A freestanding drawer unit adds more storage in the pantry.
A closet under the stairs gives you a spot for making a pantry, especially if the closet is in close proximity to the kitchen. While the stair shape of the closet leaves some dead space, the way you arrange the pantry items allows you to maximize the storage area in the under-stair closet. Custom shelves and storage units within the pantry closet aid in maximizing the space. With a few modifications, the area under your stairs gives you a new home for all of those kitchen items that take up your cabinet space. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Clear out all items from the closet. Remove the existing shelves and closet rods, as well as any other structures in the under-stair closet.
2. Mark where you want each shelf to be installed along the closet's side walls at various points from top to bottom, leaving six to 18 inches between the shelves. You can stick to strictly linear, parallel lines of shelves or stagger them, with one side having shelves farther apart than the other. Consider your pantry needs when deciding what mix of shelving will work best for you. Measure the length for each shelf. Write down the measurements as a reference for when you cut the boards.
3. Measure the distance from the side wall to the trim for the doorway to determine how deep you are able to make the shelves. For example, if the distance from the wall to the door trim is seven inches, choose a 1-inch-by-6-inch board for the shelving so you get the maximum depth without hanging over the door frame.
4. Cut 1-inch-thick boards to create floor-to-ceiling shelves along both side walls of the closets perpendicular to the stairs. Measure and mark the length of each shelf on the board based on the measurements you took in the closet. Cut the individual shelf lengths with a circular saw.
5. Hold shelf brackets up to the wall to mark the screw holes. Predrill pilot holes into the closet wall for each of the shelf brackets; use a carpenter's level to ensure that the brackets are positioned correctly to keep the shelves on an even line. Install a middle bracket in addition to two end brackets on long shelves or those that will hold heavy items.
6. Screw the shelf brackets into place on the wall. Place the corresponding boards onto each set of shelf brackets to create the pantry shelves.
7. Position a short, freestanding drawer unit under the stairs to provide additional storage space. Measure the clearance available under the stairs to choose a drawer unit that works. Another option is to leave this space open and use it to store larger items like large boxes of food or bulk packages of paper products such as paper towels.
8. Hang an over-the-door shelving unit on the inside of the closet door. Use this space for additional storage space.
Tags: each shelf, shelf brackets, drawer unit, under stairs, additional storage
