Green Chic: DIY Foldout Drying Rack

Air-drying your delicates is the best way to preserve your garments, and it's good for the environment. However, air-drying takes up a lot of space, which is why a fold-up drying rack is such a clever idea.

Mounted on the wall, a drying rack takes up almost no space when retracted, but offers ample drying area when extended. When I spied these foldout drying racks on Ballard Designs website (Beadboard Drying Racks, $89 to $199, Ballard Designs), I was pretty sure I'd seen a similar item as a do-it-yourself project in Martha Stewart Living some time ago.

Sure enough, a search of marthastewart.com turned up the original project. If you don't want to shell out for the pre-made model, Martha's instructions read, "The rack consists of two wooden frames -- a smaller one, fitted with eight horizontal dowels, inside a larger one (each is painted to match the wall). The frames are hinged at the bottom, and the larger frame is attached to the wall. A small metal latch at the top keeps the rack closed when not in use. When open, the inner frame is held by eye hooks and chains." While the instructions are a wee bit vague, an able D.I.Y.-er could definitely figure this out.

For more clever organization solutions, check out these posts:

Storing Power Cables and Extension Cords the Right Way
Julia Child's Kitchen Organization Advice