I find the best home ideas always come from friends and family.
It seems there are all kinds of ways to shrewdly store our household items these days.
Every time you turn around someone has found a new and attractive way to store small items in an attractive fashion.
Here are a few ideas that I think are not only clever but will make you say, "Why didn't I think of that?" Bag holder
It's a simple idea, but ingenious. The next time you use up all your disinfectant cloths or baby wipes, keep the container. Simply give it a good wash with warm soapy water and let it dry.
Choose a pretty, patterned paper and measure the outside of the container so the paper will fit around the circumference. Cut the paper to fit and tape the ends together.
Fill the inside with your plastic grocery bags for future use.
Wine boxes
Wine boxes make wonderful shoe storage racks. Once the wine is gone, keep the box and lay it on its side.
Be sure to keep the cardboard dividers that go inside. Couple your shoes together in a pair and place inside the dividers. Stack the boxes two-three high against a wall in your garage or mudroom.
Recycled napkin holder
It's an old napkin holder that doesn't match your kitchen anymore, but rather than tossing it in the trash use it for storing bills and envelopes.
Coffee can
Here's a great new use for a coffee can.
Each time you are finished with your coffee can remove the top and bottom of the can with a can opener. Collect seven or so of these and put aside. Once you have enough, glue the sides of the cans together with strong glue and let dry. Attach the sides so that the cans are balancing on one another in a geometric pattern. At this point you can spray the outsides of the cans with spray paint. Fill the cans with wine bottles for display.
Mesh laundry bag
A simple mesh laundry bag can serve a dual purpose. Besides protecting your fragile laundry garments in the washing machine, the bag can also be used to keep all the small food storage containers and other cooking items together in the dishwasher.
No more small pieces falling through the racks. Simply place them in the laundry bag and lay the bag across the top rack of your dishwasher.
