Tuesday, November 2, 2010

No Cost Pantry Transformation

Wouldn't you love to have a pantry that is perfectly organized?


Unfortunately, our pantry shelving is made of that wonderful wire that most builders around here put in.  We have custom organized closets in almost all of our rooms, but we never got around to getting rid of the awful wire shelving in the pantry. You know, the wire that things fall through and fall over and you can't slide things around easily? Here's what our pantry looked like for the past 10 years:


Recently I've been working on designing a pantry for a client.

Working on someone else's pantry is making me want to do something with ours.  The problem is, I don't want to spend ANY money on it since our house is house up for sale.
So,  I went in our garage to see what I could find. I spied some leftover pieces of wood and 1/4" backer board and asked Mr. Fanatic to make me some shelves.

 Now our pantry looks like this...

Here are the shelves he made for me. They are made from 3/4" plywood with a piece of scribe on the front edge. Mr. F told me we brought this piece of wood with us when we moved from California. Seriously? Yep!
I painted the shelves with 2 (almost full) cans of white spray paint that I already had in the garage.


Here's a look at the backer board material. This was leftover from another project, too. It was already cut perfectly for the depth and only about 1/2" cut off from the length. You can buy this material in white at one of the big box stores. I had enough to cover 4 shelves. I might have painted them, but this is a temporary fix for now. If our house doesn't sell, re-doing this pantry right is on our list for Spring!...and it will  look like the first photo above!

I hang my grocery plastic grocery bags on the door on the right next ot my grandma's apron.

The message/photo board is on the left door. It is both magnetic and a chalkboard. Mr. F made this several years ago & I love it!


Not bad for a no cost transformation! What do you think?
BEFORE
AFTER
Do you have a space in your house that is really bugging you?
 I would  love to hear about it!
Pam 




38 comments:

  1. This is fabulous, Pam!! Your 'After' could be an inspiration photo! We don't have a pantry but I am now ready to organize all my cabinets!!

    Happy Halloween!

    XO,
    Jane

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  2. Pam, what a great transformation. I would love a large pantry like that. Mine is half that size and has the wire shelves. Met Monday is the Mom cave contest this week. I would love for you to link to my party Tuesday night!

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  3. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Following you now! (And YES I wish my pantry looked so awesome!)

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  4. Looks great! It's always so rewarding when we make things look or function better.

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  5. Pam, that is awesome! It will impress those looking too! That was a brilliant inexpensive way to make it work and do just as good of a job! I have the wire shelves too and right away I noticed that I wished it had a flat surface...my solution was going to be to put down clear lexan or plastic....because of the cost I never did it. This is a great idea! You definitely are a great DIY person!!

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  6. This looks great! I definitely have a place that's bugging the heck out of me...actually two places. One is my pantry which is way too small and the other is a large closet in the kitchen that right now I use as my office...and it's also too small. I want to find somewhere to put my office and then make the large closet into my pantry. Hopefully I'll get it done one day!

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  7. Looks AMAZING!

    Jenny
    www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com

    PS. I am having a little giveaway -- feel free to come check it out! :)

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  8. Love it! PS - we have the exact same plastic bag holder!!! Too funny! :)

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  9. How lovely and realistic posts you have Pam... what a sad heart it is when I saw my pantry after a week of organizing it... do really someone has this much organized 7 days, 1 month hmmm?
    Whenever I saw your post I feel a new energy in me. thanks for such a inspiration..
    Love
    Farah

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  10. Oh I am SO right there with you! I feel like I NEED one of those gorgeous pantries! But, in reality, I will have to make due for now (and probably a while...SO many other projects ahead of it!) Your zero-cost transformation was great! What a good way to make the most of what you have! This was my first time to your blog and I'll definitely be back!

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  11. I love it. I have an old pantry, the type with two long cupboard doors, and wood shelves that go way too deep!! I try to keep it neat and organized but in time, it always gets jumbled up again. Time to get it ready for holiday baking though!!

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  12. I have pantry envy! Yours is so organized...love how you added the wood shelf to make it work for you without doing a complete overhaul. Looks great!
    Kristen

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  13. This is awesome Pam, you did a fabulous job!
    XO
    Kristin

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  14. Pantry envy! We have overflowing cabinets in the mud room that are our pantry that so need reorganizing. It has been more that a year! Seeing all those lovely tidy shelves are inspiring me to get with it! And before Thanksgiving too!
    Linda @ bushel and a pickle

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  15. Pam, What a wonderful idea. We have the same wire shelves and the same problems with them. I see a trip to Lowes coming up. Thanks.
    xo, Sherry

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  16. I think it looks awesome Pam...I was just snooping Kim's party and wanted to say hello to you:) Hope all is well. Debbie

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  17. Pam, thank you for joining my party tonight. Now come organize my pantry!

