Inside: Use this simple DIY hack to organize food containers and tupperware in a small space.
Ringing in the New Year with a post about the one thing that drives everyone crazy – Tupperware. I mean, you can’t live with them and you can’t live without them. Plastic food containers are amazing for storing leftovers and they also work well as toddler toys 🙂 But let’s face it, storing them is a total pain in the butt. I’ve been hunting for a LONG time for a realistic solution to the whole Tupperware storage problem and I think I’ve hit on something useful, functional, and most of all, adaptable. 
The real problem with Tupperware Storage
The real problem isn’t how to store the containers. The real problem is how to store the LIDS. Right? I mean, companies like Rubbermaid and Tupperware and all those in between have come up with fancy containers that lock together and swivel and collapse, but at the end of the day, storing the lids in an organized fashion is what really presents a challenge. 
So that’s where I started trying to solve for ‘x’. I took out any food container that wasn’t plastic (for example, a couple of glass bowls had ended up in the bin!!) and got to work.
How to Store Tupperware Lids
The first thing I did was measure the big giant plastic tote we use to store the Tupperware. I knew I wanted to keep using it as it fits really well under the counter and I definitely haul it out on the kitchen floor for P to play in every once in a while. 
I washed it out with soapy water and then I measured it for length, width and height. I hit up my shop and found a scrap 1×2 board that I cut down to fit inside the tote. Then I cut a 3/8″ dowel into approximately 6″ lengths.
I drilled 3/8″ holes into my 1×2 and firmly stuck the dowels in; tapping with my rubber mallet just to be safe.
The lids now ‘stand’ up between the dowels and fit right into the giant tupperware tote!
I made a few more dowel+wood block pieces to customize the fit and fill out the tote with a few other size lids and the smaller food storage containers. I think if I were to do it again, I might just use one large block of wood and a have a bunch of different holes with dowels that can move around and be rearranged.
I thought about lining the entire bottom of the bin with a pegboard type board, but stopped myself when I thought about the possibility of moisture dripping down. Sometimes we fail at life and a partially dry plastic container ends up getting tossed in the bin. 
For now, however, this is working PERFECTLY. The containers stack together easily and the lids slide in and stand up easy peasy.
Recommended Reading for more Storage Hacks
- DIY Bed Risers for $2
- Today’s Parent has some additional ideas for Tupperware Storage
- Rolling Storage Pantry DIY
- Install a Hanging Credenza Cabinet
More Organizing Posts to keep you Inspired
