It takes some imagination to install a coat rack in a kitchen cabinet. When I saw this American woman place her wooden accordion coat rack in the middle of her pots and pans, I initially thought it was a joke. Her cupboard was overflowing, lids slid everywhere, every pan seemed wedged behind three others. A few minutes later, everything was neatly stored, visible, easy to grab.
This idea comes from a TikTok video by American creator Stephanie Booth, spotted by The Kitchn. She repurposes a simple extendable coat rack to transform a chaotic cupboard into ultra-clear storage for pots, pans, and lids. No DIY, no drilling, just an object laid on the shelf. Watching her before-and-after, I frankly thought: I have to do the same.
Why this accordion coat rack changes a kitchen cabinet
In her video, Stephanie Booth starts by emptying the cabinet completely and grouping utensils by category. Then she places a wooden accordion coat rack, like the AMAPON model sold for around $14 (about €13), flat on the top shelf, hooks facing upward. She slides each lid, pan, or small pot between two hooks, which act as separators. The rack then functions exactly like a vertical lid organizer, but in a more flexible form.
Result: no more unstable piles, every piece has its place, stored upright and visible as soon as the door is opened. You no longer have to rummage through the entire cabinet to grab a single lid. Since the coat rack is extendable, you can open it as wide or as narrow as the cabinet width and the size of your cookware allows. The same accessory grows with your kitchenware over the years.
How to adopt this TikTok trick of the coat rack in your home
To reproduce this organization, the first step is to quickly measure your kitchen cabinet. Then choose an accordion coat rack in wood or metal that can stretch almost across the full width of the shelf, without requiring force. These models cost around $14, about €13, and are readily found online. Once the coat rack arrives, simply lay it flat on the shelf, hooks pointing upward.
The Kitchn editors point out another advantage: no screws are involved. To reinforce stability, especially if the shelf is a bit short, double-sided tape or a mounting paste under the corners of the coat rack works very well. You can also place a thin non-slip mat on the shelf before installing the accessory. The lids then stay in place, even when you open and close the door several times a day.
Extra tips to optimize this arrangement with an extendable coat rack
This clever hack isn’t limited to lids. The same extendable coat rack can hold burners, cutting boards, or baking pans slipped between the hooks. The key remains to verify that the shelf depth allows the cabinet door to close without the handles hitting. A simple dry run with the door closed avoids any surprises.
Another bonus to consider: this system is perfectly suited for rental kitchens. The coat rack simply sits on the shelf and can be removed in a few seconds, leaving no holes or marks if you use the right adhesives. The price remains quite reasonable for an everyday accessory. When you see how Stephanie Booth’s cabinet shifted from chaos to order, you quickly understand why this trick inspires you to try it too.
