To Organize Your Kitchen: Look to the Garage

The beginning of 2021 hasn’t quite gone to plan. I expected to be moving across town on January 6th. In preparation, between organization projects, I poured over home decor blogs and pinterest pages for kitchen decor inspiration. I was so invested in everything from vinyl backsplashes to felt flowers, to wallpapered fridges (yes, really).

At the last minute, that move fell through and I had nowhere to direct all this nesting energy I built up in my move-prep. But I decided that just because I wasn’t moving, that didn’t mean I couldn’t make do with what I have and put that energy into my current kitchen. 

That brings us here! I just finished one of my projects and wanted to share it with you: a kitchen pegboard. The inspiration for this came from two places: 1. Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix (below) and 2. an ad for a hardware store. I first saw the pegboard in Samin’s show but had no idea what to call it or how to find it. Serendipitously (or because of a very intense algorithm), I saw a hardware store ad promoting pegboards for garage organization. Now I had a name for what I wanted and was able to move forward.

Image Description: Samin Nosrat (r), her friend (l), and the pegboard that kickstarted my idea on Netflix’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

I bought a 2ft x 4ft pegboard, paint, and a pack of assorted hooks at a hardware store and hired a professional to hang it (just kidding, I asked my Dad - thanks Dad!). He mounted four wooden planks to the wall and mounted the pegboard to the planks. The planks provide a gap so there is room for hooks to be inserted. 

Image Description: The mounted and unpainted pegboard.

I wanted to paint the pegboard so this would be both a visual and utilitarian piece. I chose a jewel-toned emerald - a color that I find comforting and beautifully natural for a kitchen. I lined the wall with butcher paper to avoid splatters (I certainly could have painted it before hanging but what’s the fun if there’s not a little risk). After a few layers I was happy with the paint and ready to start hanging.

Image Description: Painting progress shot.

After an hour or so of obsessive placement (ok move that hook over one hole… maybe up one? No, down one!) - I was done!  I’m so happy with how this turned out. I think it looks great and it cleared out a lot of space in my drawers and cabinets. I loved it even more after my friend Gabby pointed out that Julia Child herself lined her kitchen with pegboards. All I want is to be like Julia Child so let’s pretend I knew that from the beginning…

Image Description: The final product! A green pegboard with pans and utensils hanging on it.