Here are 10 brilliant ways to use tension rods throughout the house for organization and more. They are inexpensive, easy to install & so versatile, especially for renters!
As a professional organizer, I love to use tension rods because they are inexpensive, easy to install, and so versatile! They are great for my organizing clients to use because they don’t need any tools to install. Tension rods don’t leave any damage behind. And they are perfect for renters.
(*This post includes some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to see my full disclosure policy.)
You may already have some tension rods stuffed in the back of your closet or in the basement, collecting dust.
Well, now’s the time to put them to good use!
If you don’t have any lying around, grab some from your local Walmart or Target, or order them online. These are what I use.
Use tension rods to corral unwieldy cookie sheets and muffin tins.
The rods can be custom placed to fit your space.
Kitchen cabinets a mess? Here are some easy and inexpensive ways to make your kitchen cabinets and drawers more functional and organized.
Use a tension rod under the kitchen sink to hang bottles of cleaning solutions.
This is the view under my own kitchen sink. Hanging up the bottles creates more storage space underneath. NOTE: The only downside is that they just aren’t strong enough to hold the COSTCO-size bottles that weigh several pounds. But normal-sized bottles will hang here just fine, even full ones. 🙂
Ready to get organized? Get your free guide of 10 simple-to-do organizing tips you can do for under $10. Created by a professional organizer (me 😊). Take your home from chaos to calm!
Use them as a baby gate to safely contain pets or small children.
This is especially helpful when visiting. Simply take them with you to Grandma’s or other places that require a baby gate. No need to pack a large regular baby gate. (By the way, the model for this tip is my dog, Charlie) 🙂
(If you’re a dog parent like me, here are some of my favorite ways to organize all their stuff!)
Use 2 tension rods in a bathroom vanity to hang storage bins.
The tension rods are placed so that the bins (like these) sit between them at an angle. What a great way to add extra storage under the sink!
Here are more ways to add storage under your bathroom sink!
Use tension rods on the outside of your front windows to easily hang a wreath.
Is the front of your house flat? No worries! It’s just as easy to hang the wreath inside the window as well. Awesome!
Struggle with organizing your Christmas decorations? Check out how I organize them as a pro organizer!
Use them to create a custom, organized spice drawer.
If you have the drawer space, this makes finding your spices a breeze. As I tell all my clients, it really is more efficient to keep your spices in alphabetical order, too. (And not just because I’m a librarian 😉
Do you store your spices in an upper cabinet instead? Here is a post I did about organizing my own spice cabinet: How I organized my baking and spice cabinet.
Is your kitchen so messy that you don’t even want to think about making dinner? THE ULTIMATE KITCHEN ORGANIZATION GUIDE is a professional organizer-created eBook. It is filled with 41 pages of the best kitchen organizing tips, tricks, and meal plan help. This guide will get your kitchen the most organized it’s ever been!
Use tension rods and S hooks to create easy bracelet storage.
This can also be used for necklaces or scarves. I like this set of S hooks. The rubber stops on the ends keep things from sliding off.
Overwhelmed? Tired of the clutter, but don’t know where to start? Get the FREE list of 50 items to declutter RIGHT NOW!
Use them to create a vertical shoe rack.
Use tension rods strategically by using all of the space available. They work well in the space at the sides of your closet, which is usually pretty narrow and not functional. But if you have a little alcove like in the picture below, it will work great, too!
Use tension rods and clips to hang bags in the pantry.
This helps create more space on the shelves themselves. This very easy setup also uses S hooks. Just hang the bags up using binder clips! So easy.
Here are more ways to get your pantry neatly organized! Make your pantry feel twice as big with these quick & easy strategies. In no time, your pantry will be organized and decluttered!
Struggling with meal planning? Grab your free freezer and pantry inventory sheets to make meal planning fast, easy, and organized.
Use a tension rod and S hooks under the upper kitchen cabinets to hold utensils.
This is a great way to keep all those cooking utensils handy right next to the stove. And they don’t take up valuable counter space.
See how useful these S hooks are, too? I think my next post will have to be on the many uses of S hooks in your home! 🙂
See what I mean? Tension rods are so versatile! Grab some today and get organizing!
Do you have other ways you use tension rods? Let me know!
~ Pam
P.S. Looking for items to help your unorganized friends and family? Check out our ultimate gift guide for the unorganized for some great ideas!
