Customize trays to elminate countertop clutter – Bryan-College Station Eagle

Most things look better grouped together, junk on your countertops, decorating accessories and even people. It's true, you can throw your keys, wallet and pocket contents on the counter and feel disarray, but if you bunch it together in a bowl a small sense of order comes to life. Our kitchen countertops began getting cluttered with various cooking necessities, especially the go-to spices we use so often. This led me to search out a small tray that could wrangle all the mess and bring some comfort to my overstimulated eyes.

As I looked around, I didn't want to pay the price I saw on many trays, plus none of them matched the dcor I pictured in my head. That's always the point when my DIY wheels start churning and my own solution comes to life. If you have a messy spot or are looking for some simple base dcor pieces try my new favorite trickput some feet on it.

By adding some cute little bun feet, a rusty old baking pan becomes a farmhouse-style tray to house spices. Put some feet on an old roasting pan lid and a large dcor tray is born. Feet do a few things. First, they add height, which is always helpful in decorating. A variation in height, texture and scale are three important ingredients in the recipe of a delicious vignette. Second, feet get metal off your counter surfaces. If a rusty pan or metal tray sits on a surface and gets wet, it can transfer rust onto your counter. Nobody needs a quick solution that leads to a bigger problem. Wooden ball feet are also less likely to scratch a countertop surface than metal. I might know that from experience. Most of all, little feet make a transformation complete by taking the ordinary and elevating it.

Here is how you make a quick and easy footed tray:

1. Gather an old pan, roaster lid or shallow box that fits your space and intended clutter.

2. Spray paint pan or tray if it needs a color change. If you are using a rusty pan you want to seal it with a matte gloss spray paint.

3. Get four wooden drawer pulls or doll heads from the craft store. These have a flat edge to them so they secure nicely to an item.

4. Stain or paint wooden feet to match your dcor.

5. Flip your pan over and attach feet to the bottom of your pan using a strong adhesive glue such as E6000 or Gorilla Glue. Allow to dry completely.

6. Fill with kitchen counter clutter and breathe a sigh of relief!

Home dcor solutions don't have to be fussy or expensive. Chances are you have some old pans in the donate pile at your house that you could put to good use. Trust me on the gathering bit, a unified front fosters peace in all things.

Kim Jones is a Texas A&M graduate and Bryan resident who writes about creative and inexpensive decoration ideas, garage sale makeovers and thrift store finds. She blogs at huntandhost.com and can be reached at huntandhost@gmail.com.

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Customize trays to elminate countertop clutter - Bryan-College Station Eagle