The Tension Rod Tip For Maximizing Storage Space In Your Pantry

Baking sheets, cutting boards, and serving platters are necessary for any kitchen, but storing them can often be clunky. If your organization system is just a teetering stack of boards in a cabinet, you can remedy that with the help of tension rods. 

Simply install them vertically in the cabinet to create "slots," and store each individual tray, board, and tin inside an opening. Rather than stacking your sheets horizontally, you're now keeping them vertically, allowing you to remove your desired item without upsetting a giant stack.

You can get a pack of cupboard tension rods for less than $10, and they're specifically sized to fit most shelving units. You will want to use two rods to create each "slot" – specifically, one rod in the front of the cabinet and the second in the back. That way, your cookware stays securely in place. It's a simple, budget-friendly way to get your pantry in order.

If you like that tip, you'll be happy to learn there are more areas in the pantry you can use these rods. If you have little cabinet space and like storing excess pots and pans in the pantry, use a longer tension rod and some S-hooks to display your cookware so you can easily see it. This is a much better idea than stacking pans on top of each other, which can damage them.

Simply hang the rod where there is space, secure the S-hooks onto it, and hang your pots from the hooks. This works best for lighter cookware, but if you have a sizeable collection that carries more weight, you can add brackets to the ends of the rod to secure it to the wall.

You can also hang a café curtain over a messier nook with a tension rod. If you don't quite like how your snacks look cluttering the shelf, but decanting them is inefficient or overly expensive, hang a curtain over that section. Or, if storage for cleaning supplies is a pain point, install a rod in a cabinet and hang your bottled sprays from it. It truly solves so many pantry problems.