10 Pegboard Ideas for the Creative Organizer

A beautiful and unique pegboard table runner from Wandeleur

Pegboards could certainly be described as utilitarian, and, well, it could certainly be described as bland. But you can really spruce it up, and use it throughout your home to both beautiful effect and great utility! You can organize a lot of things with pegboards. I tend to think of it as a way to organize things is spaces guests wouldn’t venture, such as the unfinished portion of the basement where Dad keeps his tools, or the garage where family sometimes passes through, but the Joneses usually don’t. Well, I found some great ideas for using pegboard in the house that will have you not only keeping up with the Joneses, but leaving them in the dust wondering how you managed to make pegboard fun, creative, and super-useful!

Background. According to the expert on all things house related, Bob Vila™, Pegboard was actually a brand name (like Band Aid. But since it first entered into the lexicon in 1952, it has been integrated into our language as evidenced by its very own entry in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary (although the capital P has been downgraded) as a noun: Material (as fiberboard) with regularly spaced perforations into which hooks may be inserted for the storage or display of articles.

Accessories. A quick search of ways to organize with pegboard yields various hardware options. Purchase various shaped hooks, brackets and shelving options that are designed specifically for pegboards. You can hang your own containers such as jars, painted pails, recycled coffee tins, or other up-cycled and recycled things.

You can also purchase ready-made pegboard accessories such as trays for nails or buttons or fold out bins, wire shelves and baskets. The possibilities are endless. You can plan out the space, but the beauty is that you can alter the arrangement as your needs change.

Façade. Most pegboard is made of a composite wood. Thus, another great thing about utilizing pegboard in your home is that you can paint it to match your space and your style or add a design or pattern. Additionally, pegboards come in metal which is extra fun if you’re into magnets. You’ll also note that you can make your pegboard doubly useful by painting it with chalkboard paint.

6 Tips on How To Hang Your Pegboard: 

Measure: Be sure to measure your space to get your pegboard in the right size (or cut to size).

Find You Studs. If you will be hanging heavier items on your pegboard, then you’ll want to consider that you need to anchor it to your studs. This could impact the size and maybe you’ll need to have panels cut to ensure they are all anchored securely in the wall studs. This is not a big deal, but you need to know in advance so you don’t bring your pegboard home and find it’s an inch too short to hang properly.

Frame It. Because you want to have space between your wall and the pegboard so that you can hang all the handy hooks and baskets (or whatever you’re hanging), you’ll need to make a simple frame. In your local hardware store's lumber aisle, you'll be able to find lengths of wood aptly called "framing pieces. You can make your frame using your pegboard as a guide, but not attached to the pegboard because ...

Hang Your Frame. It's easier to hang your frame first ad then attach the pegboard.

Attach the (already painted or otherwise fancied up) Pegboard. Start organizing with your accessories.

Eliminate the Guesswork about Hardware. Buy a ready-made pegboard kit and you won't have to guess about the right hardware. It's all included.

Ideas for Using Pegboard. Get creative about solving your storage and display dilemmas in various locations throughout your house. Check out the various places in your home you can use pegboard to organize and decorate in a handy way.

From Houzz[/caption]

From Appleshine

Laundry Room and Mud Room. I like how this handy person erected pegboard behind the washer and dryer to organize cleaning supplies and laundry equipment. I like the clever semantics on the chalkboard, but my favorite part is the fire extinguisher handily hung and readily available. Pretty painted pegboard adorns a shelving unit in the mudroom to maximize the cubby space. Brilliant.

Craft Supplies.  Craft supplies add up. I mean that in two ways: each project yields leftovers and craft supplies can get costly when you have a houseful of kids (me) or are an uber creative person (other people).

From Mad in Crafts

So, rather than have them stashed around the house or running out to purchase new supplies because you cannot find yours, why not organize a small space to have them all handy and beautifully displayed.  If I were creative, I would display this pompously as a reflection of my awesome self. And I would be proud of how pegboard made my hobbies and projects more enjoyable.

From Bright Bold Beautiful

Art Gallery Wall. Whether it's professional artwork or the creativity of your kids you want to show off, you can create a gallery wall with pegboard. Paint the pegboard, frame your artwork and display it like a gallery wall.

From Vanity Fair

Kitchen. That's Julia Child's kitchen. Need I say more? Nah, but I will. You can use it as a back splash or on a large wall. You can line the inside of cabinet. You can make a spice rack. You can display measuring spoons and cups. You can attach baskets for produce and herbs. Paint it or not. So many fun ideas.

From Positively Splendid

Garage. Perhaps where the pegboard originally got its start, the garage is a prime candidate for organizing using this great material! Ditch the tool box that ends up a mess and hang your tools up. From screwdrivers to leaf blowers, paint brushes to electric saws, you can find a hook or accessory to organize the garage. A great idea I've seen several places is to paint the pegboard with chalkboard paint.

From Etsy

Then after you hang up all your tools, trace them in chalk to leave an outline to easily locate its spot when you're finished using each tool. This is also a good way to make sure your kids can help you clean up.

From Momtastic

Jewelry. This is a great idea for those of us with a lot of jewelry, especially necklaces that tangle and confound you as you rush to accessorize. You can get cute bins for rings, too. Paint it, frame it, and hang it in your closet, on the back of a door, in the bedroom, on the side of a dresser. Use smaller ones and prop them on easels on your dresser.

From Brit+Co

Make an Awesome Headboard. This cool pegboard headboard has cut outs for lights and is the ultimate in pegboard chic. Sweet dreams!

Display Your Collections. Maybe it's spoons, maybe it's mugs, or perhaps it's gems. Whatever you are compelled to collect, you can probably show them off and admire them by fashioning a cool display out of pegboard and some accessories to organize said collection.

By Bridget Gorman Wendling

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