic dishes can't slide around and bump into one another, causing them to crack or chip. "These are pegs. This fits into a peg board right here in the bottom of the drawer."

Since the pegs are removable, they can easily be shifted around to create various configurations depending on the pieces you're looking to store. Once you've worked out the right layout for your space, there will be a place for everything, with the vertical pegs ensuring that everything stays in its spot. In Stewart's model kitchen, for instance, "This big pottery bowl can fit right here," she noted, "and it will not hit the other bowls when the drawer is closed."

To really get the trick to stick, you'll want to find the right board. Having something with removable pegs is key so that you're able to move the pieces around as needed. Peakora's Wooden Rectangular Pegboard Combination Wall Organizer Kit comes with 16 sticks of various sizes so that you can make it truly custom.

And that's just one of many ways to use pegboards for all of your organizing needs. Another genius storage DIY to ensure pots and pans clutter won't be a problem is to place the board on the wall and turn it into a fully customizable pot hanger. Stewart has also served up a plethora of uses for the tool. She's used the storage panel to create a message and reminders center for a home office, utilized it to help sort her collection crafting supplies, and turned it into the perfect tool organizer.

Her creative drawer system for storing her pots, pans, and other dishes is just one of the solutions she's whipped up for a more efficient kitchen. Her list of tips for keeping counters organized includes adding a peg board to a wall near where you do the majority of your food prep. Doing so creates a way to keep your most-used tools — such as measuring cups and dish towels — well within reach without having them take up valuable countertop space. If you get a system that comes with hooks and shelves, you can also set it up so that you have a spot for cutting boards, spices, and other ingredients to hang out. One to try: Rebrilliant's Modular Hanging Peg Board Combination Kit With Accessories.