Use These Dollar Tree Finds To Display Bruise-Free Produce In Your Kitchen Beautifully

Tossing fruits or veggies in a bowl and displaying it on your counter may look nice, but it comes at a sneaky cost. Soft items like plums, avocados, squash, and tomatoes bruise easily when piled into a dish, and some types of produce cause others to rot faster when they're stored together. With three items from Dollar Tree, you can DIY a better alternative: wall-hung storage baskets that look cute, save space, and keep produce in good shape.

To make these cheap storage solutions, buy some small, thin wooden pallets, popsicle sticks, and wire baskets (one of the best kitchen organization essentials you should buy at Dollar Tree). You'll also need a staple gun, wood glue or hot glue, and lightweight hangers or hooks. As shown in a TikTok from user TheDIYStruggle, you begin by aligning the pallets to form one larger board, then reinforce them using the popsicle sticks, glue, and staples. Attach the baskets using the hangers or hooks, then affix the whole board to your wall using whatever method you like, whether it be powerful adhesive strips or good old nails. Voila — you have a lovely-looking produce display that doesn't take up precious counter space.

It's best to separate each type of fruit and veggie into its own individual basket, otherwise, you could run into the same problems you'd have with a bowl of mixed produce. Plus, only keeping one type of item in each vessel makes it easy to find and grab what you need. Your stock will be organized, fresh, and bruise-free. 

To make your hanging basket board match your kitchen aesthetic, paint the pallets before fashioning them together, or apply wood stain and varnish to deepen the color and add a nice sheen. As for the baskets, try tying ribbon bows around the front wires or wrap thick twine around the base using glue. It's also a great idea to line the bottom of each basket with pretty towels, a Dollar Tree product you need to decorate your kitchen. This creates a gentler bottom surface for delicate produce like peaches.

@thediystruggle

Grab these at Dollar Tree for an EASY DIY storage idea #dollartree #dollartreediy #dollartreecrafts #craftideas #diycrafts #thediystruggle #crafts

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A few more tips can help you avoid common produce storage mistakes and make the most of your Dollar Tree creations. When filling your baskets, make sure to prioritize foods you shouldn't refrigerate, like potatoes, cucumbers, and onions. These items will be the happiest hanging on your wall. Additionally, some fruits and veggies emit ethylene gas that causes them to ripen even after they're picked. This gas can spread to other produce in the vicinity and eventually spoil it. To minimize the risk, don't store ethylene-producing fruits and veggies (like apples, bananas and tomatoes) and ethylene-sensitive ones (like Brussels sprouts, eggplants, and plums) in the same basket display.

Hanging baskets are also a space-efficient way to display lightweight spice shakers, utensils, and even flowers. If you're craving a more heavy-duty vertical storage solution, maximize your countertop space with an easy dollar store DIY using little more than wooden boxes and dowels.