Free Up Cabinet Storage Space With A Low-Cost DIY That Doubles As Decor

The kitchen is one of the most difficult places to keep organized because you want to balance fashion, function, and affordability to create a space that works for you on a daily basis. In fact, one of the biggest issues in many people's kitchens is a lack of cabinet space available. And since a home renovation isn't in the budget for everyone, getting creative with kitchen storage and organization is key if you want to make a small kitchen feel larger. TikTok account @hometalk came up with this ingenious DIY hack that turns Dollar Tree crates into a functional, small organizer with multiple miniature shelves.

To make this organizer, you will need some mini wooden crates, wood glue, and paint in your choice of colors. In order to make the most out of this project, you will want to make sure that you create a configuration that works for you before you start painting and gluing. The goal is to make a four-sided miniature storage center that can hold small items (such as herbs and spices) that you can tuck in a corner of one of your kitchen counters and easily pull out find what you need, all while freeing up cabinet space.

Once you have a general idea of the formation of your mini storage organizer, you can paint your boxes with acrylic paints in order to add a decorative element that matches the rest of your kitchen. In fact, since it's unfinished, you can even stain the wood with acrylic paint. Once your crates are fully dry, reassemble them to your ideal organizer shape (@hometalk keeps things square) and glue them together. When the glue has fully dried, you can fill it up with jars and bottles of spices and seasonings of your choice and set it down on your kitchen counter. That way, you won't have to store them in the back of a dark cabinet.

While this hack suggests a multi-sided design, you can really make it any shape and size you want. You can stack them in rows or a pyramid shape for an organizer that will rest up against the backsplash, or even make a corner unit that extends in opposite directions at a 90-degree angle. And though this is on a small scale, you can also use full-sized wood crates to create larger DIY shelves — though instead of glue, you should secure the crates with screws to ensure they are safe and sturdy.