My cheap solution to lack of kitchen drawer space

[eyesroll]

My kitchen is big but ancient. Its contents include a 24-inch, four-burner Caloric gas range (speaking of which -- anyone know where to get a replacement oven rack? Sears?), a farmhouse-style sink, a not-huge white fridge, a portable dishwasher that's older than I am, and a looong radiator. There is a pantry but it's useless as work space. No cabinets (a built-in china cabinet in the dining room and the pantry help for dish and food storage), no counters except the side of the sink and the top of the dishwasher. That holds my toaster and Kitchenaid mixer.

I've added a donated-from-parents microwave cart and a cheap-ola center island, but I still have no drawers. (The one on the center island is broken.)

That means my tools have been in a jumble, in a Rubbermaid storage tote. It's dangerous -- rummaging through a box where there's a probe thermometer, a pizza cutter, a veggie peeler isn't safe. (My knives, at least, are in a block in the pantry -- they used to be on the center island but the toddler got tall enough to reach them.)

So, yesterday, I went to the hardware store and got a cheap wall-mounted coat rack ($1.99) and two packages of mug hooks (about $2 each). I also got a simple plastic basket ($1.99) to hold the items that didn't have hanging holes or loops.

Now, on the wall above my sink and dishwasher are all of the tools I use regularly -- the coat rack has the heavier items with wide loops, such as measuring cups/spoons, a pasta server, small box grater, tongs, etc. I also was able to lay a wooden spoon and 1-ounce disher on top. The mug hooks hold everything else with holes/loops -- pastry brushes, spatulas, pot holders, etc. The pizza cutter and veggie peeler are safely hidden (out of view and out of reach from kiddo) under spatulas sharing those same hooks. I mounted the basket with a few screws and that holds the thermometer probe, meat mallet and so forth.

It looks pretty good, actually. I rent, so remodeling even with cheap or used cabinets isn't an option, but less than $10 in parts and an hour of labor will certainly make my life easier.

[eleny]

1. Here's a place that has oven parts

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/

The model number of your caloric needs to be entered into the search engine, so I couldn't get too far. But Caloric is a brand they list. I hope this helps. There are other places online that have replacement parts but this one carries Caloric.

I like your space solution! I have too many hand utensils to fit my drawer space. So, I put all the long handled ones in a pickle crock. Although we're installing a new cabinet with a drawer, I'm not giving up the pickle crock. I like not having to rummage. I can see all the utensils at a glance and prefer that.

[eyesroll]

2. I kept my long hand tools in a pitcher when I had more counters

I agree -- not having to rummage is a big plus.

[Shakespeare]

3. pfft--forget about inexpensive, you're following the example of the master

Julia Child had her husband Paul build pegboard-and-hook contraptions on her kitchen walls, and she hung her pots and tools from them just as you're doing. ;-)

Neat idea--I bet it looks great.

[eyesroll]

4. I wanted a pegboard, but the hardware store didn't have any

(It was a small store.)

This works well and looks pretty good, too!

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Ya dun gud

I actually like a kitchen that looks ... well ...... used. Lived in. Action-ready. I also have a tool fetish, so having things on display, while messy to some people, is heaven to me. Your wall hanging ideas are all good ones.

eleny gave you a hint for the oven rack. If you live in a fair sized town, there's likely an appliance repair/parts place. They can order it for you. I can't imagine an oven rack for it would be too hard to find ... although you say yours is a 24" model. That's called an 'apartment' stove. They're not made in nearly the quantity that full sized stoves are made, so it may be more difficult to find wutcha need.

If you can find the part online at eleny's 'connection' you're all set. If not, and ya hafta go to the parts guy, here's more that may help. In addition to the range's part/model number, measure the actual oven. There's an excellent chance that something else he has might fit.

Measure how wide the rack would have been. Chances are the rack just fit onto 'ribs' that are molded into the oven sides. Measure the distance between the oven walls, and then measure the height (thickness) of the 'ribs'. This will tell the guy the maximum and minimum widths for the rack. Anything in that range will fit. Now ya hafta look at the ribs themselves. Do they go all the way to the back of the oven or do the stop short an inch or three? Measure and record that, too. Also look to see if there are any irregularities in the 'ribs'. There may be a spot on the rib that sorta drops down or pops up. That 'lump' would be to hold the oven rack in and prevent it from just pulling out and spilling. Last, measure the distance between the oven 'ribs'. Most oven racks have a turn up at the back. This is to prevent them from tilting when they're pulled out. The turn up needs to match the distance between the ribs.

I hope this helps. If somehow this isn't clear, just ask questions. I'm happy to try to help.