Organization in the Kitchen & Laundry Room - DIY Tray Inserts

Lately I have had a thing for trays.  I find myself grouping things on trays all throughout our house.  I think it makes everything look a little neater, especially in the kitchen.

My kitchen is small and I have very limited counter space, so the least little thing lying on the counter tends to look like clutter, to me anyways.  So, grouping commonly used items on a tray just looks nicer!

 I have been trying to do more cooking lately.  It's definitely a weakness for me, so anything to make it a little easier is a win!  One thing I find that makes this chore easier is having the essentials right beside the stove.  This is where the tray, well basket, comes in!

This is a basket I have had for so long I can't even remember where it is from.  It was the perfect size to hold everything I needed, and it fit the space well.  The only problem was since it's a basket, there was not a smooth surface to set everything on.  The oil kept falling over, and salt and pepper were spilling through the weaves of the basket. 

I decided to whip up something to solve my dilemma. It's definitely nothing fancy, but it does the job, and I didn't spend a penny! 

I used a piece of wrapping paper that I already had. You may recognize it from this project.  I cut a piece of cardboard to fit the bottom of the basket, and taped the wrapping paper around it, wrapping it as you would a gift. 

Next, I wrapped the entire piece with clear contact paper to create a wipe-able surface.  Then I plopped it down in the basket and arranged my cooking essentials on top.  That's it! 

Eventually I would like to do this project using a sheet of acrylic to create something a little more permanent, but for now this is working great! Everything sits level and I can easily wipe up any spills. The fun print of the paper is an added bonus!

While I was at it, I went ahead and made an insert for this old wooden crate.

For this one I used contact paper leftover from my pantry project, which I still need to post about. 

I placed it in our laundry room to hold all my laundry supplies.  This way I can have my laundry essentials within reach and it still looks neat and organized.

I like the character this old crate brings to this space as well.  I'm off to put the finishing touches on our pantry so I can share it with you soon!

Have a BLESSED day!

Linking up here:

Savvy Southern Style * The DIY Dreamer