A Reader Uses This Dollar Store Kitchen Item to Help Keep Her Family Organized

We love this simple Dollar Store hack!

Hip2Save reader, Emily, was looking for a frugal way to keep her kids messy craft projects, crayons, and puzzles organized and off the carpet. Who knew this kitchen tool from her local Dollar Store would serve so many unconventional purposes for kids and adults alike!

I found a cheap hack with multiple uses for the whole family! I picked up a set of baking sheet pans at the dollar store and have found unconventional uses for them.

They work great as a lap desk, perfect for doing crossword puzzles for the adults or coloring for the kids. Because they are rimmed, the sheets are nice because they keep the crayons contained.

Also, these sheets are perfect for messy crafts! They can contain glitter projects or jewelry making kits. They also allow my kids to play with play-doh or paints in rooms normally off-limits, like their carpeted bedrooms. The sheets make clean up so easy!

I also use these sheets as learning tools for the kids. Because they are magnetic, I put letters on the board to teach spelling. The kids also use them with magnetic characters as a play set. I love it since we are a busy, on the go family, and the kids can take this in the car as an educational tool.

Additionally, I like to use the sheets to hold jigsaw puzzles. It is nice because we can take them from room to room, the pieces are all contained within the rim, and the sheets can store flat under a bed without having to disassemble the puzzle!

If youre an overachiever, the kids can also help decorate the sheet pans with scrapbook paper and washi tape to personalize it. A sock filled with rice, beans, or stuffing can also be velcroed to the bottom to make it a softer lap desk. Overall, I keep finding new uses for these cheap pans, and the kids love them!

This is such a great idea!

Thank you, Emily, for sharing your clever, frugal, yet genius hack with us!