Shelf Liner Ideas

Tired of dirty grimy shelves, but unsure about adding shelf liners? While many stores and online sellers offer products to line shelves and drawers, it's likely that you can make shelf liners from what you already have in your home. Considering a few commonsense options may help inspire some DIY shelf liner ideas. Remember, before you start redoing any shelf lining, take a look at the shelves you plan on lining and get some basic measurements. This will help you decide which shelf lining ideas are best suited to your project needs.

If you plan on placing plants on your shelves, you may want to look for water-resistant shelf lining. Using colored plastic wrap works well for this purpose and adds a splash of color to your shelves. Aluminum foil also works as a water-resistant type of shelf liner. These materials are cheap and can be easily cut to the size of your shelves.

If you don't want to replace your shelf liners every time they get dirty, consider using plastic or fabric placemats as reusable shelf liners. You can either wipe them down or toss them in the wash every few weeks to keep your shelves fresh and clean. You can also use linoleum floor pieces as DIY shelf liners. The material is easy to cut and highly durable. Remnants of indoor-outdoor carpeting make a non-slip, cushioning shelf liner. Although carpet may become a dust magnet, it is easy to clean with a vacuum cleaner or a carpet cleaner. Carpet remnants work in garage shelving areas as they are durable and absorb auto and other fluids. Double-sided carpet tape is a quick and easy method to temporarily secure carpet to the shelves.

Reusing wrapping paper as a shelf liner is a great way to recycle and provide a spark of holiday spirit to your shelves. Newspaper works for this purpose too, especially the comics and sports sections. Newsprint is best used as a liner for shelves that will house plastic objects, bottles or other containers, not shelves used for storing books, papers or documents, as the newsprint may bleed onto these items. Also, sections of old party tablecloths can be cut into liners for several shelves.