The Old Broom Closet

In our kitchen we have a small closet that we couldn't figure out what to do with. It is small (25" wide and 18" deep) and seemed to be used to store cleaning supplies in the past (note the broom/mop holders beneath the shelf). Because the closet is located in the kitchen, I wanted to make this a space to store food and also some kitchen appliances.

I headed over to The Container Store to get some ideas.  There, I met with an "architect" to sketch out a plan for the best use for this space.  I discovered that installing a shelving system would not be too difficult to install and would be relatively cheap (about $100 total for the tracks and the shelves).  At the Container Store, everything is cut for your particular project so you don't have to worry about fitting stock pieces into your unique space. I was sold, so I placed the order.  About 1 hour later, everything was cut-to-order and ready to be picked up.

After a few hours and 1 additional trip to the Container Store later (I forgot we had base boards in the closet, so the tracks had to be trimmed by about 4 inches), the shelves were done.  Here's a look at what the tracks and shelves look like without any items on them:

 The tracks were installed with large (HUGE) drywall anchors so that the shelves could hold the weight of large, heavy objects (like the Kitchenaid mixer).  I think I used a 3/8" drill bit and still had to bore around the hole to get it to fit.

Another important feature of the closet is the recyclable bin at the bottom.  We needed a place to store our recyclables that was not in the main kitchen area.  Having the trashcan out in plain view is bad enough! Since the doorway is narrow (about 16"), I had to find something skinny yet functional so we could slide the bin out to empty it. 

The final product:

Here is a before and after shot:

Now, we have a useful pantry space right in the middle of the kitchen!