Boot Tray

[Texasmujer]

Cookie-Sheet Boot Tray---Sheet pans and cooling racks make ideal portable drying racks for wet shoes and boots. They're inexpensive and dishwasher safe. If you'd like, lay a piece of heavy-duty shelf-liner paper, cut to fit, underneath them to protect the floor. Look for oversize professional baking racks and sheet pans at a baking-supply store or in a cooking-supply catalog; they're a little deeper and, most important, will fit more shoes and boots.


Safe stacking---To keep china lustrous, protect it whle it sits on the shelf. When dishes are stacked, the bottom of one can scratch the one beneath it; placing a "cushion"
between then reduces risk. Buy seperators at housewares stores, or cut rounds just smaller then the plates from felt or acid-free paper. A Shortcut: Use thin, inexpensive paper plates between pieces of china.

Dealing with lids---To eliminate the search for the right lid amid an unwieldy stack each time you use your pots and pans, store them neatly: Place a wooden peg rack in a cupboard, and line the lids vertically between the pegs. You could also attach a graduated rack to the door. Whatever you do, arrange lids from smallest to largest, with their partner pans close by.

Trays and baking pans---A small cabinet seems spacious when arranged neatly. You can combine things to make this easier: A wooden tray can be used as a convenienet sliding "drawer." Then, for baking panss, trays, platters, and cutting boards, tension rods can be used to keep these upright, and seperated. Measure the vertical difference between two shelves. Position the right size rods between shelves. Then twist rods to tighten, so their inner springs will keep them upright. Also try organizing by type: deep trays in one slot, shallow trays in another, and so on.

Scratch-free skillets---Nesting pots and pans saves space in a cupboard, but you should take steps to prevent them from damaging one another. Preserve stainless-steel interiors by inserting large coffee filters between pans. Nonstick surfaces are protected just as well by soft paper towels. For seasoned cast-iron skillets, use coated paper plates, which won't soal up oil.


Let Hooks Come To The Rescue
Handrail Pot Rack---If your ceiling is too high for suspending a rack or your space is too limited, a short rail and several S-hooks make a convenient small rack for cookware. Use a handrail rather than a towel bar for this job---it will suport more weight. Look for them, in sizes from 12 to 32 inches (again, you'll have to judge an appropriate length in centimeters, etc.), at surgical-suply stores. Metal S-hooks are available at most hardware stores.

Wall Storage---Consider your walls when organizing the kitchen---even small spots will do. A blank area may be just right for storing favorite tools. Mount a row of hooks or a piece of pegboard next to the stove for easy access to essentials that would otherwise get lost in a jumbled drawer. (Hooks can also support wire baskets to keep small items---garlic, lemons---at the ready.)