I Loved This $15 Wall Organizer So Much, I Bought 3 More

It helped tidy up my closetless apartment.

For weeks I'd been on the hunt for an inexpensive Shaker peg rail. A quick look at my Pinterest boards could tell you why: image after image of beautiful, minimalist kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, each adorned with a simple wooden peg rail on the wall. In the kitchen, they hold aprons and cooking tools; in the entryway, coats and jackets; in the bedroom, hats and handbags. I was determined that the Shaker peg rail, in its seamless blend of function and style, would be the solution to all of my organizing woes. Spoiler alert: I was (sort of) right.

RELATED: 25 of the Most Life-Changing Organization Products on Amazon

Since it was first created by the Shakers, a sect of Quakerism founded in the 1700s, the peg rail has since appeared in homes of many styles, from sleek metal peg rails in industrial style homes to classic wooden ones in modern farmhouse abodes. In my search for the right peg rail for my Brooklyn apartment, I found many beautiful handmade options on Etsy, one with a convenient built-in shelf, a chevron-and-marble take at World Market. And leave it to West Elm to come up with a gorgeous mid-century modern version. But ultimately, I found the most classic (and least expensive!) Shaker peg rail right in the aisle at the Container Store.

Crafted from maple wood and outfitted with either four pegs ($10) or six pegs ($15), the Container Store's Shaker peg rack looked remarkably similar to those on my Pinterest boards, and the prices were unbeatable. My one small hesitation: according to some reviews, the pegs had come loose or fell out when heavy coats were hung on them. Seeing that those reviews dated back to 2015, I decided to give the peg rack a shot. As soon as the peg rack was screwed into the wall (along with plastic wall anchors from the hardware store for extra support), I overloaded the peg rail with heavy coats, scarves, and handbags. More than a month later, I can confirm that the improved design is very sturdy.

Originally, I had planned to hang just one short peg rail in my living room to hold a few jackets, but after seeing the low price, I decided to go for the classic Shaker style and line one entire wall of my living room with the peg rail. Buying four in total, I sawed the last one in half to fit the length of the wall exactly. And while I decided to leave the natural wood, the rack could easily be painted to match or contrast your wall paint color. The finished effect is minimalist yet cozy, and since I live in an apartment without a single closet (yes, really), it has provided much-needed coat storage.

In the kitchen, the Shaker peg rail again came to the rescue, this time holding dust pans and brooms. In lieu of a typical supply closet, the peg rack fits neatly in the nook between my refrigerator and wall.

The only closet conundrum the Shaker peg rack couldn't solve: What to do without a bedroom closet? You'll have to stay posted for that one.