There are no cave paintings to prove it but I suspect the first shelf was commissioned by a frustrated cave woman.
The conversation probably went something like this:
Cave Husband: “Honey, I’m home! I brought berries and bagged another buffalo!”
Cave Wife: “That’s nice, dear but this cave has no storage. Stop hunting and gathering and start building me some shelves!”
Though shelving is standard in homes today, it can sometimes feel pre-historic. That’s because pre-fabricated and pre-installed shelves don’t always fit our specific storage needs. Some of the problems with shelves are that they are:
– too shallow
– too deep
– too high
– too low
– can’t be adjusted
If you have some of these shelving issues in your closet, pantry, cabinets, or garage, here are five products to transform your shelves into a custom-designed (and organized!) wonderland:
Shelf Dividers
Shelf dividers prevent stacked items from toppling over. Use dividers to separate piles of sweaters, tablecloths, or towels. You can also use them to create ‘parking spaces’ for your handbags. Dividers come in acrylic, plastic, or chrome (depending upon your style and budget).
I reviewed this product for STORABLES last month and I use them in my home. Take a peek…
Under Shelf Basket
Clustering small items on shelves leaves you with dead space above it. The Under Shelf Basket solves that problem by creating an area in that ‘dead space’ for storage. It creates the perfect spot for storing dishtowels and washcloths in a linen closet, small canned goods/spice packets in a pantry, and food wrappings (like aluminum foil and waxed paper) on a cabinet shelf.
Helper Shelf
I love Helper shelves! I have over ten of them currently in use in my own home. They turn wasted shelving space into prime real estate for dishes, canned goods, or any stackable item. A helper shelf offers two levels of storage–below (for small items) and above (for larger items).
Pull Out Shelf
If you’re tired of rummaging for items at the back of your shelves, consider a sliding shelf (also known as a rolling or pull-out shelf). It pulls out so you can reach what you need that lives in the back of your shelving/cabinet and then pushes right back in. Great for items that are heavy and not often used.
Lazy Susan
This product is perfect for those hard-to-reach corners in a cabinet or shelf. You can purchase a lazy susan with one or two levels depending upon your needs. In my home, I use them for vitamins and spices–both located in tight cabinet spaces. Spinning the lazy susan to reach and retrieve what I need makes my life a whole lot easier!
Use any of the above products to optimize your home’s shelf space. When your spouse calls to tell you he’s bringing home berries and buffalo–you’ll be prepared…
Which product would you like to try on your shelves?
Use all of these and love them. They just make life easier! I also like the “stair stepper” so you can see the fronts of your cans/smaller items. Working on a pantry tomorrow, which is one of my favorite projects:)
I have two ‘stair steppers’ in my pantry–I use them mostly for canned goods. I like to help clients with their pantries, too. It’s like an archeological dig sometimes–you never know what ancient food you’ll find towards the back of a shelf. Enjoy your pantry project tomorrow!
Great items for organizing! I have used all of them at least once over the years. I’m a big fan of pullout drawers for the lower cabinets. They work wonderfully. I prefer the wood ones so items don’t fall down under the pull out shelves. It’s sometimes hard to reach even when the drawer is pulled out.
I like the pull-outs, too. The only problem I find is that you lose some room in the cabinet when they’re installed. But if you can’t access what’s in there, it doesn’t matter anyway! I had wire pull outs years ago and now I have wood. Definitely recommend the wood if one can afford it but wire will work nicely, too if a person’s budget requires it.
Great reviews. I use all these and love them also. Pull out shelves make life so much easier. I’m installing them in my pantry this week.
You’re going to love the pull outs in your pantry! I use pull out baskets for my kids’ snacks in our pantry–it is an easy ‘in and out’ when they are looking for something to eat. I have pull outs in a few of my lower cabinets and I know they are adding years to my life. I have a heavy Le Creuset stock pot on one of them and it is almost effortless to retrieve and put back!
I love all of your shelf solutions…although I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the lazy susan. Many of my clients like to use them. But I prefer the rectangular or square organizing products. They just work better in most shelf situations with easier access. I especially love those shelf dividers and under the shelf baskets. And the good news is that they are all so easy to install…instant!
I’m a big fan of those under-the-shelf baskets, too. When I first saw one in a store years ago, I paused and thought–Oh, yeah–there’s a BIG need for THAT product! And yes, the instant install is more than worth the price of the product. Quick and easy–gotta love that.
Love those helper shelves! I have a bunch in my kitchen. Nothing like utilizing that vertical space! 😉
I always say, “If you can’t go outward–go upward!” I use helper shelves all over my house. My husband thinks they multiply in the middle of the night. Whoever invented the helper shelf was a genius.! 🙂
I have a helper shelf in the freezer compartment of my fridge, and it has literally doubled the available space!
My husband laughed at me when I put a large helper shelf in our freezer but like you said–it doubled the amount of storage space on that freezer shelf. He wasn’t laughing when I was able to fit more of the frozen goodies he enjoys eating into the freezer!
Thanks for sharing Stacey! I love how these items help with saving and utilizing spaces! Where can we get them?
Hi, Emmerey.
I love these organizing products, too. So functional–especially for small spaces. The shelf dividers I got from a place called Storables. The under-shelf-basket (a personal favorite of mine) is from The Container Store, the helper shelves are from Bed Bath & Beyond, the pull-out shelf is from Home Depot and the lazy susan is from Target.
Thanks for stopping by to comment!
Thanks Stacey for responding! I wish we have Target in our place too.
Love those helper shelves!