Ask Annie: What Are The Best Shelf Liners?

August 24, 2016

Our internet family sends me lots of great questions and messages all the time. Sometimes, the messages seem to me to pertain to a wider audience, whether because they’re broad and abstract in theme, or because they’re specific in scope, and in either case, I have no choice but to take to the blog. Today is an example of the latter c/o my homegirl Joyce. She writes:

[Hi Annie,

I follow your blog and Instagram religiously! I love all your tips and tricks and now I’m even going back into your blog archives because my boyfriend and I just purchased our first home (!) and I want to get all my sh*t right and organized from the start! Nothing like a blank slate 🙂

I was wondering if I could ask for your expertise on one thing: I couldn’t find a reference to shelf liners in your blog archives. Would you be able to share your favorite type of shelf liners for the kitchen (brand, adhesive vs. non-adhesive, etc.)? I just deep cleaned the kitchen and need to line the shelves before I put anything in there, but I would like to invest in the best out there.

I appreciate your help!

Best regards,
Joyce]

Hi Joyce! Thank you from the bottom of my bits for using the blog as a resource!

You know what would delight me to no end? Sharing my thoughts about shelf liners with you, Joyce, and you.

Firstly, let’s acknowledge that the right liner depends on what the aim is for said liner. Is it that you’re dealing with an old-ish, gross-ish kitchen that you’re trying to make feel not-gross? Is it that you’re trying to keep things in place, as in within drawers? Or, is it to provide a more secure, solid base to a wire shelf? See how involved this stuff is (Joyce)?

If only you’d speak up over there I might hear your response and provide you with a decisive answer. But since I can’t hear you over the noise of the interwebs, I’ll just have to give you a bevy of options from which to choose.

– In general, I’d say there’s no need for adhesive options if you get liners that are designed to be non-slip/super grip. Also, adhesive versions are, I find, considerably more annoying to install. So, that’s something. I mean, the measuring and cutting is chore enough if you ask me, which, like, technically you did.

– The beaded versions (another here) are usually pretty solid at both staying in place, themselves, and at keeping items atop them securely in place. If they’re good, these liners are sort of “sticky,” by which I mean grippy. This often makes them a better option for helping to keep things in place inside drawers than it does for lining, say, pantry shelves.

– When it comes to those things (the contents of a pantry shelf or cupboard shelf) that you’re constantly shifting around, taking out and putting away, I find that the grip of the beads can be a tad annoying. Plates, for instance, bunt their way into the cupboard rather than sliding into place with ease.

– So, for lining pantry shelves and cupboards, I’d recommend going for a slightly slippier, ribbed version (I could have sworn we were discussing condoms there for a second). Think: these or these. An added bonus of these more plastic-y liners is that they can, in many cases, be washed off as needed and resuscitated. The beaded versions cannot full stop.

916E34oBTtL._SL1500_

– For the purposes of nice-if-ying semi questionable surfaces, especially in the bathroom and closet, I’ve found this liner to be very effective and quite presentable.

– For creating a solid surface out of wire shelving, try these and definitely these.

– Skip the cork liners. Those are stupid to me. Why? They don’t hold things in place very well, they’re not very clean looking, move it along. (Unless you’ve also chosen those already in which case great!!! It’s gonna be great!)

– Another disappointment? The Zip n fit. (I won’t even link to these). I was excited about these initially, but then they starting zipping at their whim and it started to piss me off. So.

– The ultimate, though, are the fabled, oft-praised around here drawer decor. Probably I just like to bring these up, as they’re really more like drawer organizers or drawer mats than they are shelf liners. Still, they’re magic. And consider them for use in frequently used drawers.

Anyone else have raves or hates to share, shelf liner-wise?

xx

-A

7 Comments

  1. Rita Doran on April 16, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    Annie,
    I loved all your information, I want to order the product (shelve liners) that. You recommend but I didn’t know how.?
    Am I doing something wrong?.
    Thanks,
    Rita

  2. Rita Doran on April 16, 2018 at 9:23 pm

    Looking forward to hearing from you and getting your great advice and suggestions,
    Ritaxx

  3. Dedee on July 27, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    Hi Annie,

    I ran across your blog while searching for something non-toxic to line my kitchen drawers to keep things from sliding around. I saw you recommended the Con-Tact Brand Grip liner. I just bought some of this, but it had a very strong smell so I wasn’t sure if it was safe for my dishes to be laying on it. There was no information on the box, nor on the website as to what this product is made from. Do you know what the material is? Is it safe? What’s the smell?

    Thank you.

  4. Lacey on October 19, 2018 at 4:58 am

    I used the beaded liners last time I lined drawers. They are awful and not only don’t stay in place, they don’t keep things in place. I HATE them. I came here looking for a better option in my new kitchen cabinets. FYI I used cork in our rental property and it was actually nice. The cabinets were used and it made them look great. Worked fine. I am not looking for an adhesive option for my own kitchen though.

  5. […] are a variety of liners that are used for different purposes. These liners are selected on the basis of the articles you […]

  6. nicole on March 26, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    I did not find this very helpful. Cork liners provides a resilient surface that cushions fragile items such glassware and it also resists mold and mildew. Adhesive liners hard to handle and remove not good for your cabinets. Rubber is a good choice if you don’t want to use cork

  7. Cathy on November 16, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    What nonadhesive shelf liner would you recommend that will not stick to the finish of my shelves and cause damage to it?

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7 Comments

  1. Rita Doran on April 16, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    Annie,
    I loved all your information, I want to order the product (shelve liners) that. You recommend but I didn’t know how.?
    Am I doing something wrong?.
    Thanks,
    Rita

  2. Rita Doran on April 16, 2018 at 9:23 pm

    Looking forward to hearing from you and getting your great advice and suggestions,
    Ritaxx

  3. Dedee on July 27, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    Hi Annie,

    I ran across your blog while searching for something non-toxic to line my kitchen drawers to keep things from sliding around. I saw you recommended the Con-Tact Brand Grip liner. I just bought some of this, but it had a very strong smell so I wasn’t sure if it was safe for my dishes to be laying on it. There was no information on the box, nor on the website as to what this product is made from. Do you know what the material is? Is it safe? What’s the smell?

    Thank you.

  4. Lacey on October 19, 2018 at 4:58 am

    I used the beaded liners last time I lined drawers. They are awful and not only don’t stay in place, they don’t keep things in place. I HATE them. I came here looking for a better option in my new kitchen cabinets. FYI I used cork in our rental property and it was actually nice. The cabinets were used and it made them look great. Worked fine. I am not looking for an adhesive option for my own kitchen though.

  5. […] are a variety of liners that are used for different purposes. These liners are selected on the basis of the articles you […]

  6. nicole on March 26, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    I did not find this very helpful. Cork liners provides a resilient surface that cushions fragile items such glassware and it also resists mold and mildew. Adhesive liners hard to handle and remove not good for your cabinets. Rubber is a good choice if you don’t want to use cork

  7. Cathy on November 16, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    What nonadhesive shelf liner would you recommend that will not stick to the finish of my shelves and cause damage to it?

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply





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