Keep Your Plastic Food Container Lids Organized With This Clever Storage Hack

Most of us have kitchen drawers full of plastic food storage containers and their partner — plastic container lids. Maybe we even reuse plastic takeout containers. We want those reusable containers and lids to be easily accessible so that we can save that leftover lasagna or take a healthy lunch to the office. The problem is that reusable food storage contraptions sometimes seem almost impossible to keep organized. If you simply stack them in a drawer, finding the right one becomes like looking for a polar bear in a snowstorm. They all look alike, and it can be hard to tell which lid fits which container.

If you want to keep your food containers and their lids organized, try this simple storage hack: Use inexpensive tension rods meant for curtains to keep your drawers straightened and keep yourself sane in the quest to match the right lid with the right container. The tension rods fit into the drawer creating distinct divided spaces so that you can make sure you can always find which lids you need.

First, you need to find tension rods in a smaller size that's perfect for use in drawers and cupboards. Tension rods are inexpensive and easily found in most big box stores, dollar stores, or online. They come in sizes starting at 12 inches long and get larger from there. You want to choose a size that is in the range of the exact measurement of your drawer. For instance, if your drawer is 15 inches wide, you could choose a rod that ranges from 12 inches to 24 inches in length. That allows you to create tension by expanding the rod, keeping it in place.

Now place the rods into the drawer to create dividers. Expand the rod so that it fits tightly against each side of the drawer or cupboard. Each storage space can be a custom size, depending on where you place each rod. You can use several in each drawer to store lids of all sizes. You can also use them to corral the storage containers themselves.

This tension rod organization hack can also be used for other kitchen necessities that are infamous for being hard to group. You can use them upright in cupboards to sort and store baking sheets or cutting boards or create a spice drawer with rod dividers so you can find your spices for everyday cooking, spices for baking, and specialty spices for that gourmet meal night. You can even use them under the kitchen sink to organize cleaning supplies.