Every time I look across the apartment and see this key rack I made a few months ago, I feel happy. I love how great it looks and how much we can store there. It's one of those DIY projects that didn't take a lot of time or money that has paid for itself in convenience, better organization and thus major joy on my part (!) ten times over.
I like to report back on the projects I've done with follow ups. Some times they turn out a fantastic success like this one and sometimes they don't and are out the door or in a closet not long after. Learning from other's experiences is one of the first things I do when I am thinking about a project. So I thought I would share my feedback on creative undertakings here.
It's been heavenly for every set of keys in the house to have a home. No more mountain of keys in a basket. As soon as we walk in to door the keys go right on the rack in their assigned positions and no more searching for key chains.
We get asked this frequently by guests - yes, our family really does have that many keys although a lot of those key chains only have one key on them. We mostly use the three or four hooks on the left side, closest to the door. On all the other hooks are extra sets of car keys, house keys, bike & bike rack locks, post office box, storage units, etc. We are a family with a lot of keys.
Sometimes it's amazing what a little ten dollar project can do to really improve life. This is one that I smile about every time I see it. Piece of wood out of my small cupboard supply, a little "driftwood" wood stain and some hooks from the hardware store.
These hooks worked so well because they were small enough to easily fit a key ring on and off without much frustration. Finding a system that people in the family will actually use without frustration is critical. If something doesn't work it won't get used.
I am also thrilled with how I finally figured out how to hang the rack. It was worked out phenomenally. I first used two picture hooks across the top but didn't give it much stability. It could get knocked off the wall or knocked down and it would be a pain in the neck to pick up all those keys. So I used 3M Command Strips across the bottom which has made it immovable. Just what I wanted and it's sustaining a lot of weight too.
Total project has been a life changer in how we store keys and how easy they are to find. Keys are a small things but they certainly are a factor every time we walk in and out of the front door.
A prime example of the importance of keys is the other day when I had my hands full and confidently shut and locked the front door on my way out with my keys to house and car still on the hook inside. -- Sigh. Luckily we have a sneaky "emergency entrance" option as a back up and I was back in business in just minutes.
Having a cute way to store and organize keys that looks good and get used by the family makes me doubly happy. You can see the original DIY post with step-by-step instructions here.
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