Tension rods are great for yarn also, when crocheting or knitting. Prevents tangling and keeps everything nice neat and tidy.
Such great ideas! I am definitely going to use the one that you place in the shower to hang the towels or hang damp clothes from the dryer that may shrink if fully dried in the dryer.
I have stain glass windows one for each window but my living room windows are over 6 feet tall. So instead of trying to hang them I lean each one on the window sill. The tension rod is behind the stain glass to prevent it from sliding off the window sill. It works perfectly
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I use a tension rod to hang a plant in front of my kitchen window. The plant looks great and takes the place of a curtain. I have also hung herbs to dry on that same tension rod
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I have a skylight that lets in too much sunlight. Blinds were costly since the skylight is at an angle. . I used 2 tension rods with a gathered sheer curtain . One rod through the header and one through the hem. Easy to take down when the months are cooler.
What a great idea!!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I get mine at Walmart, brand name, Mainstays. Buy the adjustable type – much more versatile. Come in several lengths i.e. 18-28″, 28-48″ up to 82″, in white or brown, priced as low as $3.48 each, with instructions. Buy one of the cheapest and experiment with it. You’ll find many uses for them.
A word of caution – the kid or pet gate is a bad idea – easily dislodged, unless you screw a few plastic bottle caps to the walls to keep them from slipping. Still a bad idea for kids as they are rated for only 15 pounds of weight, easily exceeded by a small toddler.
I also have ones from Walmart. I agree, they work very well. Of course it goes without saying to use them as gates only in a situation you know will be acceptable. For my dog, pictured in the photo, he will not try to go through or over them. So it works well for me.
my little mutt would climb trough BUT – if i use the stronger ones and add a net curtain– he can see through but stops him in his tracks
used similar at the caravan doors for the kids when we were on holiday to avoid them falling down the steps
I have a tension rod in my shower. It runs parallel with the tub but the rod is a little lower than the shower head and I hung metal baskets with S hooks for shampoo, body wash, etc storage.
Nice idea! Thanks for sharing! Pam 🙂
I use a tension rod in the shower when I am ready to clean/wash mini blinds, I hang the blinds by corded loops on the rod to let them dry., naturally, by oscillating fan or hair dryer.
Great Ideas. Thank you
Great ideas! I used 3 tension shower rods under my basement steps to hang all of my seasonal wreaths. I would post a picture if I could.
Great idea, Vicki! Thanks for sharing! Pam 🙂
We travel year round in our motorhome. I use tension rods in my refrigerator in front of each shelf while we’re driving to keep jars, etc from moving forward and falling out when I open the door. Also I put one in front of each shelf in the medicine cabinet in bathroom. We’ve had spills and breaks so learned the hard way. Loved your other ideas.
Great ideas, Karen! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
What great ideas, Pam, some I have never seen before!
Thanks! 🙂
Where do you buy tension rods?
Pretty much anywhere! 🙂 I get mine at WalMart, but I’ve also seen them at other stores that carry home goods, like Target, craft or hardware stores (like Ace Hardware), Lowes, Home Depot, etc., as well as Amazon. They are very inexpensive and come in varying lengths.
Dollar stores
Great idea saving n sending to my sister she bought a small house to retire in she’s gonna appreciate idea thank you for sharing
Thank you!
I love this idea I use shower rods in a lot of areas for heavier duty tension rods or dowel rods and wall cups with screws to hold them in place.
Thank you!
Wow! I have never seen so many ways to use tension rods in so many places. Have used on metal grated shelfs in laundry closet closet above washer though.
Thanks! And your idea is very smart, too! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I created a screen door with a precut screen and stapled the screen around the rod and put it in the entrance
What a great, resourceful idea! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
1. Use a sturdier, thicker tension rod under the sink. I tried this idea with a lightweight rod and had a huge fail.
2. I made my own “shelf” in a metal cupboard using 3 tension rods. The shelf itself is foam core board. Granted, you can’t put anything heavy on it but it works well for napkins and plastic takeout containers.
Great ideas! The smaller tension rod does work okay for smaller bottles, but yes a thicker one is good, too!
I use them to hang towels to dry in the shower
Hi good use of tension rods. I use them to hang new curtains in tent trailer so I don’t have to fool with metal hanging stuff.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing! 🙂