Home Improvement Tips & Tricks: TENsion Rod Hacks!

What if I told you I could help organize each room in your home all by using one tool, would you believe me? What if I told you this one, simple tool, is inexpensive, easy to install, and doesn’t cause any permanent damage to your home’s rooms, walls, closets, and cabinets, would you think I was utterly crazy? In this day and age of technology, social media, and the never-ending quest to have your life, and home, appear perfectly put together, I present you with one simple, yet extremely versatile tool that out-hacks the rest, humbly known as the tension rod. Yes, believe it or not, few things are as resourceful as the tension rod, and while some of its uses are obvious, there are others that you might not have ever thought of or even considered! I’ve compiled a list of 10 tension rod hacks that are sure to cut down on clutter and help organize your home.

1 – Kitchen & Bath Sink Organizer
We’d be fooling ourselves if we thought the space under our sinks was remotely slightly. Let’s be honest, more times than not are we fighting to find space in this tiny little area. By installing a tension rod horizontally, one can free up much-needed space by hanging spray bottles and paper towels. Some have also opted to hang rubber gloves, scrubbers, and wire baskets for extra storage.

2 – Cabinet/Pantry Divider
For some, their kitchen finds the most clutter as it allows for the most stuff to be stored! Bulky baking sheets, awkward serving dishes, and varying-sized cutting boards can all be contained easily by installing vertical tension rods in your cabinet! Simply install 2-3 tension rods in the cabinet of your choice, corral like-items together, and wah-lah! Access to cumbersome items without compromising space!

3 – Shoe Rack
Now this hack can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Rather than using a flimsy wire shoe rack, adhere tension rods horizontally in your closet (or unused nook) and start stacking! You can choose to use 1-2 rods per row; each row of tension rods can either be parallel to one another, or slightly diagonal. This hack is great for those wishing to display their impressive high heel collection!

4 – Utensil Organizer
Keep utensils off the counter and easily at a hand by simply installing a tension rod underneath one of your kitchen cabinets. Use S hooks for hanging and keep your utensils handy & ready to go!

5 – Bed skirts
Similarly, to under the sink, most people choose to store (more like hide) items under their bed. While some beds allow for bed skirts, certain types of bedframes do not. That being said, if you want to further disguise the “stuff” under your bed, install horizontal tension rods with the fabric, a custom skirt, or curtain (dependent on height) of your choice. This hack is ideal for a college student’s dorm bed or bunk! BONUS: apply this hack for table skirts, too!

6 – Picture/Plant Display
Obviously, tension rods can be used for curtains, but I bet you didn’t think of using them for pictures or plants! Add some greenery to your home by fixing a tension rod in your window and using S hooks that can hold plant containers—perfect for mini herb gardens in the kitchen or indoor ivy for the living room. Don’t have much of a green thumb? No sweat! Choose to display pictures, children’s artwork, or memo’s instead, just use curtain clip rings (found here).

7 – Pot Lid Holder
If you have pull-out drawers in your kitchen and are looking to free up some space, then this hack is for you! Install a tension rod at the front of the drawer and place pot lids vertically. The next time you go to cook spaghetti, you’ll find the matching pot lid quick and easy! BONUS: use the same hack for Tupperware lids!

8 – Shower Organizer
If you’re lacking storage in your shower stall (such as niches & benches) and aren’t too keen on a using shower caddy, then this hack can help! First, you can install a tension rod horizontally towards the top of your shower and utilize S Hooks or curtain clip rings to hang loofas and bathing products; this will minimize bending and keep products from becoming a trip hazard. Or, If you have a bathtub/shower stall, install it just above the tub and hang plastic baskets to corral items together—perfect for parents with kiddos that have bath time toys!

9 – File Organizer
You don’t need to have a filing cabinet in order to keep your files organized! Install two tension rods into any one of your unused pull-out drawers and simply hang file folders—it’ll relieve you from piles of paper and free-up some desk/table space!

10 – Accessory Rack
Tired of jewelry getting tangled, bunched up scarves, and strewn about belts? No problem! Simply adhere a horizontal tension rod in your closet, behind the cove of your door, or unused nook, and use it for your accessories! You can choose to use S hooks to hang necklaces & bracelets or clasp them directly to the rod; the same will apply for belts & scarves, too. This hack can also be used for purses & hats!

Hopefully, these TENsion rod hacks will help keep you, and your home, organized!

Have a hack? Send it our way at alexis@dbsremodel.com!

*images courtesy of Google