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  18. Pam, it looks fantastic! I'd love to have a pantry like your inspiration photo, but unfortunately our pantry is even smaller than your current one. Guess we have to be happy with what we have. LOL
    ~ Sarah

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  19. I'm almost at a loss for words...remember I said "almost" -- I have enough words left to tell you how amazing this project is. You are like the queen of organization. I feel like I kind of lost contact with you, so I'm going to make sure that you're showing up in my reader. I'm so glad to have seen this project linked on the Boardwalk Bragfest. It's very impressive. Thank you for sharing! The room I have the most trouble with is my "craft room". I constantly struggle to keep it organized.

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  20. Now that's organized!! Looking good!

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  21. Well, your less-expensive version is very organized and pretty!

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  22. Nice work! I would love you to link this up for a chance to win my Get Organized Giveaway!

    http://wildflowersandwhimsy.blogspot.com/2010/11/get-organized-giveaway.html

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  23. OMGosh..this is absolutely amazing and you two are sooo smart and talented.
    My pantry is T.I.N.Y. but I am going to tackle it and make it more organized. Wish you lived next door to me so you could tell me how to do it....:)

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  24. Thanks for stopping by my blog!! Now I'm motivated to go organize some cabinets!

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  25. No cost transformations are the best! It really looks nice. I'm completely swooning over the closet-pantry inspiration picture for your client!!

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  26. I love how you transformed your pantry! I hope you get a fabulous walk-in pantry like your client's someday!

    :)
    ButterYum

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  27. Your pantry looks great! Mr. Fanatic did well and I'm jealous that you can see everything and it's organized so well! Great job!
    Would love for you to link up to our fall party and share this. Thanks, Katie

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  28. Hi!! I'm your newest follower!! I found you on the blog hop! I love finding new blogs and your is lovely! You can find me at www.bouffeebambini.blogspot.com

    Take a *peek* at my giveaways if you come by. Everything is handmade and gorgeous!

    AWESOME job on your pantry

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  29. Oh what I wouldn't give for a pantry that size!! So nice Pam!!

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  30. What a smart idea. We also have the wire shelves and it gets on my last nerve when something falls through the openings.

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  31. Wow, that's a great no cost transformation! Best of luck selling. :)

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  32. Oh gosh, I LOVE it. You're a gal after my own heart as my Mom would say. Love to organize on a zero budget - nothin' but plan old fashioned creativity. I've put rubbermaid shelves on top of those awful wire shelves, but I wouldn't do that unless I was 'staying'. Another zero cost idea if you didn't have the backer board would just be cardboard to place under the canned goods.

    I just found you on Transformation Thursdays and have followed you. Hope you'll take a look at my blog and maybe decide to follow me too :)

    Looking forward to reading more of your posts!

    Michelle
    www.jamiesoninteriors.com

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  33. Looks great--very organized and user friendly, which is key. Thanks for sharing!

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  34. Hi Pam. This project was the #1 MOST POPULAR LINK from last Tuesday's Boardwalk Bragfest! Congratulations. Please stop by and take a look. Feel free to take the "Featured Boardwalker" button, as well; and thank you again for linking this great project!

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  35. Love the organized new pantry.... I have a huge walk-in pantry that needs transformed!!!

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  36. That was a great idea for covering those pesky wire shelves.

    I have no space in my kitchen for a pantry. So when I had my kitchen remodled I asked why can't I have a hole cut into my wall and shelves put in for a shallow pantry. Well then I found out that from one of the big box stores I could get a tall shelving section with doors that would fit into the wall. Then I was told by the person helping me that If I bought 2 shelving units and stacked them it would cost less. So I had a hole cut into the wall that is about 36" W by 72" T. The units fit perfectly and they are finished inside. I chose the type of doors and the color that I wanted. My shallow little pantry is WONDERFUL. I was so amazed at how many things fit on the shelves. All together I have 6 shelves. I can raise or lower the finished wooden shelves for tall or short things. The two upper shelves I use for spices and herbs. To get an idea of how deep the shelves are I can set the largest size round box of oatmeal on a shelf easilly. I love this idea I had. It is on a blank wall in my kitchen. Sure I could have hung some pictures or antiques on that wall but what the heck we all need more storage space. Irene

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  37. Love the idea for those with wire shelving. Just wanted to point out that you have a lot of wasted door space. My pantry is half the size of yours and I use the over the door hanging wire racks on my door which gives me additional storage space which is much needed for a family of four. I even have space on it for my bag of bags. You have a lot of great ideas. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us.

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