DIY Produce Rack

I have seen some cool ideas on Pinterest for ways to store fresh fruits and veggies using fun buckets or storage bins that are anchored to the wall. I think that would be a fun way to store food in a kitchen where counter space is limited.

Just like my kitchen.

I was in Ross the other day - a store very similar to TJMaxx - when I had a light bulb moment when I laid my eyes on this:

A simple hanging shower caddy.

I immediately thought of all those pins of wall produce storage ideas, so I snatched the shower caddy for a mere $6.99!

And this is what I made!

So here is what you'll need:

My kitchen is also short on wall space, so I was assuming I'd either have to hang it someplace weird, or hang it on the end of my cabinets.

So I picked up a few of these command hooks:

One pretty one for the top, and two smaller ones for extra support at the bottom, and also to keep it from swinging. Be sure to pay attention to how many pounds the hooks can hold - produce can get pretty heavy, so I picked the biggest one they made for the top (holds 5 pounds). The bottom hooks support 1 pound each. I picked clear ones for the bottom in hopes to disguise them.

Even the adhesive strips are clear!

So here's how you do it:

First, hold the rack up on the wall (or cabinet) where you want it to be do determine the placement of your hooks.

You can lightly mark (or just eyeball if it doesn't need to be exact) where the top hook will go. I used the grain in the wood to help me eyeball where to place mine:

Be sure to follow the directions on the back of the package for correct application. Nothing complicated, but it's important to follow so your rack doesn't fall down once loaded with groceries.

*Please note that the directions state "wait 1 hour before use".

Then, hang the shower caddy up on your hook. Use the rack for the guideline on where to hang the bottom hooks. I'm sure 1 centered in the middle would suffice, but I chose to use 2 - one on each side.

Once all hooks are applied, this is how it will look:

Now, put the rack back on (after waiting for that full hour) and load it up!

I love it!

It's great because it stores food out of the way, but the food is still very accessible. My command hooks, combined, can support a total of 7 pounds! 

No more random bags of peppers and onions and garlic on the counter! 

The hooks remove so easily, so there are no worries about permanent damage to the wall or cabinet. And this was all for about $15 - the hooks cost more than the rack did!

It's kind of fun to re-purpose everyday items into useful things!