Kitchen knife holder

Storing the kitchen knives in our kitchen was a requirement that was asking for long. Storing them in a tall vessel was cumbersome.  So I decided to make my own holder that would go on the wall beside the wash basin. All I required was some wood and nails.  Wood pieces were available in my wood-junk area.  Flat 'beading' left over piece was available, just the perfect dimension, except the length which I cut down. I required another fat piece to go at the back to have some gap between wall and knife handle to enable easy pick-up and keep-back. I need not tell that this is a vegetarian knife holder!  Bread knife, vegetable knife, butter knife!

I made 3 small pieces from the flat beading and kept them as 'spacers'. I placed two at both ends and one in the centre.  So I had enough gap to insert the blade and the handle rested above. Hanging it like this also enables water to drip down after washing. To add value to the project, I simply drove in a few thin nails on the outside and spaced them to hang small scissors that are very handy to open plastic-wrapped packets etc. 

Plate holder in the kitchen

There are plastic racks and holders with slits available.  They are designed to keep on the kitchen platform. To save space on the platform, I thought of something that could hold a lot of plates on the wall itself.  I had some good zinc wire that was pretty strong, removed from a clothesline that had snapped or replaced - I cannot remember exactly, but that does not matter.  I had suitable stuff on hand.  When that happens, half the project is over. Because we spend a lot of time searching for the right thing.

I bent the wire in the manner you can see in the picture, leaving it longer at the back where the two ends are intertwined. In that joining place, I have made provision for the nail/screw.  I have also joined another piece of wire across to prevent sideway expansion.  Since this is a tiled wall, I have used screw, just one.  See how it has taken the weight without sagging much. I was so delighted when it took that weight. Keeping the plates in the stand and removing them are both easy.  All other plates will stay in place.  The stiffness of the wire in the front and a slight bend in the curve will enable the plates to stay straight. This was another satisfying project that has proved to be very useful.

And I add that even if there are only a few plates, they stay in place.