The Effortless IKEA Hack That Keeps Kitchen Countertop Clutter Organized

When it comes to looking after the cleanliness of your kitchen countertops, it's often the smallest things that create the biggest organizational hassles. Measuring cups, spices, bottles of oil, and phone chargers are all examples of items that can give your meal prep space a cluttered look. However, these same items are also examples of stuff that you're probably using in your kitchen on a daily basis. Therefore, chucking them into the nearest drawer or cabinet usually isn't the best way to prevent them from becoming clutter, especially since you'll just have to go digging around for them later. Tidying them up with a DIY shelf made from two of IKEA's OSTBIT plate holders and some treated scrap wood, however, could be a far more effective solution. All you need to do is stand the plate holders up vertically, so that their pins are facing each other, and then fit a couple of boards over the tops of the pins at a few different levels.

Building such a countertop shelf is a surprisingly budget-friendly project. The two OSTBIT plate holders together will cost you just $12, and you might already have the scrap wood planks you need in your garage or basement. The only other thing you may want for assembling the shelf is some wood glue or epoxy glue to attach the pieces to one another. Chances are, you probably already have such an adhesive at home, too. Though simple in design, your new shelf is perfect for small items and sure to fit in nicely alongside your other chic-looking kitchen storage solutions.

The basic structure of this shelf, with some wood glue or another strong adhesive around the joints, is perfect for countertop corners or other flat, level surfaces that are relatively out of the way. However, if you're going to put the shelf in a location in which you might bump into it, you might want to consider stabilizing its base. The easiest way to go about doing this is to attach two sturdy square wood boards to the bottom ends of the plate holders. You can link the new base pieces to the OSTBIT racks with a combination of wood glue and brad nails.

Want to hang your shelf on the wall instead of placing it on a countertop? First, locate your wall studs — attaching the shelf to the studs will allow it to hold more weight. Next, mark where you want to mount the fixture and check that these markings are level with one another. Drill pilot holes before, finally, attaching the shelf to the wall. From there, all that's left is to showcase your expertise in styling open kitchen shelves.

If you'd rather focus on giving your shelf a visual upgrade, consider painting or staining it to make it look more uniform. Since your shelf will likely either hold or be next to food items and liquids, you may even want to think about sealing the wood as a precaution against stains and spills. Before you do this, though, remember there's a correlation between wood finish and food safety so ensure to use the right materials.