About a year ago I organized our new pantry for the first time. For months we had let it go and were just throwing stuff on shelves, so it was nice to get it organized. We're SO lucky to have such a large pantry in this house!! Be sure to check out the link to see the tips I shared for organizing items.
One of my favorite spots is this shelf that we use for a few of the appliances we use more often. I had an outlet installed in the pantry so we could keep things in here instead of on the kitchen counters:
See the outlet under the mug rack? When I specified where I wanted the outlet, I didn't think to ask how the pantry shelves were going to be installed. Duh! It has still worked out just fine.
I think I mentioned when I shared the pantry that I wanted to add a little something to that shelf to make it even more functional. It took me nearly a year but I finally did it! :)
I grabbed a piece of melamine from Home Depot (for $8), and then some drawer slides ($13) as well:
This project is very similar to a DIY pull out drawer I did in our old house. It's the same concept!
The melamine shelf was too long for the project, so I cut it down to the size I needed:
It's been awhile since I've used the saw -- I missed using it!
You can take the slides apart to install this, but I found it easier to keep them intact for installation. I started by marking the same distance from either side of the shelf so I could keep them as straight as possible:
This is important because I was using two of them -- they needed to be lined up perfectly straight so the shelf could easily be pushed back.
I extended the slides out as far as possible, then lined them up on my marks, then marked where I needed to pre-drill:
You'll want to use a drill bit to start your hole for the screw -- otherwise the wood could buckle or crack. It also makes it much easier to get your screw in:
I made sure the slides were all the way extended and laid the cut melamine on top. I sat underneath it and did the same steps again -- marking where to pre-drill and then attaching the slide to the underside of the shelf.
Make sure as you go you test your shelf -- just to make sure things are still straight. I put one screw in one slide and tested, then one more, tested, etc. Just to ensure a smooth operation.
I added a cabinet knob to the front that we can use to pull it out and close:
It works like a dream!! So awesome. Now we can easily pull it out and use the appliances without having to work in the small space.
It's so nice to be able to access the top of the Keurig without awkwardly pulling it out while we're using it:
Ideally the outlet would be behind there, maybe one day we'll move it. Until then it works great!
I am so pleased with this quick project. Just a little thing that makes our lives a bit easier. :)
Those pull out drawers you buy at the store are CRAZY expensive, so this is a great option to do it for much cheaper! You could attach baskets to the shelf as well if you want to use it for food or paper items!
Have a great weekend my friends! We're supposed to get snowed in again. We're stocked up on groceries and ready! Are you supposed to get the snow too?
