How To Convert Your Coat Closet Into A Functional Pantry

A pantry is a wonderful addition to a kitchen plan, but they're not always available when you move into a home. The great news is you can build a fully functional pantry in a weekend by transforming an underutilized coat closet and creating a stylish storage system to help you keep track of your food and pantry stock. In many houses, the coat closet is directly on the path to the kitchen, which makes even more sense to start using it as a pantry. To be sure you'll get the maximum use from your new pantry, you'll want to use a closet that will allow you to install shelves between 12 and 18 inches deep with additional space in front of them.

Besides gaining a pantry, you get to go shopping for cute and practical pantry storage organizers once you're finished creating your closet pantry. Before you head to Hobby Lobby for adorable farmhouse baskets, take some time to prep your coat closet. Empty it completely, going through coats, boots, and whatever else that's taking up space. Donate anything not needed and re-home things you still use. Remove all existing shelving and repair the walls by filling in holes from hooks or brackets to prep for painting.

There is a saying that goes, "Measure twice, cut once." This is an instance where you want to take that saying seriously. Measure your closet and decide where your shelves will be. You'll need the depth and the width to get the correct measurements for your shelf supports. The width will also tell you what length to cut your shelves. Mark the walls using a level so you know where your support strips will go. You want the shelves to be perfectly level. Cut your support strips down to the correct measurement, then nail them to the wall. After you paint your support strips, cut your shelves to the length you want, then lay each shelf on the strips. Attach the shelves to the supports with a nail gun. Paint the shelving, and then once dry, cover each shelf with a shelf liner. Caulk all gaps between the shelves and the walls. Now, it's time to organize your pantry.

The best way to organize your pantry includes adding baskets, clear containers, and turntables. Be sure to label everything so finding items is easy. Finally, add over-the-door organizers on your doors to hold loose items like gravy mixes, single-serving snacks, or storage bags. Once set up, go through your pantry regularly to use up items near expiration and to discard anything that has expired.