Ikea hack: diy wooden utensil holder for under a tenner

I recently made a trip to Ikea and ended up buying way more than I needed. That’s always the way, isn’t it?

One of the things I spotted was a pale pink glass jar that was the perfect size for a utensil holder. But since I’m more of a monochrome, grey and wood kind’a gal, I thought it would be perfect for a little ikea hack. It was £3.50 after all so I bought it, came home and decided I wanted to go for a wooden utensil holder and that’s what I ended up creating. (it was £3.50 at the time of purchase but has recently gone up to £5 – still a bargain!)

Once I’d make this diy wooden utensil holder, I started thinking it would make a cool vase too. I couldn’t decide whether to share it as a vase or utensil holder. In the end I chose the holder because that’s what I needed for my kitchen. But if you prefer it as a vase, it’ll make a gorgeous, modern wooden vase too. Or better yet, switch up the use whenever you feel like a change.

DIY wooden utensil holder

Materials:
Ikea Eklatera glass jar
71 Wooden cake pop sticks / dowel (UK readers find it here)
strong wood glue

The main thing to remember for this diy is to make sure the first stick you glue on is straight. The rest is easy!

To start, add some glue to your first popsicle stick and glue on to the jar. I found it handy to spread the glue with my fingers. By doing this I ensured that the glue was spread enough to not only bond to the jar but also to the sticks next it.

Once you’ve glued your first one, continue gluing the sticks one by one. As you glue, make sure to gently press the sticks from top to bottom, making sure they’re stuck to the entire length of the jar. Leave to dry and you’re done.

The Eklatera jar costs all of £3.50 and the sticks were about a fiver so you end up with a lovely wooden utensil holder for under a tenner. Not bad. The jar comes with a lid which still fits after you glue the sticks on so you can even use it to store other things.

What will you use your jar for? And if you love your Ikea hacks, here’s a hanging bedside light made with the help of Ikea coasters and here’s a handy living room/tv storage unit make from Ikea kitchen cabinets.