The Best Place To Keep Measuring Cups Isn't Your Kitchen Drawer

Does your utensil drawer look like an absolute disaster? Welcome to the club! Most of us have a drawer that hides an array of culinary paraphernalia, like offset spatulas and rolling pins, to food clips and spare batteries for the digital weighing scale. The only problem is that a messy kitchen makes for a chaotic cook. But before organizing that kitchen drawer with cheap finds from Dollar Tree, consider removing any bulky bits that are taking up too much space and finding a better home for them elsewhere. One such item is your set of measuring cups. Instead of storing them in a drawer, hang them on a railing fitted to your kitchen wall.

While measuring cups are designed to nest inside each other, they can still take up prime real estate in a kitchen drawer because of their design and protruding handles. In the majority of cases, these cups have a hole at the end of each handle and a ring or connector that keeps them together, making them well-suited for hanging. In addition to freeing up drawer space, repositioning your measuring cups in a more visible spot makes it much easier to grab them in the mornings when you want to whip up a quick batch of pancakes. Indeed, keeping your cook's tools in your line of sight means you might use them more often to make a mid-week banana bread or feed your sourdough starter when passing through.

Measuring cups made of plastic serve a useful purpose, but if you have a pretty set made of glazed ceramic or reclaimed wood, they also double as charming decorative pieces designed to be on display. Setting them on open shelving looks good, but hooking them on a railing means they'll hang down and won't collect dust on their interior (no need to clean them again before use!). Better yet, they'll be rescued from getting bashed and damaged inside a drawer that's frequently opened and closed. Hanging your matching set of measuring spoons alongside your cups will lend your kitchen a cute, country vibe, too.

This affordable rail from Ikea is perfect for cutting counter clutter down to size and hanging measuring cups and more. Priced at just $4.99, it includes a rail, four hooks, and two baskets, and can be attached to the wall with extra fixings. The spare hooks are ideal for hanging other bulky items that take up drawer space, such as a pizza wheel or kitchen shears, and the baskets make a great spot to stow chopsticks and cutlery.