Create A Cute And Affordable Countertop Organization Gem With A Dollar Tree DIY

Say goodbye to countertop clutter and welcome in an all-new organization system you never knew could be so easy (or so inexpensive!). DIYers often depend on their creativity to find clever Dollar Tree DIYs to keep clutter-free kitchen counters, office desks, and tables around the home. Dollar Tree products hardly break the bank, and when you find the right combo of items, they can create some impressive solutions. Now, you can find a fix for overloaded areas with two simple products in an even simpler DIY: Take an Essentials White Wire Cabinet Shelf and add a Readi-Board White Foam Board to get an upgraded surface with under-shelf storage space for only $2.50 in supplies! 

The foam board adds a smooth, expanded surface to hold items over a larger area. While you should be careful with heavier items, the 3/16-inch polystyrene board offers a rigid base backed by the wire rack underneath. The board also gives you decorating opportunities and added assurance against wear with the strong, tear-resistant kraft paper lamination on both sides. Toss in a few minor, hassle-free changes, and you can have an affordable countertop organizer that's as cute and quirky as it is sturdy and reliable.

To start this straightforward DIY, measure and cut your foam board to fit cleanly over the wire rack. Measuring 20 inches by 30 inches, one Readi-Board foam board can divide to cover six of the wire racks, leaving a minor overlap around every side. The board can then sit loosely on the rack to support lightweight kitchen items like bowls, toasters, and cups. Underneath, the rack offers roughly 7 inches of clearance and 6 inches of space side to side. Store open boxes of tea bags, spices, or cooking utensils. The whole setup can also be a station, such as a coffee bar with your French press and grinder on top and your coffee beans and sweeteners underneath.

For a fashionable upgrade, grab some Dollar Tree shelf liners, like these Con-Tact Quick Cover Moroccan Self-Adhesive Shelf Liners. Running $1.25 per roll, the liners come in several styles, ranging from floral patterns to wood-grain textures. Choose the one that best suits your kitchen's color and design. Cut the liners to cover the shelf, adding a few inches all around to wrap over the board's edge for a cleaner look.

To keep the top from shifting, attach it to the rack with tape before applying the shelf liner. Start the end of a line of tape on top of the foam board near the edge. Wrap it tightly under the wire rack, and adhere it to the other end of the board. Then, add your shelf liner to hide the tape.

While simple enough, this Dollar Tree DIY leaves plenty of room for customization. For starters, you can resize it. Put two wire racks side by side, and cut a board to span them, making a double-wide shelf. With the Dollar Tree shelf liners being 54 inches long, you can use multiple foam board pieces and create a cohesive look with the liner across them.

For extra style, create a lip over the shelf's edge, concealing the wire surface underneath. Score a line through the first layer of paper and the foam core, setting it about an inch or two in from the side and running it parallel to the foam board's front edge. Snap the scored section 90 degrees to make it perpendicular to the shelf surface. Smooth some glue along the seam to keep the lip in place. Once it's dry, wrap the shelf with a piece of contact paper. If you measure the space properly, you can make the area underneath perfectly fit a pair of Dollar Tree Crafter's Square Wooden Trays ($1.25 a piece).

If you have the vertical space, especially in a small kitchen, you can also make a multi-tiered shelf. Stack one shelf on another, lining up the top and bottom tray legs. You'll probably recognize the precariousness of stacking these shelves, so you may want to use one of the more heavy-duty types of glue you should have in your home, like epoxy or superglue, to glue the legs of the top shelf to the shelf beneath it.